It's been a few years since my grandparents lived here, but they spent over 20yrs at Crosslands. I've checked Yelp off & on, & still no reviews, so I hope to offer one perspective. (Note that my review applies to my grandparents' experience in the 90s, 00s, early 10s, & it may have changed since then.) Kendal was the original Quaker retirement community in Kennett Square. It became so popular, they annexed Crosslands. The two communities share some facilities, & often have joint activities, on over 500 acres. They are both founded in the Quaker faith, & are both operated largely on Quaker principles (decision making is done the Quaker way, they hold Meeting for Worship, any lectures or socio-political events follow the more liberal values of Quakers, etc.). My fam is Quaker but you don't have to be. First, the tacky part. This is a county club type of retirement home. Your finances will be reviewed, & you gotta pay to play. I was told, for my grandparents, it was well into 3 figs pp per year to live here. (*Some things appear to have changed for Boomers, as they have expanded a great deal, & various housing options are now available.) My point is, you pay for quality of care & community here. My grandfather was a planner & had his money managed by professionals to assure he would not be a burden on his children. Crosslands will provide everything needed for residents to be cared for through the end, without stressing their relatives. At the same time, relatives are welcome to visit as much as desired, at any stage of life. End-of-life care is dignified, respectful, personal, of the finest quality available. For my grandparents, there was also a waiting list. They got on it well in advance of their retirement, & had to wait several yrs after retiring to be admitted. There is no telling when a vancancy will occur b/c, unfortunately, you are waiting for people to die. Active retirees live in condos around the campus. The condos differ, but my grandparents had a 1-bedroom unit, w/ den (could be another br if desired), living room, kitchen, bathroom, walk-in closet, & screened-in porch. They additionally had a bay in the garage, & a separate storage room. Pets are allowed. Almost all of these homes are wheelchair/scooter accessible, as are all of the facilities on campus. If/when one partner requires assisted care or hospice, they go reside in that facility, still on campus. There are staff nurses & personal care specialists, as well as doctors constantly making rounds. My grandfather's doctor was from Jefferson. He was always refered to Jefferson Hospital, for any care beyond what was offered at Crosslands (he had a heart surgery, & a melanoma removed). His doctor had him on a specialized diet + weight-lifting regimen, to give his body optimal function. He was the most muscular (not bulging, just no body fat) person I ever met. Even in his 80s, he was incredibly strong (inside & out), & could do circles around fit men half his age. The food is, well, dignified old people food. My grandparents were pleased w/ the offerings, which is all that matters. It was tasty enough, & they had a variety of options. There were theme nights for various types of cuisine, & care was taken to introduce all the latest trends. Always buffet style, w/ beverage service. They were required to eat in the dining room a certain number of times per week, which helps keep track of people's welfare, & encourages activity & community. Other nights cook in your condo or go out. No policing; come & go as you please. Over the years, my grandparents saw friends die, & commented on the new younger population. I remember being amused at how there were sometimes social cliques/tiffs there, just like in hs, but it was certainly on a more mellow, matured level. My grandparents avoided the malarkey by "wintering" at their condo in Naples, FL. But the upside of the social atmosphere is that, like at area Quaker schools, it's tempered by Quaker values of equality & fairness, which do put a wet blanket on catfights (at any age). My grandparents always enjoyed the classes & workshops they took, & the committees they joined. Many continuing education opportunities. Of course the arts are present, & this was where they couple-bonded, but they also had separate interests, like Tai Chi for my grandmother, & clearing walking paths in the woods, for my grandfather. You can join the book club, woodshop, dance lessons, movie night, bonsai, etc. They continuously have judged events, & display residents' sculpture, arranged flowers, etc. in common areas. They also have small clubs & discussion groups; my grandfather got so much out of his interfaith breakfast group (a handful of men from various religions, who talked philosophy together). In the end, my grandparents died within 2 yrs of each other, in their late 80s & 90s. Memorial services were held right there, & attended by many residents, as well as all others from their lives. They had a peaceful end. read more

See all