Fairfax, Virginia, is filled with restaurants, shopping, and many other indoor (and outdoor) entertainment options. But it’s also home to top-tier healthcare facilities, higher education opportunities, and beautiful homes. Within the heart of it all sits The Virginian, a newly renovated senior living community that caters to 55+ residents across the full continuum of care.
With its state-of-the-art amenities, a prime location just 15 minutes from Washington, D.C., wooded 36-acre campus, and maintenance-free living, it’s easy to see The Virginian’s appeal. Not only do residents have access to top medical care—including Inova Fairfax just minutes away—and a full calendar of education, continuing education, and social opportunities on site, The Virginian’s prime location affords residents a convenient, beautiful place to age near their existing friends and family.
“When we started looking, we’d never looked before, so we didn’t have a laundry list of what we were or weren’t looking for,” shared resident Bill Jacoby, an 83-year-old former archaeology professor. In January 2023, he and his wife relocated from Roanoke, Virginia, to be closer to their son and grandchildren. “As we looked and set up appointments, we found certain communities had large move-in deposits and then another $9,000-$10,000 to stay. I didn’t want to put myself in a position where you’re putting up that kind of money and then 60 days later find it was a mistake.”
This cost versus benefit versus life-stage awareness made The Virginian’s rental model particularly appealing. Unlike many senior communities, The Virginian operates on an all-amenities-included, month-to-month rental model with no large buy-in fee. This means that everything from the residence itself to fitness facilities, social activities, and even an on-site wine cellar and two glasses of wine a night (for independent living residents only) are included in the monthly cost.
While The Virginian has a 43-year history, its modern story began in 2019 when it became part of the Focus Healthcare Partners family, managed by Life Care Services.
“Life Care Services renovates nationwide and brought us a vision to introduce more flexibility, including multiple dining spaces with options for our residents, varied menus, and more. It’s really more of a stationary cruise ship,” shared Jenna Ballard, director of sales and marketing at The Virginian.
Through a $60-million renovation, The Virginian has been fully reimagined into a premiere living experience. Like many senior communities, The Virginian offers a calendar filled with opportunities for its residents to stay physically and mentally active, socialize with other residents, and learn. But what makes the community truly stand out is the caliber of the activities and facilities in which they are held.
Residents at The Virginian play pickleball and bocce ball on-site on beautiful outdoor courts. They can perfect their golf swing in the community’s brand-new Hi-Tech golf simulator. A beautiful lounge and library serve as a perfect space to curl up for an afternoon with a book from the Fairfax County Library’s extensive quarterly rotation, play cards with friends, or listen to one of the many on-site speakers and performers. Each amenity is more beautiful than the last, and the list is seemingly endless.
“When we moved in, we didn’t know a soul. For one week, the dining room hostess, Michelle, sat us with a different couple each night. Thanks to her, we ended up with fast friends all over the place. It’s like a big family,” shared Jacoby of the environment and community.
While the dining hall and community has become one of Mr. Jacoby’s favorite parts of life at The Virginian, it wasn’t his initial aim.
“My wife is in the embryonic stage of cognitive decline. The Virginian offers more than independent living; it offers assisted living and options depending on her condition so that, if her condition diminishes, we won’t need to make any major changes. It’s right here at the facility,” said Jacoby.
While The Virginian has spacious, safety-feature-equipped one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, it also offers assisted living and is even certified in Big and Loud, a specialized program to support Parkinson’s patients. The Virginian also recently finalized a partnership with the Parkinson’s Foundation of the National Capital area, has been named number one in customer satisfaction by J.D. Power and Associates for five consecutive years and is the most awarded company in the history of J.D. Power U.S. Senior Living Satisfaction Study. In addition, The Virginian holds a variety of specialized credentials.
For more information about The Virginian, please visit liveatthevirginian.com [liveatthevirginian.com] or call 571-556-8053.
