By Mark Abromaitis and Stephen Turk
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

In the 1,000 days that Dick and Eileen Blackburn have lived at Ann’s Choice, they’ve traveled to 23 states and 42 countries.

She is a native of England, and he spent more than 20 years in the Navy. "We were traveling whether we wanted to or not," they say. But now that they live at Ann’s Choice, the couple has the freedom they always wanted in where they go and what they see.

That’s often the case for people living at an Erickson community like Ann’s Choice, in Bucks County, Pa. or Maris Grove, in Delaware County, Pa. Because of round-the-clock security and a break on their monthly service package, which covers utilities, food, the cost of their apartment home, and all maintenance and repairs, any time is the perfect time to travel.

Julieann Brant, retirement counselor at Maris Grove, says, "More and more, we’re seeing that instead of waiting for the warmer months to take vacations, our residents are doing it year-round."

Heading south for the winter
Pamela Wright and her husband, Kenneth, let the weather dictate their travels. When the weather gets cold each winter in the Mid Atlantic, they head south.

The couple calls Naples, Fla. their home away from home during the winter months. "It’s a nice place to visit," she says. "We stay right on a golf course, and there’s plenty to do and plenty of warm weather."

The couple says that living at Maris Grove has made it easy for them to simply pack up and go. "There’s no having to arrange for mail or worrying if your house is secure," Mrs. Wright says. "When you live at Maris Grove, that’s all covered. You simply call the front desk, and they will hold your mail and make sure your place is safe and looked after."