Life Link

In February 2007, an altruistic and much needed initiative started at Rocky Creek Retirement Village. Teaming up with the Life Link program, which treats hundreds of transplant patients each year, Rocky Creek Village began to offer housing options for families relocating to Tampa during the organ transplant process. 

The majority of the Life Link residents in Rocky Creek come to Tampa from Puerto Rico, with the hope of receiving an organ transplant that will give them a second chance at life.  These individuals leave their homes, travel hundreds of miles and often have to wait weeks or months before they are able to find an organ match.  A priority for these families is finding affordable, quality, temporary housing until they are able to safely travel back to their homes.  Rocky Creek, with a history of providing a safe, secure environment for seniors, saw a need the village could easily remedy by opening its doors to these patients.

During the past four years, Rocky Creek has hosted more than 100 families associated with the Life Link program. At any given time, there are more than 15 families residing at the community. Having so many families all going through the same unique experience has helped to create and foster a home-away-from-home for the patients, and their caregivers, who participate in weekly support group meetings at Rocky Creek.