When it was time for his parents to move to a continuing care retirement community, Jeff Hoachlander immediately knew Masonic Village at Elizabethtown was a top choice on their list of options.
“For work, I had clients in all the major retirement communities,” Jeff said. “I would visit them all, and Masonic Village was without a doubt the best place with not only the best care, but also the most beautiful campus.”
Although his parents were unsure about the transition to retirement living, Jeff encouraged them to simply take a tour of the 1,400-acre campus. Following the tour, it seemed impossible for Nelson and Alverna Hoachlander to look elsewhere. Soon enough, Jeff’s parents moved into their cottage in 2017 and fell in love with the newfound lifestyle and community.
As Nelson navigated health issues, Masonic Village provided options for the family to consider. Jeff experienced peace of mind knowing his father and mother would be taken care of in the comfort of their home.
When the couple transitioned to nursing care in the Masonic Health Care Center (MHCC), they received the loving assistance and care needed for their specific situation. When Nelson passed away in 2021, Alverna moved to personal care for a short time and then returned to nursing care.
“It is just a beautiful place for her to be living,” Jeff said. “The staff here are just fantastic.”
The staff consistently encourage Alverna to participate in activities, which is exactly what Jeff wanted for his mother.
“The staff encourage her and take her out of the room in a wheelchair, if needed,” Jeff said. “She ends up loving it.”
He wasn’t surprised to learn Masonic Village at Elizabethtown was recognized by U.S. News and World Report as a High Performing long-term care provider, based on various quality measures including feedback from residents. It also earned a High Performing rating for short-term rehabilitation. Out of the 15,007 facilities evaluated by U.S. News, only 467 were High Performing in both these categories, putting Masonic Village at Elizabethtown in the top 3% of those evaluated.
Jeff and his wife, Debbie, appreciate how easy it is to visit Alverna at the MHCC. When the weather is warm, they enjoy taking her outside to walk the same trails she regularly walked in retirement living. They also like to visit the Masonic Village Farm Market and take in the scenery, bringing feelings of comfort and home.
Although the idea of a continuing care retirement community felt far in the future, Jeff and Debbie decided to join the priority wait list for retirement living. After watching his parents’ experience with Masonic Village, Jeff feels confident and ready for what is to come.
“Masonic Village is the first on the list,” Jeff said, “no doubt about it.”
Jeff and Debbie look forward to the safety and security they know Masonic Village will provide. Since the couple regularly travels, they know it will be less of a hassle to leave their home.
“It will be nice to just lock the door and go to Mexico,” Jeff said. “We will not have to worry about mowing the lawn or removing snow anymore.”
After touring a few cottages, the Hoachlanders are excited to take advantage of the campus’ outdoor amenities, dining facilities and farm market, while knowing they are still close to their children and grandchildren in Harrisburg.
“We think it is a great place to not have to worry about anything,” Jeff said. “When you are here and start to progress, you have options and can still enjoy all the things you do when you are at home.”
Jeff and Debbie plan to continue visiting Alverna in the meantime, while patiently waiting to call Masonic Village at Elizabethtown their next step in life.
About the author: Camdyn Lehman is a public relations associate at Masonic Villages. She is majoring in business administration and minoring in marketing at Eastern University.
