An Alternative To Aging In Place For Retirees

One of the main dilemmas people face as they get older is where to live. The common questions are:

• Should we stay in our home as long as we can?
• Since we don’t need as much space, should we “right size” to a smaller place?
• Is it time to move to a retirement community that has a range of long-term care options?

The question should be: how can I live better in this phase of life? In January, one of the articles I wrote was titled “Why Aging In Place May Not Be The Answer For Your Retirement.” During my research process, I discovered an alternative to these options: Amblebrook at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It is a unique active adult living community for many reasons. Interestingly, The National Association of Home Builders just recognized Amblebrook with a Gold award—“Best 55+ Detached Community of the Year”—which is the association’s grand award.

As baby boomers continue to retire, there is a trend for people to downsize often moving to retirement communities. Most 55+ communities are referred to as senior living communities that do not include a continuum of care and health services. But while there are many 55+ communities, Amblebrook’s magic formula is twofold. The community’s award-winning design, intentionally planned to foster connectivity and wellness, has made it a leading-edge community that encourages year-round activity for all residents.

A Special Model For Community

It is easy to talk about community, but Amblebrook is intentional about facilitating community and creating a sense of belonging. Amblebrook’s developer Crown Community Development went all-in on amenity offerings, building many of the facilities and amenities before many homes were even built. Having this “wellness campus” ready and available for residents to use much earlier than the industry norm helped Amblebrook’s residents to build and establish connections right from the beginning.

After interviewing Chris Naatz, the Director of Sales and Strategy for Crown Community Development, Amblebrook’s developer, I learned some specific reasons why this community has been so successful. When planning the Amblebrook community, Crown made informed, strategic decisions about the design and layout of Amblebrook’s wellness campus with the specific goal of stimulating social connections and promoting longevity.

The first thing you see at Amblebrook’s Welcome Center is not a salesperson, but a Café and Coffee Shop where both visitors and residents meet and connect. While the Welcome Center is the jumping off point within Amblebrook, it is just one of several hubs within the community. There is a Demonstration Kitchen called Nourish Interactive Kitchen, and an art room called Canvas Studio that even includes a kiln for ceramics. There is a theater space for watching TED talks, movies, and speakers. In collaboration with a local healthcare provider and other wellness experts, there is a state-of-the-art wellness facility offering spa programs, physical therapy, massages, and other wellness-related care options. For residents who want to be active, there are indoor and outdoor pools, a full gym, indoor and outdoor pickleball courts, a dog park, walking trails in nature, and more.

Amblebrook offers an organized community events calendar where residents participate in over 2,000 events per year, engaging with each other in ongoing learning on a breadth of topics. Residents have founded over 50 clubs, and there are ample volunteer opportunities and expansive amenities rooted in wellness that are all strategically designed to promote genuine human connections rooted in purpose and better health. Gettysburg is also close to several metropolitan areas, making it an attractive location for people who want to enjoy the countless activities that big cities offer.

With all these opportunities for activity and connection, those who have moved to Amblebrook are living a lifestyle that is more mentally, socially, and physically active and fulfilling than they ever imagined.

Naatz described the culture as an older version of the series “Friends” and “Seinfeld” because groups of friends have moved into the community as a group from their old neighborhoods. “There is so much wisdom in the community that is shared in a variety of ways,” he said. “We have a brain trust that we tap into for emotional, spiritual, and intell