When Merrill talks about her decision to become an Aeries charter member, she doesn’t start with floor plans or amenities. She starts with her mother.
In the 1990s, when her mom needed more support, Merrill moved her from Sage Tower to St. John’s United. The two were incredibly close—like “best friends”—and Merrill wanted her mother to be well cared for. What she remembers most from that time is how respectful and attentive the staff were. They even let her bring her own “La-Z-Girl” chair into her mother’s room so she could sit with her comfortably. In her mom’s final days, Merrill spent the night in that chair, fully supported by the St. John’s staff. That experience left a lasting impression.
Years later, an Aeries mailer arrived in her mailbox. She joined a Discover Aeries webinar, talked it over with her husband, and eventually met Shelby, an Aeries sales advisor. They placed a residence on hold and, after more conversations, became charter members.
But the real story of why goes deeper.
Two Experiences That Changed Everything
Merrill has lived through the kind of crises that reshape a person’s perspective.
First, she received a call that her father had been hospitalized in Salt Lake City. Putting her life and job on hold, she went to be with him. Medicare wouldn’t certify him to remain in the hospital, so she had to find a place for him—without support, without a social worker, and without guidance. Just 10 days after her arrival, her father passed away.
She remembers his desk piled high with bills and medical paperwork—a visual she still carries with her. She set to work sorting through everything and preparing to move her mother to Montana. The entire process took six weeks.
About a year later, her 89-year-old great-aunt, who was living independently in a second-story apartment in San Diego, fell and wasn’t found for two days. Her leg was broken and badly infected, requiring amputation and a higher level of care. Merrill, her only family, went to her aid, once again leaving her job and her own life behind for nearly a month.
She didn’t know San Diego. She opened the Yellow Pages and started calling care facilities—alone again—trying to make the right decisions under pressure. Her aunt lived only 10 more days after the surgery. Merrill was left to clean out an apartment filled with 40 to 50 years’ worth of belongings.
Those experiences shaped her thinking: “What could they have done differently? And how can we apply that to our lives?”
She also reflects on how hard it is to think clearly in moments like those. Critical thinking becomes difficult when emotions are running high. The stress and uncertainty of those situations can drain everything from you.
And that led her to a guiding belief:
“Don’t let a health crisis determine how you spend the rest of your days.”
Planning Ahead—And Needing Care Sooner Than Expected
Merrill didn’t expect to need St. John’s United anytime soon. But life had other plans.
This April, she learned she had a stress fracture in her heel and needed to be non-weight-bearing for four weeks. She chose a scooter instead of crutches. After a week of scooting around the house, the wheel caught the edge of a slate tile. The scooter stopped. She didn’t.
She fell and broke her knee.
Suddenly, she had a brace on one leg and couldn’t put weight on the other. Physical therapists at the hospital told her she would likely need to spend at least a month in inpatient rehabilitation. They handed her a printout of care options in Billings, but offered no recommendations.
She mentioned that she would like to go to St. John’s United but wasn’t sure she would be able to get in. She emailed the Aeries team simply to keep them updated—and they stepped in immediately. They told her that, as an Aeries charter member, she had access to St. John’s United’s continuum of care even before Aeries is built.
She laughs when telling the story:
“I never thought I’d need St. John’s before Aeries.”
A Safe Place to Heal
Merrill spent two weeks in the St. John’s United Transitional Rehab Center. She describes the experience with warmth: safe, respected, and cared for.
She enjoyed everyone she encountered—from physical and occupational therapists to environmental and nutritional services staff. It was the same kind of care she remembered from her mother’s time at St. John’s, now extended to her.
Becoming an Aeries depositor, she says, felt like a solid decision.
“Most people are in denial. They don’t think they’ll need care.”
But she has lived the alternative. She knows what crisis-driven decisions feel like. And she doesn’t want that for her stepchildren.
When she told her oldest stepson she had become an Aeries charter member, his response was simple:
“Thank you.”
For Merrill, planning ahead is an act of love.
Merrill RiChey
Aeries Charter Member
