by Nancy Nolan, Director of Marketing & PR, Foulkeways at Gwynedd

Situated on 110 acres of beautiful, wooded countryside in Montgomery County, with walking trails and wildlife abounding, Foulkeways is home to more than 400 adults, 65 and older.

A Continuing Care Retirement Community or ‘CCRC’ as they are called, Foulkeways offers all the benefits of a 55-Plus community to its active, independent residents; a Fitness Center, a heated 25’ x 65’ indoor pool, a Performing Arts Center, a Health Center, an Art Room with on-going pottery and painting classes, a Green house, dining options that include both casual and outdoor dining, educational opportunities, an on-site pharmacy, beauty salon and bank, a library, weekly housekeeping, inside and outside maintenance, plus (and this is a BIG plus) an ‘invisible’ safety net that pops into place should you find yourself in need of medical care, long before you thought you were going to need it.  (Who among us hasn’t heard of the collapse of a colleague or friend, in their mid-60s – the victim of a health crisis that came “totally out of the blue”?) 

When the need for increased individual attention and support becomes necessary, a move to Foulkeways Personal Care suites in Abington House provides added support in a friendly, home-like environment.  Caring and conscientious staff is on hand to assist with the tasks of daily living such as dressing, bathing or assistance with medication management. Each of the one-bedroom suites has a private deck or patio and abundant, natural lighting.

Residents in Gwynedd House, Foulkeways on-site, 5-Star, Medicare Certified Long Term Care Facility, experience the difference that only resident-centered care can provide. Residents in Gwynedd House receive the full support of nursing, physical therapy, psychosocial and therapeutic recreational services under the direct supervision of our physicians and our nurse practitioners. In addition, our Medical Director, a fellowship-trained Geriatrician and Board Certified Internist, oversees all medical decisions. 

The vast majority of Foulkeways residents, however, are independent!  They are able-bodied, mentally alert, active, vigorous people who tired of the hassle of house maintenance, daily meal preparation and housekeeping chores. Incoming residents want to devote more of their time to making new friends, learning new skills, honing life-long hobbies, volunteering, redefining their careers or inventing new ones.

If grandkids are not close at hand, Foulkeways residents can take advantage of the “Grand Friends” Program, which pairs residents with children in the Foulkeways Child Care Center and Pre-School. Weekly ‘Grandfriends” spend time together, working on craft projects and other programs designed to keep them in contact with one another during the week.  

Foulkeways’ Independent Residents, intent on living their lives to the fullest, have no ‘activity director’ to encourage their community involvement; instead residents volunteer in one or more of Foulkeways 106 Special Interest and Service Committees. These committees are responsible for planning, coordinating and mentoring every activity that takes place in the community, such as Performing Arts, Computer and iPad group meetings, Educational Seminars, Day Trips, Support Groups and a plethora of others, too numerous to name.

There is a Pet Committee, a Cost-Savings Committee, a Recycling Committee and a Creative Writing Group. The Foulkeways Library is managed entirely by resident volunteers, and the Foulkeways Choral Group is made up of members of the community and folks on the Foulkeways Waiting List.      

A pioneer among retirement communities, Foulkeways at Gwynedd has been providing unwavering standards of excellence to residents since 1967. Foulkeways is dedicated to maintaining or improving the quality of life for community members, while providing a framework of friendship, caring and dignity.

One of the first Continuing Care Retirement Communities in Pennsylvania and the first Quaker CCRC in the United States, Foulkeways has excelled in creating a community of active adults involved in all aspects of community life. At Foulkeways they call it, “The Foulkeways Spirit!”

To experience Foulkeways firsthand, contact Lori Graff in the Residency Information Office at 215-283-7071 to arrange for a personal tour. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes.