From the Beginning: Original Residents Reflect on Life at Santa Marta
Among the residents who call Santa Marta home today are more than a dozen who have been here since the community’s opening year, nearly 20…
When a major life transition or loss occurs, the world outside can feel like it’s shrinking. For many seniors living alone, a difficult season can inadvertently lead to isolation. But at Santa Marta, the premier senior living community in Johnson County, Kansas, the culture is intentionally designed so a resident’s circle of friends doesn’t shrink, it grows.
Sponsored by the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas, our community is built to support residents through everyday moments and major life transitions. You see it in the small ways residents and staff show up for one another every single day.
The heart of Santa Marta often shows up most clearly during life’s hardest moments. Recently, when one of our beloved residents passed away, 50 residents and staff members attended the funeral together. In a traditional neighborhood, a loss can leave an empty house and a quiet street. At Santa Marta, it brings a family together to honor a life well-lived.
This deep sense of social connection for seniors in Kansas ensures that no one has to navigate grief or change in isolation. Instead of closing doors, this community opens them.
When Kathy and her husband moved to Santa Marta, they looked forward to enjoying community life together. Her husband passed away early on in their stay.
Kathy reflects that if she had been living alone in her previous home, the weight of the loss might have caused her to become more reclusive.
But Santa Marta’s supportive environment changed her trajectory. Neighbors didn’t just offer polite condolences from afar. They knocked on her door. They checked in regularly, invited her to meals, walks, and activities, and made sure she stayed connected.
Kathy was embraced in proactive neighborly support.
At Santa Marta, kindness shows up in small, thoughtful ways. Residents keep close track of birthdays and anniversaries, ensuring no milestone passes unnoticed. Walk down the halls, and you will see neighbors delivering Happy Birthday cards and anniversary wishes, determined never to let a friend’s special day slip by.
Looking to the future, the community is building on this organic care by looking at starting a formal buddy system. This program will pair residents to ensure newcomers are seamlessly welcomed and existing residents always have a dedicated peer looking out for them.
True wellness is about the whole person, mind, body, and spirit. Because Santa Marta empowers its residents to shape the community culture, strong support systems form naturally.
A perfect example is the newly formed Nourish group. Recognizing a need for spiritual and emotional caregiving support, a resident stepped up to start this Christian-based caregiving support group, drawing from a model she had successfully run at her previous parish. Today, between 10 and 20 residents regularly attend meetings, providing a faith-filled, safe space to share burdens, find strength, and uplift one another.
Is Santa Marta a faith-based senior living community?
Yes. Santa Marta is a premier Catholic senior living community sponsored by the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas. While we welcome residents of all faiths, our culture is rooted in Christian values, whole-person wellness, and compassionate community care.
If you’re exploring senior living in Johnson County and want a community where mission, hospitality, and meaningful living come together, we would love to connect with you. Whether you’re just beginning your research or ready to take the next step, our team is here to answer questions, schedule a personal visit, or simply have a conversation. Contact one of our senior living sales counselors today.
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