St. Patrick’s Day is a reason for all to celebrate at senior living communities

An Irish saying proclaims, “There are only two kinds of people in the world, the Irish and those who wish they were.”

That statement of pride contains more than a grain of truth, at least on March 17, when the Irish and non-Irish alike celebrate with the wearing of green, festive gatherings and maybe a glass of beer or two.

About 1 in 5 Americans report Irish ancestry, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Two of the top three major U.S. cities with the highest percentage of Irish are in Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh, at #1, and Philadelphia, at #3. (Boston is #2.) And if you ever visit Scranton, PA, you better have a kind word for the Irish, as 30 percent of its residents claim Irish heritage.

Active senior living is a hallmark of the best retirement communities

Residents of retirement home communities are no different from the rest of us when it comes to celebrating a special occasion such as St. Patrick’s Day. If there is a party, concert, parade or happy hour, they’re in!

The best senior living communities are also active senior living communities. Their professional staffs know that participation in social activities is important to their residents’ well-being and happiness. They ensure that living in a retirement community is a positive and energizing experience, with more programs for involvement than one can count. Planning activities for all who wish to participate helps ensure that everyone enjoys St. Patrick’s Day and other holidays.

At Country Meadows Retirement Communities, our 11 campuses celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with musical entertainment, Irish step dancers, and parties with decorations, games, treats and drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic—your choice). Speaking of drinks, here’s a recipe for a delicious, refreshing one to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!

Shamrock Shakes

Preparation time: 10 min.

• 2 cups vanilla ice cream
• 1 ¼ cups milk
• ¼ teaspoon mint extract
• 9 drops green food coloring
• 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
• 2 tablespoons whipped cream
• ½ teaspoon green decorator sugar
• Mix ice cream, milk, mint extract, and food coloring in a blender until smooth.
• Drizzle chocolate syrup around inside walls of 2 tall glasses; pour shake into glass. Top with whipped cream and green decorator sugar.

Senior living in Pennsylvania or Maryland at Country Meadows

If you’re thinking of choosing a retirement community, we would like to tell you all about our senior apartments at Country Meadows. We urge you to visit any of our family-friendly Pennsylvania or Maryland retirement homes: Mechanicsburg, York-South, York-West, Hershey and Wyomissing PA; Frederick, MD and five more in Pennsylvania. Whether you’re considering a senior independent living community, an assisted living or a personal care home or memory support program, please contact us to learn more about our caring senior living communities.