Living Life to the Fullest
Residents of Arbour Square of Harleysville enjoy worry-free living in an elegant community known for its caring staff, abundant amenities, and much more.
The retirement years can be some of the richest and most engaging of a person’s life. Without the worries or responsibilities of work and other obligations, retirees are free to travel, pursue hobbies and activities, and make new friends. Home ownership has the potential to stand in the way of all that, taking time and energy away from opportunities to enjoy their best life.
This is one of the reasons why Linda Williams chose Arbour Square of Harleysville, an all-inclusive 55-plus independent living community that combines amenities galore with a small-town atmosphere designed to foster connections among residents. Understandably, Williams was initially reluctant to make the transition.
“When I first visited Arbour Square with my daughter, I did not feel ready to downsize or to make a change in my life,” Williams admits. “The campus was beautiful, but I wasn’t mentally ready for that change to a smaller place.”
However, after having been hospitalized with COVID-19 for three weeks and living with her daughter for five months of recovery, Williams gained a new perspective. The idea of living someplace that could give her the freedom and security to focus on her lifestyle started to make a lot of sense. More than ever, the opportunities to socialize and make friends became invaluable to her.
Since moving into Arbour Square, Williams has made the most of every opportunity. The community offers something for everyone, she suggests, adding that it’s nearly impossible not to find an activity to enjoy and people to connect with almost immediately.
“Everyone makes friends here easily,” she shares. “And there’s so much to do here and so many fun activities geared toward different interests. I play dominoes every Tuesday night, but we also have people who play bridge, those who love art classes, and countless opportunities for bingo, of course. Everyone can find something they love to do or have a chance to try something new.”
Everything about Arbour Square of Harleysville underscores the belief that every day is a day for a new adventure.
The 22-acre campus in Montgomery County has a movie theater, a 1950s-style café, a library, and regularly scheduled entertainment and performers, as well as a billiards hall and games such as cornhole and shuffleboard. Arbour Square also has a wellness center where Williams does the fitness circuit twice a week to stay active. She says the wellness center boasts a variety of classes and “equipment for everyone, no matter what their fitness level may be.”
Arbour Square is ideally situated, with an abundance of shopping, dining, and cultural destinations nearby. Thanks to a campus shuttle, residents partake in regularly scheduled trips and excursions.
“Right now, there are day trips to see the fall foliage, and sometimes we take an ice cream run to try different ice cream places, or we go out to play mini-golf,” Williams says. “Plus, every month we also have a ladies’ day breakfast and a men’s day breakfast away from campus. As much as there is to do here within the community, we also have lots of opportunities to go out and do something off the campus.”
Besides the many amenities on campus or nearby, Williams believes what truly differentiates Arbour Square, and what makes it so special, is the caring staff.
“There are a lot of senior living communities out there, and many of them have great amenities and living spaces, but the staff at Arbour Square is what makes it unique here,” she says. “You won’t meet a staff member who doesn’t know your name within a couple days of being here. You might find some of these amenities somewhere else, but you won’t find a staff like the one at Arbour Square that is as experienced, trained, or, above all else, caring. The staff here genuinely loves and respects the people that live here, and that is what makes it so special.”
The fact that Arbour Square is a rental community removes much of the burdens of ownership. Renting makes a lot of sense for seniors such as Williams because the exterior building, landscaping, equipment, and appliances are not the renter’s responsibility. In addition, the all-inclusive monthly rates include daily meals, housekeeping, activities, and more.
“I have other friends who rent elsewhere, but they can’t believe what I have here,” she says. “If for some reason, the circumstances in my life changed and I needed to change my living arrangements, I would have no penalties here. That’s pretty critical when you are living on a senior’s budget. I have come here with the mindset that this is home forever, and I’m not leaving. … This is my home—and it’s where I want to be.”
As far as advice for other seniors looking for the perfect senior living community, she says to “take your time and look around.” There are no shortages of options out there, but she circles back to what she believes makes Arbour Square unique—and it’s what the word community is all about: the people.
“There will always be something that is the newest amenity, but that can’t replace great people,” she urges. “The people make Arbour Square the amazing place that it is to live.”
Arbour Square of Harleysville
695 Main Street
Harleysville, PA 19438
(267) 677-1200
Photograph courtesy of Arbour Square of Harleysville
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, October 2021.
