Time for a Change
After losing a spouse, older adults often choose to start a new chapter at a CCRC.
Roger Frank and his wife, Peggy, met young—“we went to school together,” he says—and got married shortly after he finished his service in the U.S. Navy. They started a family, furthered their careers, traveled widely, built a life together.
In retirement, the excitement of new adventures took the Franks south. They moved from their roots in the Pennsburg area to Central Florida, specifically the Village of Woodbury, a residential neighborhood within the master-planned retirement community known as The Villages. There they made good friends, reveled in the live-music culture, and, given the riches of Central Florida, teed off at the area’s many fine golf courses.
“We enjoyed it,” he says. “We expected to be down there much longer.”
Peggy’s illness changed everything.
After she passed away in January 2021, at the age of 76, Roger spent a short time living with family. He then moved into Arbour Square of Harleysville.
“I started to roll with the punches,” he says of the move, which he made three years ago. “It’s hard, and I take it a day at a time.”
After losing a spouse later in life, the husband or wife who remains often opts for a change of address. Continuing-care retirement communities such as Arbour Square are a common destination, for more reasons than one: to be surrounded by peers; to utilize the many lifestyle amenities and social opportunities available; and, considering the emphasis on wellness and security, to have peace of mind for themselves and their families. The majority of older adults who move into CCRCs are between the ages of 75 and 84, according to Acts Retirement-Life Communities Inc., though more older adults are choosing to move in their mid-60s and early 70s.
Roger Frank has settled into a routine at his community, filling his days with activities he enjoys: billiards, bike riding, woodworking, ping-pong, teaching other residents a game he created that he describes as similar to Parcheesi. He plays golf in the summer months, often at Sweet Water, a nine-hole course in Pennsburg; he prefers to walk the course. He has friends and family close by.
He’s content, though it’s not the retirement he envisioned for himself, mainly because he’s no longer able to spend it with the person he loved most.
“We had a good life,” he says of his 56-year marriage to Peggy. “She was a great mother, a great wife, a great person. We wanted more, I wanted more, but it wasn’t meant to be.”
New Season, New Scenery
Continuing-care retirement communities offer residents the peace of mind that comes from having their health and wellness prioritized. In the Philadelphia area, older adults have many reputable options in terms of CCRCs and other living spaces, including the ones featured here.
Acts Retirement Life Communities
Brittany Pointe Estates in Lansdale, Fort Washington Estates, Granite Farm Estates and Lima Estates in Media, Gwynedd Estates in Ambler, Normandy Farms Estates in Blue Bell, Southampton Estates, and Spring House Estates in Lower Gwynedd
actsretirement.org
Ann’s Choice - Erickson Senior Living
Warminster
ericksonseniorliving.com/anns-choice
Arbour Square of Harleysville
Harleysville
trueconnectioncommunities.com
Artis Senior Living
Huntingdon Valley, Yardley, and Princeton, New Jersey
artisseniorliving.com
Atria Senior Living
Atria Bethlehem, Atria Center City in Philadelphia, and Atria Lafayette Hill
atriaseniorliving.com
Brittany Pointe Estates in Lansdale, Fort Washington Estates, Granite Farm Estates and Lima Estates in Media, Gwynedd Estates in Ambler, Normandy Farms Estates in Blue Bell, Southampton Estates, and Spring House Estates in Lower Gwynedd
actsretirement.org
Ann’s Choice - Erickson Senior Living
Warminster
ericksonseniorliving.com/anns-choice
Arbour Square of Harleysville
Harleysville
trueconnectioncommunities.com
Artis Senior Living
Huntingdon Valley, Yardley, and Princeton, New Jersey
artisseniorliving.com
Atria Senior Living
Atria Bethlehem, Atria Center City in Philadelphia, and Atria Lafayette Hill
atriaseniorliving.com
Bellingham at West Chester
West Chester
seniorlivingbellingham.com
Brandywine Senior Living
Haverford Estates and Upper Providence in Phoenixville
brandycare.com
Chandler Hall
Newtown
chandlerhallhealthservices.org
Cornwall Manor
Cornwall (Lebanon County)
cornwallmanor.org
West Chester
seniorlivingbellingham.com
Brandywine Senior Living
Haverford Estates and Upper Providence in Phoenixville
brandycare.com
Chandler Hall
Newtown
chandlerhallhealthservices.org
Cornwall Manor
Cornwall (Lebanon County)
cornwallmanor.org
Daylesford Crossing
Paoli
junipercommunities.com
Dresher Estates
Dresher
dresherestates.com
Dunwoody Village
Newtown Square
dunwoody.org
Eagleview Landing
Exton
eagleviewlanding.com
Elm Terrace Gardens
Lansdale
elmterracegardens.org
Paoli
junipercommunities.com
Dresher Estates
Dresher
dresherestates.com
Dunwoody Village
Newtown Square
dunwoody.org
Eagleview Landing
Exton
eagleviewlanding.com
Elm Terrace Gardens
Lansdale
elmterracegardens.org
Franklin Court Senior Living
Quakertown
franklincourtpa.com
Freedom Village at Brandywine
Coatesville
fvbrandywine.com
Friends Home & Village
Newtown
fhvpa.org
Garden Spot Village
New Holland
gardenspotvillage.org
HarborChase of Wilmington
Wilmington, Delaware
harborchase.com/harborchase-wilmington
The Hearth at Drexel
Bala Cynwyd
thehearthatdrexel.org
The Hickman
West Chester
thehickman.org
HumanGood
The Mansion at Rosemont, Rydal Park & Waters in Jenkintown, and Spring Mill Pointe in Lafayette Hill
humangood.org
IntegraCare
Glen Mills Senior Living, Exton Senior Living, Chestnut Ridge at Wallingford
integracare.com
Kendal-Crosslands Communities
Kennett Square
kendal-crosslands.org
The Manor at York Town
Jamison
themanoratyorktown.org
Maplewood at Princeton
Plainsboro, New Jersey
maplewoodseniorliving.com
Maris Grove - Erickson Senior Living
Glen Mills
ericksonseniorliving.com/maris-grove
Quakertown
franklincourtpa.com
Freedom Village at Brandywine
Coatesville
fvbrandywine.com
Friends Home & Village
Newtown
fhvpa.org
Garden Spot Village
New Holland
gardenspotvillage.org
HarborChase of Wilmington
Wilmington, Delaware
harborchase.com/harborchase-wilmington
The Hearth at Drexel
Bala Cynwyd
thehearthatdrexel.org
The Hickman
West Chester
thehickman.org
HumanGood
The Mansion at Rosemont, Rydal Park & Waters in Jenkintown, and Spring Mill Pointe in Lafayette Hill
humangood.org
IntegraCare
Glen Mills Senior Living, Exton Senior Living, Chestnut Ridge at Wallingford
integracare.com
Kendal-Crosslands Communities
Kennett Square
kendal-crosslands.org
The Manor at York Town
Jamison
themanoratyorktown.org
Maplewood at Princeton
Plainsboro, New Jersey
maplewoodseniorliving.com
Maris Grove - Erickson Senior Living
Glen Mills
ericksonseniorliving.com/maris-grove
Masonic Villages
Lafayette Hill and Warminster
masonicvillages.org
Meadowood
Lansdale
meadowood.net
Merrill Gardens
Merrill Gardens at West Chester, Truewood by Merrill in Glen Riddle
merrillgardens.com
Oxford Enhanced Senior Living
Langhorne
oxfordenhancedseniorliving.com
Pennswood Village
Newtown
pennswood.org
Phoebe Ministries
Allentown and Wyncote
phoebe.org
Pickering Manor
Newtown
pickeringmanor.org
Pine Run Village
Doylestown
pinerun.org
Pleasant View Communities
Manheim
pleasantviewcommunities.org
Riddle Village Retirement Community
Media
riddlevillage.com
Lafayette Hill and Warminster
masonicvillages.org
Meadowood
Lansdale
meadowood.net
Merrill Gardens
Merrill Gardens at West Chester, Truewood by Merrill in Glen Riddle
merrillgardens.com
Oxford Enhanced Senior Living
Langhorne
oxfordenhancedseniorliving.com
Pennswood Village
Newtown
pennswood.org
Phoebe Ministries
Allentown and Wyncote
phoebe.org
Pickering Manor
Newtown
pickeringmanor.org
Pine Run Village
Doylestown
pinerun.org
Pleasant View Communities
Manheim
pleasantviewcommunities.org
Riddle Village Retirement Community
Media
riddlevillage.com
The Solana Doylestown
Warrington
thesolanadoylestown.com
Warrington
thesolanadoylestown.com
Solera Senior Living
Plush Mills in Wallingford and Echo Lake in Malvern
soleraseniorliving.com
Springton Lake Village
Media
springtonlakevillage.com
Sunrise Senior Living
Abington, Haverford, Lafayette Hill, Media, Newtown Square, West Chester, and Yardley
sunriseseniorliving.com
Symphony Square
Bala Cynwyd
symphonysq.com
Waverly Heights
Gladwyne
waverlyheightsltd.org
White Horse Village
Newtown Square
whitehorsevillage.org
Plush Mills in Wallingford and Echo Lake in Malvern
soleraseniorliving.com
Springton Lake Village
Media
springtonlakevillage.com
Sunrise Senior Living
Abington, Haverford, Lafayette Hill, Media, Newtown Square, West Chester, and Yardley
sunriseseniorliving.com
Symphony Square
Bala Cynwyd
symphonysq.com
Waverly Heights
Gladwyne
waverlyheightsltd.org
White Horse Village
Newtown Square
whitehorsevillage.org
Photo by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life, October 2026
