Below is a list of Frequently Asked Questions and Helpful Information.
There is plenty of parking. We offer heated garage spaces (5) on a first-come, first-served basis; there is an additional monthly fee for a designated garage space. We have additional spaces in a covered carport, just across from the garages; each carport space has an electrical outlet available. There is no charge for carport spaces.
Yes! The Thomas Center has been designed to be barrier free. An elevator provides access to all three levels of the building. Every apartment is wheelchair accessible.
Thomas Center residents are encouraged to invite family members to stay overnight. However, to provide a positive living environment for all residents and prevent abuse of this guest privilege, there will be limits. Advance conversation with the General Manager is required, and the GM can also assist in case residents want to invite their guest to dinner (M-F).
Pets are welcome at the Thomas Center, with some restrictions. A “pet” is understood to mean a domesticated animal (dog, cat, bird, fish) that is traditionally kept in the home for pleasure or service. A Pet Approval Committee will assess, on a case-by-case basis, the suitability of an animal to live at Thomas Center. We do have a “no tolerance” policy regarding any animal that bites, attacks, or is at all aggressive – no exceptions.
Each resident of the Thomas Center must purchase a rental policy to cover personal goods, damage, and housing in case of a catastrophic event – a copy of the policy shall be maintained in the GM’s office.
No, however, there may be a procedure allowing individuals to sign a shared-living agreement with the Thomas Center enabling them to share an apartment.
No transportation is provided. However, Thomas Center staff will assist residents in obtaining transportation apps, and contacting services such as cab companies, Lyft, Uber, or public transportation. On occasion, residents can secure rides with another resident.
As an Independent Living center, it is the commitment and desire of both the Thomas Center and each resident that residents will be able to stay in their own apartment for as long as possible. If a mobility issue or a health condition is preventing a resident from fully participating in the community or accessing the property, we will collaborate with you to help resolve the issue, or to help you access services from the wider community.
The clear expectation is that all the residents will continue to meet their obligations to pay rent and other program fees each month. As part of the process of applying to the Thomas Center, each resident should seek independent financial planning advice to determine their own resources, limitations, and develop a realistic plan based on both foreseeable circumstances and the changes that often accompany aging. A confidential financial evaluation will be performed by one of our Board Members and the person applying for an apartment, as part of our determination for residency. This evaluation will occur once a person has applied and is added to the waiting pool.
The goal of the Thomas Center is not just independent living, but inter-dependent living. We are committed to supporting the tenants’ ageing in place but there are certain limitations. We are hoping that seniors can live in an environment where they can share community tasks. Residents are encouraged to seek assistance from one another, a way of demonstrating and living in interdependence with one another. Both those who ask for help and those who give it become members of an interdependent living situation that is both accepting and respectful of others.
It may also be possible, within certain limitations, for a resident to hire a personal care assistant to assist with his or her needs. This personal care assistant would be an employee working directly for the resident, and not for the Thomas Center. In other circumstances, it might become necessary to convene a team, to include the resident, family and oved ones, along with friends and supporters (as appropriate/helpful), and perhaps Thomas Center staff, to develop a transition plan that would facilitate the person’s move out of the Thomas Center and into a higher level of care, that is more appropriate to their needs.
The Thomas Center is an intentional community allowing individuals to share some common spaces. Apartment space is designated for singles and couples, both men and women. The Thomas Center does not discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
Yes, there will be a lease agreement.
Yes, there are common areas intended to be enjoyed by all residents. Therefore, there will be rules regarding the use and care of common living space, noise restrictions, maintaining (cleaning) areas after use, and pet behavior.
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church Housing Company, as a non-profit ministry organization launched by St. Mary’s Church, stands in the long historic line of a particular stream of Christianity which seeks to practice radical hospitality, engaged in honest intellectual inquiry and questioning, and act out of a deep and abiding respect for other faiths, world religions, and belief systems. There are no litmus tests of faith that anyone might need to conform to at the Thomas Center, and we welcome people of diverse experience and expression. We strive to accept all wherever they might be in their spiritual life and journey. But yes, as a community of faith, we place the person of Jesus, however we might variously understand him, at the center of our community life. For us, he is the mode of compassionate living, a transformative power in our lives, and provides for us a glimpse into the very heart of God. Even as we respect and honor who you are, know that that is who we are as a community.
The Thomas Center for Senior Leadership is owned and operated by the St. Mary’s Episcopal Church Housing Company, LLC, (Housing Company) a non-profit, Alaska limited liability company formed in May 2015. The St. Mary’s Episcopal Church (Church) is the owner of the Housing Company.
Additionally, the Church has retained ownership of the land on which the Thomas Center facility is constructed, leasing it to the Housing Company.
