A Legacy of Excellence in Senior Living: Children of Blakehurst Residents Choose the Community for Themselves

As the premier senior living community in the Towson, Md. area, Blakehurst has a 30-year legacy of first-class service, excellent dining, gracious hospitality, top-rated care, and vibrant activities.

One testament to the community’s success in providing the best in senior living is that it is currently home to 11 second-generation residents who chose Blakehurst because they saw how happy their parents were when they lived there. This group of discerning seniors had a prolonged preview of the Blakehurst lifestyle during their parents’ time at the community and decided that they wanted it for themselves.

“We saw first-hand how much our parents enjoyed the food, walking trails, activities, and amenities, and we wanted to have the same experience,” says resident Esteban Mezey. “It’s proven to be perfect for us. The staff is outstanding and the maintenance-free lifestyle gives us freedom from chores and worry, allowing us to take full advantage of the campus.”

It’s easy to be active and engaged at Blakehurst with a schedule chock full of classes, games, parties, special events, club meetings, fitness offerings, lectures, performances, and trips for fun-loving residents to choose from at the pace that suits them. Resort-style amenities include a heated pool, fitness center, yoga studio, woodworking shop, indoor and outdoor dining venues, movie theater, croquet court, billiards room, putting green, art studio, walking paths, and salon/barbershop.

The community’s top-rated Chestnut Green Health Center is another important draw for the children of previous residents. “The main reason we moved into Blakehurst was the exceptional care my parents had from the kind and supportive staff when they lived here,” says Kathy Bingley. “I also felt that my parents moving to Blakehurst was an incredible gift to me. I didn’t need to worry that they didn’t have the day-to-day help they needed. I wanted to give that same gift of peace of mind to my two daughters.”

Betty Ann Howard agrees. “I knew it was a caring place with wonderful staff then, and now that we live here, we’ve seen that the level of attention and care is still incredible,” she says. “We were also attracted to Blakehurst’s proximity to Towson and its beautiful walking trails.”

The Case for Choosing Blakehurst

In addition to the 11 second-generation residents, Blakehurst is also home to two mothers of daughters who work at the community.

“My mother and stepfather were looking at different communities, and as the Director of Marketing and Sales at Blakehurst, I wanted to tell them to look no further,” says Elizabeth O’Connor. “They were considering communities that didn’t offer full LifeCare in order to pay less upfront. I explained that choosing a non-LifeCare community could end up costing them a lot more if anything happened to one of them. After considering several communities, they decided on Blakehurst after they learned that all on-site nursing care was included. Both my mother and stepfather have used our healthcare services without paying a penny.”

Community Life Services Director Debra Bartgis’s mother is also a resident at Blakehurst.

“Debra and I both supported our families’ choice to consider other options, but we helped them understand what makes Blakehurst so special,” says O’Connor. “My stepfather, with his spreadsheets, was initially focused on the short-term bottom line, but I emphasized the importance of healthcare and the quality of the community itself. Having worked at other communities, I was confident in what Blakehurst offers. I know that the vision we present on the website and in the brochures is a reality. It’s not just about the dollars; it’s the intangible benefits of the lifestyle here. Short-term, other options might look better on a spreadsheet, but long-term, the full continuum of care and the positive lifestyle experience at Blakehurst make all the difference.”

Blakehurst proved to be a blessing for O’Connor’s entire family in many ways. “Choosing Blakehurst was a gift for all my siblings and step-siblings,” she says. “Just having the peace of mind that your parents will be cared for if they need it. My stepfather passed away in the Chestnut Green Health Center and no one in the family had to do anything, except just be supportive. We could be fully focused on him and my mother without worrying about all the practical details of coordinating care.”

But Blakehurst is about so much more than terrific care. “My mother, who is now 97 and has been here for 13 years, is thriving,” O’Connor says. “I speak with her every day and she’s always telling me about the friends she had dinner with the night before, and the concert she attended or the lecture she enjoyed that day. She has a full, active life and often mentions how glad she is not to be alone in her old house, but with friends and exciting things to do.”

Not Your Mother’s Blakehurst

Though Blakehurst has adhered to the core mission of providing exceptional hospitality and care, it continues to adapt and grow to best serve its residents.

“People see how happy their parents were here and want the same experience — but they also appreciate that we are evolving with the times,” says O’Connor. “We offer the modern amenities and programs that today’s active seniors want, including a larger fitness studio, more wellness-focused programming, and dining that appeals to this generation’s palate.”

Blakehurst’s ongoing commitment to excellence has made it a top choice among the now-senior children of previous residents, but it welcomes seniors without any familial connections, too, of course.

Visit https://blakehurstlcs.com/contact/ to set up a tour and see if Blakehurst is the right community for you.