The Conservatory at Wells Branch

The time had come. My elderly, disabled veteran father was no longer in the shape to live alone in a drafty old farmhouse in rural East Texas. Maintaining the multi-​acre yard, making endless home repairs, and dealing with general upkeep around the property had become unworkable. Declining health (especially vision, hearing, and balance) were making driving a dangerous proposition, and the lack of reliable health care providers in close proximity meant many missed appointments due to absence of safe transportation to caregivers over 45 miles away. Social isolation and risk of serious injury was growing. Most importantly, no responsible blood relatives who cared to help lived within a 5 hour radius. Something had to change.
After months of gentle persuasion (and after a few serious falls), Dad finally agreed to come to Austin to be near his children and grandchildren, but only on the the condition that his new apartment home provided as much privacy & independence as he desired. As his kids, our conditions were that the place be convenient for us to access, offer onsite transportation & enrichment activities, have staff members like angels, and provide a community of seniors who were clearly very happy to live there. We searched for weeks and visited several options in the Austin area, but nothing could top what we found at The Conservatory at Wells Branch.
Here is just a sample of the amenities included with their inclusive monthly apartment rental fee:
–gated parking area
–secure entry/​exit system with key fobs for automatic door opening
−−24÷7 concierge service
−−24÷7 alert pendant for falls and other non-​911 situations
–onsite home health services (for those with doctor’s orders)
–30 gourmet meals per month in the elegant dining hall
–daily continental breakfast and happy hour in the bistro
–weekly housekeeping services
–basic cable TV
–gym & fitness classes tailored to elders
–outdoor pool
–game room with regular card & domino matches
–library, lounge, salon (with fee-​based services via contracted operator), and business center onsite
–movie theater with regular screenings of new films, sporting events, etc.
–onsite church services on Sundays, one Catholic, one nondenominational
–weekly outings via 21 passenger van for shopping, cultural events, and entertainment
–transportation via town car for medical appointments within a 25 mile radius
–monthly live performing arts from local musicians and others
When visiting, we were impressed with how many different residents came over to chat with us to describe their positive experiences living there. Some we met had lived there more than 5 years and stated that they’d never want to live anywhere else. All of the staff members we met were invariably friendly, patient, and kind, but their job was to sell us on this place, so the resident testimonials held more sway. After checking out the property and seeing the 690 square-​foot single bedroom apartment that would become Dad’s, we enjoyed a great meal in the dining hall, which is staffed by a chef and students from a local culinary school. Observing so many happy seniors going about their days, as independent as they wanted to be in a range of health & mobility, gave us further confidence that this was really the right place for Dad.
An important question was cost. In our family’s case, we found the monthly expense to be significant, but reasonable when all of the services and amenities were considered. We were able to negotiate a 20% discount by signing a 2 year lease and locking in that rate for the first 24 mos. See listing on
for basic pricing info.
Also worth mentioning: the fact that 3 of us siblings who agree on almost nothing could present a unified front of support for Dad’s move to the Conservatory was itself a minor miracle and says a great deal about how fantastic this place is.
It’s been about a month now since he moved in, and I’m so thankful that we were able to find such a wonderful place in which our patriarch can thrive through his golden years with lowered stress and higher joy. It has been a relief to now be able to see him almost every day, and to know that even when I’m not there, he has several levels of care available to him on his terms. Best of all, I know that I’m now not alone in sharing the burden of his care, as I have a team of caring staff and neighbors to help me keep an eye on my dad’s day-​to-​day well-​being. They even give him a call each day if his door hasn’t been opened by noon just to say hello and ensure that he’s okay.
The Conservatory is family owned, with senior apartment living communities for ages 55 plus in Austin, Keller, Spring, Plano, and The Woodlands. Additional amenities are available for a fee, such as covered parking, private garages, and more. Learn more about the Conservatory’s award-​winning approach to senior living by checking out
.