Retired, In Style

hall we go, or shall we stay?” That’s a question many baby boomers, empty nesters, and those who find their house too big, may be asking themselves. And if the decision is to move, the next question is: What kind of place do you want and where? Do you want a smaller home on one level, one in an over-55 community with lots of activities, or are you thinking ahead and want a place that offers independent living with more care in the future, namely a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC)?

Anyone who thinks that a CCRC is only for “old folks” hasn’t met the Minks. Susan Minks, 75, is a “Senior Poster Child” for Blakehurst, a CCRC located in Towson. “It’s like living in a five-star resort,” says Susan. “Everyone here is happy and helpful, and you could be busy every minute of the day if you want.”

Susan, a Baltimore native, and her husband Tom, 76, were living in a townhouse half the year and in Florida the other half when they decided to return to Baltimore full time. “At that point, we realized it was time to reassess where we were going to live,” Susan explains. “At first, I thought we were too young to go into a CCRC, but then we thought, if one of us gets sick we’d still be on the same campus or maybe in our condo and a CCRC would save our children a lot of trouble later on.”

When the Minks met with Elizabeth O’Connor, the director of marketing and sales at Blakehurst, O’Connor was unbelievably accommodating about everything they asked for and showed them how an apartment could be renovated. They then knew this was the right place. “And the location is perfect—it’s close to Tom’s children, our country club, doctors, and many of our friends,” says Susan. The Minks had the apartment renovated and moved in in January 2022.

“The staff is incredible. The food is excellent. We just had Smith Island cake that was unbelievable. I’m so happy I don’t have to cook. I made one dinner since we’ve been here and it was terrible,” laughs Susan. The vibe at Blakehurst is very positive. The couple participate in many activities. They attend lectures, use the pool, the gym, walk on the private walking path, and meet friends at the bar and for dinner. The residence offers trips, a putting green, transportation to doctors’ appointments, to the grocery store, and so much more. “Tom plays gin rummy two or three times a week and I’ve signed up for a garden plot. There isn’t a party I haven’t been involved in,” says Susan, who is on the party committee and just joined the hospitality committee. “I just love it.”

O’Connor says, “Just like the Minks, other boomers are arriving at Blakehurst earlier than previous generations. They are not waiting for a health scare to move in.

Is a Continuing Care Retirement Community Right for You?
A CCRC is a type of retirement community that is part independent living, part assisted living, and part skilled nursing home. Today, many communities offer memory care, too. And there’s usually rehabilitation therapy on site. All levels of care are on one campus. According to AARP, a CCRC offers a tiered approach to the aging process, accommodating residents’ changing needs. Upon entering, healthy adults can reside independently in single-family homes, apartments, or condominiums. When assistance with everyday activities becomes necessary, they can move into assisted living (sometimes all they might need is extra help in their apartment), memory care, or nursing care facilities. These communities give older adults the option to live in one location for the duration of their life, with much of their future care already figured out.

A Co-op CCRC
Bill and Paula Lecky had lived in their McLean, Virginia, home for 45 years when their children started constantly saying that they should think about moving. That was four years ago. Bill, now 89 and an accomplished architect who has left his mark in Washington, D.C., (he was the architect of record for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the architect of the Korean War Veterans Memorial) says, “I knew I was getting up there in age, and realized maybe we should move, even though Paula at the time was only 76.” With one daughter in Silver Spring and a son in Annapolis, they started their search in Silver Spring, but quickly decided they didn’t want to live there and turned their attention to the Annapolis area.

Bill remembers, “We drove past one community in Annapolis, but said, ‘Keep driving.’” Then they saw Baywoods of Annapolis and wanted to explore further. Besides Baywoods being a CCRC, it’s a resident-owned-and-run co-operative community, where residents provide vital input regarding the operations of the community and have a voice in how it’s run.

“There was one apartment that overlooked the water that interested us. But what really sealed the deal was the woodworking shop.” Bill, who loves making small replicas of animals similar to those made by the Hopi Tribe of the Southwest, was blown away by the shop’s size. “It was five times the size of mine.”

Given Bill’s more than 50 years of experience as an architect, it’s no surprise the couple put a lot of work into making changes to the apartment they bought. They knocked down walls and added lighting, but the most dramatic change was to the porch overlooking the water. “There was a series of windows and doors that we took down and instead put in an eight-foot-high, 14-foot-wide glass door.”

Besides woodworking, Bill makes jewelry and Paula paints. Not gym rats, the Leckys instead prefer taking walks along the water. In addition, Bill has given talks about his years creating the Vietnam Veterans and Korean War Veterans memorials. His architectural expertise has now led to a new gig, consulting with management about future residents’ plans for changes to their apartments. And, oh yes, this busy couple still has time to socialize with their friends at Baywoods.

Rental CCRC
Retia Scott Walker had been an educator for more than 40 years, first at Texas Woman’s University, next at the University of Maryland on the Eastern Shore, and then at the University of Kentucky. Later, her research emphasis was gerontology with a focus on older African Americans, rural elders, older women, and inter-generational issues. In addition, she studied aging in Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands.

“When I retired in 2005, my daughter kept asking me to move back to Maryland. For 17 years, I told her I would,” says Walker, who was living in a five-bedroom, three-story home in Kentucky.

“It wasn’t until the pandemic that I felt very lonely and isolated and knew I needed to move. It was funny, one time while visiting my daughter, we took a tour of the Atrium, a CCRC. I told my daughter then; it would be my next home.” In 2022 Walker, now 82, moved to the Atrium.

“While doing my research, I found out how important it is to be part of a community.

That’s what the Atrium provides. Every night I have dinner with the same group. During breakfast it’s open seating and I try to meet new people,” she says. And there are lots of activities at the Atrium. Walker goes to music performances, participates in exercise programs, and goes to lectures. As a matter of fact, she will soon be giving a lecture. Another advantage is that her daughter lives only five blocks away and gets to see Walker several times a week. “I’m very lucky,” she says.

Over 55 Community
Joann Myrland,72, is a semi-retired travel agent. Her husband Paul, 74, is retired. They knew they wanted to move, but the big question was where. “We have a four-bedroom home, and now only use the family room, kitchen, and bedroom, and of course bathrooms,” says Joann, “and I’ve had foot and knee surgery and am tired of the stairs.”

The couple knew they wanted a single-family home with everything on one level, and where there would be no yardwork, all within a 55-plus community. They also had some other requirements. “We have two children who live in Denver and both of us love to travel, so it was very important for an airport be an easy drive,” says Joann. “Other must haves were a clubhouse and activities so we could meet new friends. And if it was near the water, that would be a nice plus.”

They began their search in Delaware, but after realizing how long it would take to get to an airport, it was a no go. “We have made several trips to look at Four Seasons in Kent Island. It really checked off most of our boxes,” says Joann At the time of publication, they had not yet decided.

According to real estate agent Veronica Lawson, an associate broker at Real Broker, LLC, over-55 communities are ready made for people like the Myrlands, for whom physical and emotional wellbeing are key components addressed through clubhouse amenities such as fitness centers and resort-like pools, as well as social clubs that encourage interaction to the degree desired. Most communities also offer walking and bike trails, dog parks, and other outdoor social activities, as well as planned trips to local events such as plays and concerts.

This interaction between neighbors creates a strong sense of community that in turn creates a fun and safe environment. Fifty-five-plus communities are becoming more popular, as many retirees are still very active and looking for engaging communities once retired.

Whatever place someone chooses, O’Connor, the director from Blakehurst, says, “Retirement is a time to continue to engage and maybe even reinvent oneself.”

Your Guide to Regional CCRCs

Looking for the retirement living situation that is just right for you?
Here is our guide to some of the area’s continuing care retirement communities.

Asbury-Solomons Island
11100 Asbury Circle
Solomons, MD 20688
410-205-4501
asbury.org/asbury-solomons

Bayleigh Chase
501 Dutchman’s Lane
Easton, MD 21601
410-673-4405
actsretirement.org/communities/maryland/bayleigh-chase-easton/

BayWoods of Annapolis
7101 Bay Front Drive
Annapolis, MD 21403
410-268-9222
baywoodsofannapolis.com/

Blakehurst
1055 W. Joppa Road
Towson, MD 21204
410-296-2900
Blakehurstlcs.com

Broadmead
13801 York Road
Cockeysville, MD 21030
410-527-1900
broadmead.org

Carroll Lutheran Village
300 St. Luke Circle
Westminster, MD 21158
410-848-0090
clvillage.org

Charlestown Retirement Community
715 Maiden Choice Lane
Catonsville, MD 21228
410-705-7058
ericksonseniorliving.com/charlestown

Edenwald
800 Southerly Road
Towson, MD 21286
410-339-6000
edenwald.org

Fairhaven
7200 Third Avenue
Sykesville, MD 21784
443-300-4047
actsretirement.org/communities/maryland/fairhaven-sykesville/

Ginger Cove Annapolis Life Care
4000 River Crescent Drive
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-266-7300
gingercove.com

Glen Meadows Retirement Community
11630 Glen Arm Road
Glen Arm, MD 21057
410-319-5034
presbyterianseniorliving.org/glen-meadows-retirement-community

Goodwill Retirement Village
891 Dorsey Hotel Road
Grantsville, MD 21536
301-895-5194
goodwillhome.org

Heron Point of Chestertown
501 Campus Avenue
Chestertown, MD 21620
443-214-3556
actsretirement.org/communities/maryland/heron-point-of-chestertown

Lutheran Village at Miller’s Grant
9000 Fathers Legacy
Ellicott City, MD 21042
410-465-2005
millersgrant.org

Maryland Masonic Homes
300 International Circle
Cockeysville, MD 21030
410-316-9129
mdmasonichomes.com

Mercy Ridge
2525 Pot Spring Road
Timonium, MD 21093
410-561-0200
mercyridge.com

Mosaic
450 Willow Lakes Drive
Willow Street, PA 17584
888-893-1423
mosaiclancaster.com

North Oaks
725 Mount Wilson Lane
Pikesville, MD 21208
410-602-0318
northoaksseniorliving.com

Oak Crest Village
8800 Walther Boulevard
Parkville, MD 21234
410-469-8053
ericksonseniorliving.com/oak-crest

Roland Park Place
830 W. 40th Street
Baltimore, MD 21211
410-243-5700
rolandparkplace.org

The Residences at Vantage Point
5400 Vantage Point Road
Columbia, MD 21044
888-680-6324
vantagepointresidences.org

The Village at Augsburg
6811 Campfield Road
Baltimore, MD 21207
410-834-4143
thevillageataugsburg.org

Willow Valley Communities
450 Willow Lakes Drive
Willow Street, PA 17584
717-464-6800
WillowValleyCommunities.org