The Joy of Living with New Friends at Cedar Crest

Finding connection in the community through a variety of interests

Barbara Wiederecht moved to Cedar Crest, an Erickson Living-managed senior living community in Pompton Plains, N.J., two years ago. She was especially interested in the social aspect of the community, and since then she has made friends and enriched her life thanks to her active participation in a variety of on-campus activities and groups.

Cedar Crest boasts more than 100 clubs and activities, so there's a little something for everyone. One of the first clubs Barbara joined was the theater group, where she was amazed at the wealth of talent and creativity displayed by its members.

Performing classic and original productions

"While we perform classics like Macbeth, some of the members also write and submit their own original pieces to be performed, and their work is so amazing," says Barbara. "One member wrote an entire play, and it was very funny."

Barbara has also taken glass cutting classes and enjoys getting her workouts in with water aerobics at Cedar Crest's all-season pool. She's also learning to play pool for the first time thanks to the community's billiards and games room.

When Barbara receives an invitation from another resident to try out a new class or club, she rarely declines, as she's willing to give everything a try once. Other popular classes and clubs at Cedar Crest include bocce club, Wii bowling league, woodworking, and chorus.

Staff and residents help make community special

When Barbara is not busy participating in a group or class, she's looking forward to once again joining friends for dinner at the Village Square Clubhouse or Fireside Restaurant & Pub. Recently, she also enjoyed a Friday night happy hour. Barbara values the opportunity to learn from others and discuss a variety of topics at these social events. Hearing different points of view has led her to become involved with a recently launched diversity initiative on campus.

She loves meeting new people and showing them the lay of the land, so Barbara also shares her knowledge of all Cedar Crest offers as a member of the welcoming committee. In addition to her bonds with other residents, Barbara is also deeply appreciative of the staff at Cedar Crest.

"Especially during this challenging time of the pandemic, the staff has really gone above and beyond," says Barbara. "They're so caring. Todd DeLaney, our executive director, is such a nice guy. He's very in tune with the residents' needs and is so informative."

To learn more about Cedar Crest,  request a brochure today.