Finding What Works for You- Meet Florence Lim

July 29, 2022

One of the great things about Kendal-Crosslands Communities is how it attracts people from all parts of the Country, with a diverse set of backgrounds. While there are also residents who are “legacies”- their own parents or grandparents retired here, there are many more residents who have discovered Kendal-Crosslands while trying to find a great place to retire.

Meet Florence

Florence Lim grew up in Manila in the Philippines, and came to the US after graduation from college with a B.S in Nursing, to work in Palo Alto, at Stanford. She then moved to New York, to explore and have an adventure with friends while attending grad school at NYU. Florence earned her masters in nursing, specializing in psychiatric nursing.  She worked as the Associate Director of a Mental Health service in Staten Islands, NY, She retired after 20 years and opened up her own private practice in Manhattan.

Is a Life Plan Community right for you?

Florence had a colleague in New York who specialized in geriatric nursing, who talked extensively over the years about the benefits of a CCRC- a continuing care retirement community. There were very few of these communities early on, but they all had the concept of providing a continuum of care, as needed, during the aging process.  Florence’s colleague eventually retired to a CCRC in New Jersey, and Florence visited her there, thinking about the potential for this sort of community for her when she retired as well.

Florence continued to work for several years and had a home in Staten Island she loved. When she started to consider retiring, she took her colleague’s advice and looked for a CCRC (now called a Life Plan community), and preferably a Quaker-based community. She thought about moving outside of New York, to be closer to nature. When she googled CCRC, Quaker, and Pennsylvania, Kendal-Crosslands came up, and she scheduled a visit. She visited Kendal at Longwood at first, and she loved many things about the community. Kendal at Longwood is designed to mimic an English Country Village, with the cottages having courtyards with neighbors on most sides.  

As she started to consider winding down her practice, Florence began to look at a couple of other communities including Kendal on the Hudson and other CCRC communities in New Jersey. But she kept coming back to her visit at Kendal at Longwood. On her next visit, she didn’t find the community layout as much to her liking as she thought at first, thinking the English Village style was not that much different from her home in Staten Island. Her salesperson suggested she take a look at Crosslands, the sister community just “around the block”.  Florence fell in love with the setting at Crosslands, from the way the homes are integrated into the landscape, to the open views of meadows and woods, she knew she had found what she was looking for.

Making the Transition and Finding Community

Florence moved to Crosslands in 2015.  While moving from out of state wasn’t easy, the many things Kendal-Crosslands has to offer made a difference. “Resident participation is key here, “ she said. “I’m involved in several different committees, including the Diversity and Inclusion committee, Choices towards the end of life, and the Gift Shop”, where Florence is co-chair.

Florence loves the outdoors and all the trails here on campus. She can take a walk or go to the gym at almost any time, and it’s safe and secure. There are pools on both campuses, and the options are great. “When I lived in Staten Island, while 75% of it is a park, only about 5% felt secure when walking by myself. Here, I feel safe all the time.”

Florence also sits on a CCRC Council, where representatives from different CCRC’s get together. After having a chance to see many other communities, Florence remains impressed by the fitness and wellness facilities at Kendal-Crosslands Communities.  “When the folks in other communities are showing off their one or two pieces of gym equipment, it’s clear our community facilities are much better and comprehensive.”

Florence also enjoys the symphony and going to regional theater in the area, even though it is not always like Broadway, of course. The many small museums and cultural attractions in the area are great, and she’s really enjoyed discovering each one in turn over time. Additionally, she’s enjoyed all the different restaurants and options around as well.

We asked Florence what advice she would give to potential new residents. She thought about it, and said “Don’t postpone your decision. Too many people wait until it’s too late. And when you’re downsizing, remember to be practical. I chose a one-bedroom because it was the right size for me- I could have gotten a bigger place, but this is a better fit and more economical for the long term.”

While COVID has meant restrictions, Florence says for her, since she has always been single, it wasn’t a big change. “I miss some things, but I also like being by myself sometimes, and this is a good way to catch up with projects as well.” While we all look forward to when things are back to “normal”, many things like enjoying walks across campus and the trails are still options, and Florence continues to take advantage of them all.