Curated News
By: NewsRamp Editorial Staff
October 22, 2025
Couple Finds Ideal Retirement Living Close to Home
TLDR
- Lantern Hill's Priority List and Live the Life program give prospective residents early access to preferred residences and exclusive community experiences.
- Erickson Senior Living's Lantern Hill offers personal appointments, educational events, and overnight stays to systematically evaluate amenities, finances, and lifestyle fit.
- Lantern Hill provides seniors with community connections, accessible amenities, and peace of mind while maintaining ties to familiar doctors and friends.
- Residents enjoy golf groups, Broadway trips, and dinner parties while living in wooded-view apartments with elevator access to all campus amenities.
Impact - Why it Matters
This story demonstrates the importance of thoughtful retirement planning that prioritizes maintaining established support networks and familiar environments. For seniors and their families, it highlights how choosing a retirement community close to one's existing life—rather than automatically moving nearer to adult children—can provide continuity in medical care, social connections, and community involvement. The couple's positive experience with immersive trial stays before committing shows how thorough research can lead to more satisfying retirement transitions. This approach reduces stress for both seniors and their families while ensuring the new living situation genuinely meets the residents' needs and preferences.
Summary
When Roger Heinrich and Beverly Lukas contemplated retirement living, they initially considered moving closer to family in Philadelphia but ultimately chose Lantern Hill, an Erickson Senior Living community in New Providence, New Jersey, just ten minutes from their former Scotch Plains home. This strategic decision allowed them to maintain their established medical care, religious community, and social connections while transitioning to a more suitable living environment. Their journey highlights the importance of thorough research when selecting senior housing options, demonstrating how proximity to familiar support systems can outweigh the appeal of being nearer to distant family members.
The couple's exploration process was comprehensive, beginning with personalized appointments with Sales Director Kate Tanis and her team, who emphasized understanding prospective residents' priorities regarding amenities, finances, and lifestyle preferences. Impressed by their initial visit, Roger and Beverly joined the Priority List program, which granted them access to exclusive events and the transformative Live the Life overnight experience. This immersive stay in a furnished suite allowed them to fully experience the community's offerings, including dining at on-campus restaurants, participating in fitness classes, and socializing with current residents, ultimately confirming Lantern Hill as their ideal retirement destination.
Now settled in their third-floor residence with a wooded view, the couple enjoys single-level living that eliminates the stair-climbing challenges of their previous split-level home. They're actively engaging with the community's diverse offerings, from swimming and golf through the Bogey Bunch group to maintaining their cultural outings to Broadway shows in New York City. The flexible dining options and continued social connections—including reconnecting with old acquaintances from Scotch Plains—have enriched their transition. Most importantly, they've gained peace of mind knowing their children no longer need to worry about their living situation, showcasing how well-planned senior living transitions benefit both residents and their families.
Source Statement
This curated news summary relied on content disributed by citybiz. Read the original source here, Couple Finds Ideal Retirement Living Close to Home
