We Love Fredericka Manor, Pandemic or Not

We moved to Fredericka Manor in January 2019 and could have never imagined then, that 18 months later, we would be in the middle of a pandemic. One thing we know for sure is that by making the move when we did, is surely paying off for us now.

While we miss “normal” socializing that usually comes with living here, we are very happy in such a beautiful, safe, and well-maintained community. Without a doubt, we feel we are in a safer and more enjoyable environment than had we stayed in our private home. We have more contact with people (from a distance, of course!) and we feel secure and in good care.

It’s easy to stay connected virtually with family and with on- and off-campus friends. In fact, we recently attended a Zoom reunion (wedding) with relatives, which was a new and good experience. We also have become accustomed to socially distanced chats with fellow residents when we cross paths on our frequent walks around Fredericka’s 24-acre grounds.

Staff have been amazingly creative, providing engaging activities and enthusiastically encouraging residents to participate. For example, we’ve enjoyed a number of clever events like a scavenger hunt, Easter hat day, a July 4th decorating contest and “Art from my Window.” In June, we wrote messages to local graduates and posted them on Fredericka’s Facebook page to offer support, since students were unable to attend traditional graduation ceremonies.

The staff has gone to great lengths to transition many of our usual group activities to virtual or socially distanced events. But, if you prefer staying home, we have a nice menu of at-home activities to keep us engaged and amused. We order books and movies from the on-campus libraries and they are delivered right to our cottage door, all sanitized. We like to stay in shape, so when we first encountered pandemic restrictions, we couldn’t imagine doing without access to Fredericka’s fitness center. But within no time, our fitness director prepared several workout videos for exercising at home.

Then, of course, there is the food. We have limited access to the dining room right now, but having the same delicious meals available for delivery to our door adds comfort and anticipation to our days.

We decided a number of years ago that we would eventually move to a retirement community. We toured Fredericka several times over several years and each time it made a great impression. We loved the cottages and the grounds, and all the residents we met told us it was their best decision ever. Having all levels of care available was also a big plus. We also like that the downtown village is a short walk away. So now, you can add us to the growing list of residents who say making the move to Fredericka Manor was the best decision ever!

— Barbara and Ron, happy Fredericka Manor residents

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