Holiday Simi Hills

What does a parent give up by leaving a house in Simi Valley for a rental apartment? At Holiday Simi Hills, 950 Sunset Garden Lane, the answer is mostly chores. The community offers independent living in the West Simi Valley neighborhood, and it is run by Holiday by Atria, the independent-living rental brand of Atria Senior Living.

Rent covers the private apartment, chef-made meals 3 times a day, housekeeping and linen laundry, maintenance of the community and grounds, basic utilities, and local transportation on a schedule. The common areas have been updated recently. For adults who have been cooking alone and driving to every appointment, that list removes a lot of daily work while leaving the choice of how to spend the day with the resident.

Social life is built around a calendar of daily events, and new residents can join as much or as little as they like. A virtual tour of the apartments is offered online, but an in-person visit gives a better sense of the dining room and how busy the calendar feels. Families can weigh this building against other senior living in Simi Valley before choosing.

Independent living is the only care level listed for Holiday Simi Hills. The operator states that its rent covers no care services or help with medications, and phone, cable or internet may cost extra. Ask what happens if a resident later needs help with bathing or medications, whether outside caregivers are allowed in the apartments, and how much notice a move-out requires.