senior living

Several residents at our independent living communities say they feel like they’ve hit the lottery. Not literally, but the freedom from household chores is almost as sweet. Enjoying true maintenance-free living in independent living communities As the weather turns colder, private homeowners are busy undertaking fall landscaping tasks, making outdoor home repairs and winterizing their properties in …

“If you don’t use it, you will lose it.” Co-workers at Country Meadows often hear that piece of advice from residents when asked to share the secrets to longevity. An active and social lifestyle retirement community such as Country Meadows offers many opportunities for residents to maintain or achieve physical fitness, participate in therapies to …

Getting outside during the warm summer months is cathartic. And nice weather provides many opportunities for older adults to enjoy many retirement community activities. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that more and more seniors are looking for a retirement community with gardening and other outdoor activities to bring even more joy and relaxation …

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 …

Today’s senior living communities offer more care options than ever before. Despite this, misperceptions exist. Senior living communities are often mislabeled as “nursing homes,” sometimes referred to as dark, depressing places where residents sit around in wheelchairs with no one to talk to and nothing to do. This could not be further from the truth.

For adults with aging parents, there are several difficult – although necessary – conversations that must be had around planning for the future. One of those conversations is about making the transition to senior living. And with multiple care factors to consider and a range of options for independent living communities to choose from, this …

When reaching retirement age, seniors have many options to consider to optimize their senior living experience. From independent living amenities to assisted living and personal care, rehabilitation services and the ability to remain active in social circles, there are many factors that seniors look for to make their final decision. Our goal as one of …

Every November, National Hospice and Palliative Care Month is observed. A sometimes uncomfortable topic of discussion, end of life care is a critical part of the retirement community industry, and an important part of retirement planning. In 2019, Country Meadows Retirement Communities recently debuted Lifesong Hospice & Palliative Care, a care option to give retirement …

We know that retirement living may not look the same for all seniors. This is all the more true when it comes to assisted living care options or personal care services. At Country Meadows, our dedicated and caring co-workers work with new residents to determine what level of care is best for them. From medication …

Cold and flu season has always been a time of year to take extra health precautions. With unique risks this year due to the pandemic, it’s more important than ever to know exactly how to protect against common colds, the flu and any other illnesses that could affect the most vulnerable. For seniors in independent …

National Assisted Living Week is an annual observance of the great value of personal care and assisted living services within senior living communities around the country. Not only does this week, falling on September 13th – 19th this year, recognize the importance of such care for our seniors, it exists to thank the many amazing …

The period between finding the right senior living community and moving in can be an emotional one. It’s a transformational time for any individual or couple as the next stage of life begins and a new lifestyle awaits. For many seniors, choosing a senior living community means making arrangements to sell a home – one …

Mom and Dad haven’t been the same for some time. As their kids grew older and moved hours away, and they sold their family business, many of the joys of conversation and socialization were lost. They now watch hours upon hours of television—Mom occasionally works on some of her favorite pastimes, like crafting and sewing. …

It’s inevitable—as we get older, our health begins to change. We often spend our lives focused on caring for those around us, but it’s equally important to care for ourselves, too. Luckily, older Americans are remaining more active and fit longer, engaging in a wider variety of exercises than generations before them. Increased activity and …

November is not only the month of giving thanks and enjoying the last of fall foliage, but it’s also Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and National Family Caregivers Month. This month, the Country Meadows assisted living team wanted to celebrate the people who selflessly give to those closest to them. More than 40 million Americans act …

As we grow older, it is normal to experience some degree of memory loss. People naturally begin to endure a decline in brain activity after the age of 50, leading to common memory issues like the name of an acquaintance, where we left our car keys or the date or location of an important appointment. …

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 …

Mary Ann Bertucio is Country Meadows’ Executive Director of Community Life. She has worked at Country Meadows for almost 10 years, initially in human resources (HR) and for the last few years in community life. Before coming here, she recruited professionals for positions in long-term care and therapy services. However, she began her career in …

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 …