Getting healthy and fit
Besides the all-season pool, each community has a fitness center complete with state-of-the-art equipment and a full-time wellness staff. They also have their own medical centers, located in the clubhouse and staffed by full-time physicians and medical professionals.

Even the meals contribute to healthy living because Erickson chefs have ways of making residents’ favorite comfort foods as nutritious as they are delicious. At Hickory Chase’s Audubon Restaurant and Meadowlark Café, residents can enjoy cuisine sparked by flavorful herbs and fresh, locally grown produce containing limited additives.

At Fox Run, the new Jockey Pub is "the place to be" for casual meals in a relaxed atmosphere. "What’s really great," says Retirement Counselor Kristine Anderson, "is the pub’s big-screen TV. You can have lunch with your neighbors and watch the Tigers play—or wear your college sweatshirt and cheer your team to victory on football Saturdays."

And one meal each day at a campus restaurant is included in a resident’s monthly service package—that’s 365 fewer meals a year to shop for, prepare, and clean up after.

More time with family
Henry Ford Village Retirement Counselor David Leslie says that family and friends visit often at Erickson campuses. "That’s because our great spirit of community allows [everyone] to feel at home. And when grandchildren and great-grandchildren—little toddlers—are running around in the Great Lakes Clubhouse, there’s a glow about the place. The residents really enjoy that."

With professional staff handling the chores, residents have the time to focus on their loved ones. Relatives don’t have to tote in anything for the holiday meal; they need only bring their bathing suits. After a dip in the pool, everyone can gather at a campus restaurant. "Wouldn’t that be grand," says Fondoulis, "to spend more time with those smiling faces?"

Learning something new
Books, investing, Spanish, bridge, travel, line dancing—the list of interest groups and activities is limited only by residents’ imaginations. Anyone can start a club or group at any time. There’s also an on-campus library, a creative arts studio, and a woodworking shop.

And there are new friends to meet and learn from. "Most every day I learn something new through the amazing people that will live at Hickory Chase," Fondoulis says. "Recently, I learned what it was like to be a part of a family that staked a claim for land in North Dakota! I can’t imagine the heights that Hickory Chase will climb with all these marvelous people together under one roof."

Being part of an Erickson community can start with a single New Year’s resolution. Thinking about a better retirement is the first step to making it happen.