Holiday Sky Peaks

What does a week look like when someone else handles the cooking, the cleaning and the upkeep of the grounds? At Holiday Sky Peaks, 1520 Sky Valley Drive in Reno, that is the basic arrangement. The community offers independent living only and is operated by Holiday by Atria, the independent-living rental brand of Atria Senior Living. Residents rent a private apartment month to month and keep their own routines, hobbies and friendships.

The monthly rent covers the apartment, 3 chef-prepared meals a day, housekeeping and linen laundering, scheduled local transportation, maintenance of the building and grounds, basic utilities and a daily events calendar. Phone, cable and internet may be billed separately, so ask which of those come with the rent. Rent does not pay for personal care or medication management, which matters for anyone whose health is likely to change in the next few years.

The building has a fitness center with ellipticals and other exercise equipment, plus a private dining room with a long table and a hutch that residents can reserve for family meals and celebrations, with catering available. Residents choose which daily events to join, and family members can plan a visit around lunch or an afternoon activity. Visiting on an ordinary weekday and staying for a meal gives a fair picture of daily life.

Because Holiday Sky Peaks offers only independent living, families should ask what happens if a resident later needs daily help and whether outside home care agencies can serve residents in their apartments. Rates vary by floor plan, and a specific apartment is not held until a deposit is paid. Compare other choices through senior living in Reno before signing a lease.