family

Kindness and compassion are important, perhaps even more so now during the pandemic. Many of us are busy trying to juggle the pressures of work, family and community while simultaneously adhering to COVID precautions. Sometimes it can be difficult to remember to be kind. As we observe “National Random Acts of Kindness Week” which is …

Moving to a retirement community is a major life change. Many people assume that if two spouses have different care needs, they cannot live together. Being separated from a life partner can result in temporary feelings of stress and anxiety and, in the long term, develop into loneliness, which has been shown to affect health …

Family being unable to visit with their loved ones has been a difficult aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic. And as national Grandparents Day, September 13th, 2020, quickly approaches, many families are anxious to reconnect with those currently living at Country Meadows retirement communities in Pennsylvania and Maryland. With direction from the Department of Health, we have …

Steve Klotz, Executive Director of Validation Education, joined Country Meadows in 1995. He was looking for a career change when a friend told him Country Meadows in York had an opening for a chaplain. He wasn’t sure he was the right fit, but he took a chance and soon fell in love with the residents. …

Meredith Mills is COO and Senior Vice President of Country Meadows Retirement Communities, a role she was promoted to in mid-2018. Previously, she held the positions of VP of Strategic Planning, Executive Director of our Lancaster campus, Regional Marketing Manager and Marketing Director at our Hershey campus. Prior to her arrival at Country Meadows, she …

Sept. 8th is National Grandparents Day, and it’s a great time to thank and pay tribute to these senior family members for all they have done. While we shouldn’t need a special day to do this, sometimes it’s helpful to be reminded to show our appreciation or to say, “We love you.” Grandparents Day was …

While few of us will ever be published authors, most of us can be writers. In fact, many seniors enjoy expressing themselves with words on paper even if they rarely did prior to retirement. What motivates some people to become writers during retirement living? And how does the practice of writing benefit them—and even others …

Tracy Newcomer, our Vice President of Human Resources, joined Country Meadows Retirement Communities in 2008. Beforehand, she worked for 20 years at UPS in several roles, covering workforce planning, employee relations management as well as health and safety management. She has a bachelor’s degree in business management and a master’s degree in personnel management and …

With the senior population growing each year, more and more older Americans are embarking on travel adventures with their families. Recognizing this trend, hotels and airports have begun to rethink and modify services to meet this age group’s changing mobility needs. While that’s great news for senior travelers, families of those with dementia need to …

For some children, losing a grandparent is their first experience with grief. Understandably, the loss of someone close can leave them feeling sad, anxious, confused or upset. While adults are busy dealing with funeral preparations and other arrangements, they should be sure to attend to children’s needs, too. Their grief is often different from that …

Over the holidays, with more time spent together, some families begin discussing the idea of senior living communities. Though Mom or Dad could raise the issue, it’s more likely prompted by adult children who notice changes in their parents. (See our recent blog post on these “tough conversations.”) Older parents can be reluctant to consider …

“Oh, there’s no place like home for the holidays, Cause no matter how far away you roam, If you want to be happy in a million ways, For the holidays you can’t beat home sweet home!”* Most of us would agree with this sentiment so warmly expressed by Pennsylvania native son and crooner Perry Como. …

“Susan, is that you? Oh Susan, it’s so lovely to see you. It’s been years and years!” a mother calls out to her son. He visited her memory care facility just yesterday, to prepare her to see the grandkids and spend time with her one-on-one. Still, she conjures up images of her best friend from …

Adult siblings don’t always share the same ideas on what’s best for aging parents. One may think Mom is doing OK at home and just needs a little help, while another may want her to consider a retirement community. Their different opinions are understandable, but what’s most important is working together for Mom’s best interests. …

One in six American adults—more than 40 million people—are family caregivers. Most provide unpaid senior care services—shopping, cooking, transportation, housework, bathing and dressing—for adults age 65 and over. The older adults receiving care may feel loved and comforted, but what does it mean for caregivers? While caregiving is a unifying experience for some families, the …

September 9 is Grandparents Day, and we would like to use this time to assist children with grandparents receiving dementia care, either at home or a retirement community. When beloved grandparents have dementia, their grandchildren may become confused, frightened or upset by the changes they see. The best way for parents or other adults to …

After seniors, along with their families, have completed the process of choosing a retirement community, they will need support to make the transition as smooth and stress-free as possible. For while the selection of a community may provide relief, the move and adjustment to a new lifestyle can be challenging for some seniors. But like …

This year my father, former Pennsylvania Governor George M. Leader, would have turned 100 years old. I wish he had lived to reach this milestone as yet one more accomplishment. He had contributed so much during his life as a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, naval officer, poultry farmer, state senator, governor, health care entrepreneur and …

Long after children have grown, mothers continue to have a strong influence on their children’s lives. Adult children, particularly daughters, often reach out to Mom, by phone or with a visit, when they need a sympathetic ear or the voice of experience. Research has shown that when daughters are facing challenging situations, they generally have …

In the middle of winter, it’s nice to warm our hearts with a day that celebrates love and friendship. Though we tend to think of Valentine’s Day as one of romance, it began as a day to honor saints. The romantic association came later, and while it remains the holiday’s focus, we now recognize love …