In 1979, four area churches recognized the need for a unique, non-demonational retirement community that offered an active, secure and rewarding lifestyle. This dream became the community of La Vida Llena. And now, it’s been also realized in Rio Rancho, the City of Vision.
Explore our history for yourself.
1983
It began in July of 1979 when an affiliation of four Albuquerque churches came together – St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral, First Presbyterian, First United Methodist and St. Paul Lutheran. Because of the leadership of the Very Reverend John Haverland and Wendall Carter, Major General USAF (retired), La Vida Llena (which means, The Full Life) was the beginning of a mission to provide housing and services to an ever growing number of seniors.
Opening in March of 1983, La Vida Llena Life Plan community is proud to have established a notable, 35-year history as the premier Life Plan retirement community in Albuquerque. For 33 of those years, this community was the only Life Plan community of its kind for seniors; until The Neighborhood in Rio Rancho opened.
2012
Nueva Vista was the fifth and final phase of the development of La Vida Llena. It opened to residents in April of 2012, adding 58 apartments to the community. The building features state-of-the-art amenities including a large pool with wave less technology and hot tub area, fitness center and multiple media centers, dining areas that resemble an elegant restaurant with a kiva fireplace, a private dining room and a shaded, outdoor patio area.
2012
Haverland Carter LifeStyle Group is committed to excellence in retirement community management. Our mission is to enhance the well-being and quality of life for older adults with competency, respect, compassion and ethical behavior. We want residents to feel their independence along with the comfort and safety of a neighborhood community.
La Vida Llena Life Plan Community is the flagship community of Haverland Carter LifeStyle Group, a company whose very name is in honor of our founders as we maintain the ideals of their mission. We are proudly represented in three states. Besides New Mexico with La Vida Llena (Albuquerque) and The Neighborhood in Rio Rancho, our other affiliates are Sommerset Neighborhood Assisted Living and Memory Care (Oklahoma City, OK), and our most recent addition, Ralston Creek Neighborhood Assisted Living and Memory Care (Arvada, CO). We are a faith-based, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit company.
2016
Planning for The Neighborhood began in mid 2012 as a continuing care retirement community – now known as a Life Plan Community. La Vida Llena was the first, and only such community in the area until The Neighborhood opened to its first residents in April of 2016.
Haverland Carter LifeStyle Group (HCLG) is proud to bring the active lifestyle and quality care a Life Plan community provides to the city of Rio Rancho. HCLG has maintained the ideals of the mission of La Vida Llena’s founders by expanding beyond existing boundaries and preserving assets with the opening of The Neighborhood in Rio Rancho.
2017
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held in early 2017 at Supportive Care at The Neighborhood in recognition of the capability to accommodate for the changing needs of a resident without having to relocate them to a different facility.
One of the most important reasons residents move to The Neighborhood is knowing they have access to all levels of care on the same campus, should they ever need it. Rehabilitation and a short-stay respite care program are also provided at Supportive Care.
Now
The Neighborhood has won two awards since opening in April of 2016. First, the annual NAIOP New Mexico Awards of Excellence recognized the community with the Eagle Award in the multifamily category. More than 60 projects were entered into the competition in 2016. The award was given based on a design that equalized The Neighborhood as a project with functional and aesthetic goals, while also meeting financial requirements.
Second, Albuquerque Business First acknowledged the community at the “Deals of the Year” awards in the construction category. The weekly publication’s news staff spent months reducing the list to 52 winners based on the size of the deal and the potential benefits to New Mexico. Winners were also judged on if they were significant business news stories from August 2015 to August 2016. The main determining factors for each deal considered was size of the deal and its potential benefits to New Mexico.
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