Finding Where You Belong
It seems like just yesterday that Rich Hutchison was “absolutely against” moving from his longtime home in Annapolis to a retirement community. His wife June, however, saw the advantages and she persisted in suggesting such a move, backed by a chorus of good friends who had already made the jump. Slowly, Rich, a retired US Army Officer, started warming up to the idea and he began a spreadsheet comparing the merits of over 80 Continuing Care Retirement Communities, scattered all over the country. ... Read More
A Star Volunteer: RuthAnn Culp
Villager RuthAnn Culp has been a volunteer since she moved to CKV in 2017, rising rapidly to join the “500 Club,” an impressive group made out of volunteers who exceed 500 service hours in a given year. These star volunteers get a special accolade every April during our Volunteer Appreciation Day, when the team gives back to those who serve others so faithfully all year long. ... Read More
Ageism, Internalized?
Whether we like it or not, society evolves at a rapid pace. Along with the blessings of advanced age, one finds oneself–upon reaching 80 or more–in the position of a refugee of sorts, having spent the formative years of youth in a different land (and this remains true even if you still live in the village of your birth). Think of our elders of color, for instance, who grew up in a deeply segregated society. Or our Jewish elders, whose parents weren’t welcome at the local country club. Or our LGBTQ elders, who were teens in an era during which opening up would expose them to a multitude of indignities and risks. What a contrast, for members of such groups, between the “public opinion” while they were growing up, and the progress accomplished nowadays. ... Read More
The Accidental Advocate
Helen Stratton and her husband Lewis found themselves as full-time RVers in the first 14 years of their retirement, traveling and making new friends across the country. Unforeseen issues made such a lifestyle impractical in the longer term, however, leading the pair to start researching retirement communities. Cross Keys Village rose to the top among the villages under consideration in Pennsylvania and Maryland, partly due to the value we offer, and partly due to wide-ranging opportunities to volunteer on campus. ... Read More
The Industry They Love to Hate
In the words of 20th Century philosopher Rodney Dangerfield, the Aging Services industry gets no respect. Although Pennsylvania is home to dozens of excellent communities and healthcare facilities, the industry as a whole is still regarded negatively by too many. Let’s look a little deeper into this and understand why the general reputation of Senior Living as a whole fails to reflect the reality on the ground. ... Read More
Support and Expertise
Standing currently at over 800 villagers, the size of the Cross Keys Village population allows our community to offer features and programs that are beyond the reach of smaller retirement villages with a few dozen residents. We have regularly covered our dining, wellness, art and education capabilities on this blog. However, we haven’t yet cast a spotlight on our Resident Support Services. ... Read More
Villager Earns Prestigious Art Distinction
Villager Sue Fehringer has had a long career as a mathematician, teaching at Gettysburg High School and Gettysburg College. As much as she loves numbers, she also has a passion for mixed-media art. At one point, she had been an active member of the York Art Association. However, life gets in the way, and by the time she moved to Cross Keys Village in 2020, Sue had been on a 10-year pause from participating in the York Art Association’s events. ... Read More
Three Questions for Kim Korge
The screening was well attended, with 35 households participating - some from the village and some from the neighboring communities. What impressed me this time is that most participants asked for the challenging version of the test (there is a more basic, "easier" option). This choice shows me how serious, how aware people have become about cognitive functions. Of course, such a screening isn’t a diagnosis. It gives you a baseline to measure your progress, and I encourage participants to share this baseline with their health care provider. It is also worth sharing that more than two thirds of the individuals undergoing the test show no sign of significant memory impairment. ... Read More
Rediscovering Community in the Land of Individualism
It is our observation that older adults do not make the decision to start researching Senior Living lightly. Taking this first step presupposes an awareness that late middle-age – a chapter in life that is smooth and enjoyable to many – is coming to an end. If one manages to approach it with an open mind, the stage that follows has the potential to be transformative. After all, this is the first and only time you will be an older adult. If you don’t self-actualize now, when will you? ... Read More
Exceeding Expectations
In July, we launched Avenue Art Inspiration in the new spaces at Harmony Ridge. This would be the first large-scale villager art installation ever at Cross Keys Village. In order to ensure a certain unity, I tasked Monte Leister, our specialist in all things art, with selecting just one inspiration piece from our permanent collection. Without hesitation, he selected “Giraffe” by Ron Krajewski. As you will see, artists in our village, plus a few team members, took the concept beyond anything I could have imagined. ... Read More