Despite its modest size, Ojai does have a hospital, the Ojai Valley Community Hospital, a fully accredited, 103-bed facility that provides acute and continuing care and 24/7 emergency services.  It meets or exceeds expectations in most specialty areas.   More extensive health care options are available in Ventura and Santa Barbara (35 miles away) if needed.  

There are at least 21 churches and one Jewish temple in Ojai.  When it comes to transportation, the Ojai Trolley provides service throughout town and to neighboring towns (Meiners Oaks, Mira Monte and Oak View) in the Valley.  Seniors ride for $.25 and discounts are available.  Since there is very little crime in Ojai, riding the bus and waiting at stops is not be a worry.

Senior services are quite good and are provided by an organization named Ojai HELP, which works with numerous groups to assist people in need. Programs aimed at the more mature demographic include meals, transportation, wellness screenings, rental assistance, health insurance counseling and much more.    The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) works with HELP and encourages those age 55+ to volunteer their expertise in the community.  Currently, these programs have more than five hundred registered volunteers and have opportunities to get involved at more than fifty events and activities.  There is also a volunteer corps that regularly telephones, visits and provides support to seniors who may be feeling isolated or need assistance.   Little House is the senior center operated by HELP, and it offers a good menu of activities and classes.

Because Ojai is nestled in a valley, it can get hot in the summer, but unlike destinations further inland, it cools off in the evenings, which makes summers bearable.  The average daytime summer temperature is 90 degrees, and the average evening temperature is 55 degrees.  In the winter, daytime temperatures reach into the 60s, and evening temperatures dip into the 30s.  The area receives 22 inches of rain yearly, and the nearby Topa Topa Mountains receive some snow each winter.   The sun shines 265 days of the year.

Even beautiful Ojai has some drawbacks.    The air quality is below the national average, partly thanks to the town sitting in a valley.  The San Andreas Fault runs directly underneath the Ojai Valley (the only spot where the Fault runs east-west), and the chances of an earthquake are 1,800 times higher than the national average.     The cost of living is high but not as high as several other California zip codes (which may be irrelevant - it is still high).    Still, residents here truly love their town, earthquake threat and all, and think they have found a little slice of Heaven on earth.   In Ojai, California dreamin' is alive and well.

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