Answers to the most frequently asked questions about senior living.

An independent living community is the perfect place for active seniors who are able to enjoy an active life and want the total freedom of a carefree retirement lifestyle. Home maintenance and yard work become a thing of the past, and the community provides a wide range of services and amenities—including dining, a full calendar of social opportunities and entertainment, transportation, cleaning, health and wellness activities, security, and more—so residents can truly live the lives they want to live. Learn more about the benefits of independent living here on our blog.

When you move into your residence at a life plan community, you’ll receive a variety of services such as dining, housekeeping, scheduled transportation, maintenance and security, and have access to a whole array of incredible amenities and social, wellness and educational activities. You’ll live independently and enjoy the lifestyle you create for yourself. But the unique benefit of a life plan community is the access to a continuum of care right on the same campus if and when it’s needed. For instance, Freedom Village at Brandywine provides a full range of care, including personal care, memory care, short-term rehab, and long-term care. Transitioning among these levels of care is simple and seamless, and you’ll always have the peace of mind knowing that you’ll be receiving care surrounded by friends and staff who know you. Learn more about life plan communities and having access to a continuum of care on our blog.

Costs can vary widely depending on the community and the services offered. A life care community (like Freedom Village at Brandywine) typically offers a residency agreement with a one-time entrance fee along with a monthly payment that covers the services provided. The entrance fee and monthly fee will vary depending on the size of the residence and the number of occupants. When needs change, care is provided on site from people you already know and trust. In addition to an entrance fee, a monthly fee covers community maintenance, dining programs, and access to all the services and amenities of the community. Refundability of your entrance fee will vary by community. Learn about senior living contracts on our blog.

Your monthly fee covers home maintenance and property taxes, utilities, your dining plan, fitness membership, a beautifully maintained campus, and dozens of other services and amenities. It also includes a social membership to Coatesville Country Club.

Our Life Care contract offers a way to pay for long-term care expenses that makes them more predictable — saving you tens of thousands of dollars over other long-term care options. When you consider that the Department of Health and Human Services says 7 out of 10 adults will need long-term care at some point, for an average of 3 years, Life Care can be a financial lifesaver!

We are a pet friendly community. We accept cats, birds and fish throughout the community; and we welcome dogs with certain restrictions. Please contact us to learn more.

A $1,500 deposit lets you join our exclusive wait list program, the Signature Club, which gives you access to insider events and VIP opportunities while you await your perfect accommodation. For more information about our Signature Club, give us a call at ​610-572-2017 or click here.

We have more than 45 interest groups and clubs from our own in-house Television Station to a Theater and Singing Club to a variety of card clubs to ping pong and Bocce ball tournaments to wood shop, photography and painting classes to Greenhouse Gardeners. Our Resident Advisory Council is a very valued and active organization.

We are 57 minutes away from Philadelphia International Airport. The nearest train station is Thorndale, just 8 minutes from campus, which is part of the regional rail line traveling directly into Philadelphia.

Regularly scheduled transportation. Shuttle services to a variety of shopping centers and stores are available throughout the week. Personal and medical transportation is available on a reservation basis.

We do have a spacious library featuring books to borrow, a sizable large print collection, daily newspapers and current magazine subscriptions.

An innovative dining program is included in your monthly service fee. Enjoy a variety of fresh, healthy, chef-prepared dishes in our formal dining room.

We have all denominations within a 15 mile radius. Our residents frequently attend St. Peter Catholic Church, Hopewell United Methodist Church, Central Presbyterian, Calvary Luteran and Beth Israel.

In personal care, residents get help with some of the basic activities of daily living. These often include assistance with bathing, dressing and grooming, medication management and personal maintenance. The specific assistance provided is determined by a personal services assessment in order to understand needs. The goal of personal care is to allow residents to enjoy their lives with just the right help while living as independently as possible. Read more about personal care and when a parent may need it on our blog.

Personal Care gives you the helping hand you need to keep active, stay engaged, and pursue your passions. You’ll live in a beautifully appointed apartment home and receive assistance with the basic activities of daily living, tailored to your specific needs, such as help with bathing, dressing and grooming, medication management, and personal maintenance. Nursing homes, on the other hand, are for those with chronic medical conditions or disabilities, or those in chronic pain, who require round-the-clock care and supervision by licensed skilled nursing professionals. Read more about personal care and how it keeps you independent longer on our blog.

Memory care at Freedom Village at Brandywine provides a specially designed, whole-person approach to Alzheimer’s care and dementia care. Residents live in a warm and friendly, family-like community with the safety of 24-hour onsite security and the compassionate care of highly trained personnel who implement proven memory care programs that encourage and celebrate remaining abilities. It would be virtually impossible to duplicate this level of round-the-clock safety, sense of community and socialization, and specific expertise in Alzheimer’s care by using an in-home care service.

The most effective activities for those with Alzheimer’s disease or other related dementias are highly structured activities and routines that help maintain abilities and encourage the use of current skills. Programs such as discussion groups to promote mental agility and physical exercise such as dancing can be powerful in providing enjoyable and meaningful experiences. Ultimately all activities should provide memory care residents with a sense of purpose and a feeling of security.

While both personal care and memory care provide assistance with the activities of daily living, such as help with bathing, dressing and grooming, medication management, and personal maintenance, memory care at Freedom Village at Brandywine offers a specific type of compassionate care that is specially designed for those with memory impairment. Each member of our memory care team is trained in the specialized skills needed to provide excellent Alzheimer’s care and dementia care. After initial training, they then participate in continuing education courses to remain current in best practices. Learn more about the differences between personal care and memory care on our blog.

Skilled nursing within a senior living community provides 24-hour licensed nursing care. This area within a community primarily provides long-term care or rehabilitative therapies for patients and residents who need medical or nursing care and is ideal for those with chronic medical conditions or disabilities, or those in chronic pain, who require round-the-clock care and supervision by licensed skilled nursing professionals.

The skilled nursing area of a senior living community is not like a hospital. Many patients and residents utilize skilled nursing facilities after a hospital stay. While this area of the community does provide advanced levels of on-going long-term care as well as short-term rehabilitative services, the suites and spaces are designed to be warm and comfortable and reflect a home-like environment.