The Priority List: A Fun and Risk-Free Way to Explore Retirement Living at Maris Grove

People tend to equate retirement planning with financial planning. While having the financial resources to maintain a good lifestyle is critically important, there is much more to successful retirement planning than just having money in the bank.

A good retirement plan should also include an assessment of your goals and interests. How do you envision your retirement lifestyle? Where will you live?

Studies show that a retirement lifestyle that includes community engagement, strong social ties, and physical activity contributes to greater happiness and better overall health and resilience.

The right community can enhance your lifestyle, so it’s important to explore your options.

Erickson Senior Living, a nationally recognized leader in continuing care retirement communities, gives prospective residents a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the active, worry-free lifestyle through each community’s priority list program.

Priority list members experience the community’s lifestyle at their own pace and on their own schedule.

“Joining the priority list is an opportunity to enjoy and engage with the community, which regular visitors don’t get to do,” says Sharon Baksa, a director at Erickson Senior Living. “This is not just a waiting list. This is like a club that entitles you to privileges. Members enjoy dining in our restaurants, attending special events, and getting to know the staff and residents. We celebrate the fact that you are a priority list member, and you are eligible for the privileges afforded to members of the club.”

Priority list perks

Priority list members can reserve a specific apartment home design before members of the public. For anyone who has a strong preference for a particular model, an early spot on the list can make all the difference.

Priority list members also receive invitations to special events, seminars, and parties, and they are the first to receive community news and updates.

Thomas and Noreen McHugh moved to Maris Grove in August. The McHughs participated in several priority list events, including a dinner with current residents. It’s common for the couple to make connections through Noreen’s previous career at Penn Hospital in Philadelphia, where she was a nurse for 45 years—this dining experience was not an exception.

“We met Dianne and Mike Lanham at dinner. Dianne was also a nurse, and we came to realize that we had met once before in 2010 while on a safari,” explains Noreen. “She recognized me right away after all of these years."

Another exclusive benefit of joining the priority list is access to the Erickson Realty and Moving Services program.

“We were pleasantly surprised with how comfortable we felt at Maris Grove,” said Thomas. “Living in our home at the shore had us feeling isolated. It was time for us to make the move. Thanks to Erickson’s Realty and Moving Services, everything went very smoothly.”

Help all along the way

From recommending a trusted real estate agent to selling your current home to advice on decorating your new apartment, Erickson Realty and Moving Services staff help priority list members have a stress-free move every step of the way.   

“People sometimes think the Erickson Realty and Moving Services program is only for people who are about to move, but priority list members are not necessarily ready to move immediately. They may be waiting for a specific apartment home design that we don’t have available yet or they may be just waiting for when the time is right for them to move,” says Baksa.

“People who join the priority list should know that we can help them with whatever challenges they’re faced with as they start to think about transitioning from a house to an apartment home. Whether they are moving now or next year, we can help.”

Live the Life

Priority list members also have a unique opportunity to “test-drive” retirement living through Maris Grove’s Live the Life program.

“Live the Life is a complimentary daytime or overnight experience,” says Brian Hance, a senior director at Erickson Senior Living. “Members who are mostly interested in the cuisine will want to experience a few of the restaurants, others want to try a fitness center class. It’s a chance to get to know the layout, talk with residents, and spend time in an apartment home.”

“Our members love that they can take our community for a test drive by participating in Live the Life,” says Sales Director Liz Harrington. “We create a customized itinerary, based on your unique interests, so that you can see everything we have to offer. I believe that this program is the most valuable in helping customers discover if Maris Grove is right for them.”

Your journey begins with a $1,000 priority list deposit, which is applied to the apartment home you choose or fully refundable should you decide to change your priority status, and a nonrefundable $150 application fee per person.

Joining the priority list is a commitment-free and financially sound way for prospective residents to see for themselves the benefits and amenities that come with living at Maris Grove.

The first step to enjoying maintenance-free retirement living at Maris Grove is to request a brochure.