Charlestown Senior Human Resources Recruiter Amy Bishop’s Godmother Nancy Scoville (left) moved to the Catonsville Erickson Living community in 2018. (Photo courtesy Amy Bishop)
Amy Bishop, a human resources senior recruiter at Charlestown, prides herself on knowing the residents who live there by name—a challenge in a community that more than 2,000 people call home. But there’s one name that comes easy for Amy. Her Godmother Nancy Scoville moved from Ellicott City to Charlestown in 2018.
Nancy and Amy are part of a growing trend that Erickson Living is seeing across the country: employees who have family members or longtime friends who live at one of their 19 communities. Nancy and Amy’s mother Rosemary have been best friends since the fifth grade.
“We have vacationed together; attend the same church, and up until recently have always lived near one another,” says Nancy. “Ten years ago, Rosemary moved to a 55-plus community to be close to her kids and that is the farthest we had ever lived from one another. Now I’m trying to get her to move to Charlestown.”
Change for the better
Nancy began considering a move to Charlestown in 2014 after she grew tired of her three-level townhome.
“I loved my neighborhood, but I was ready to go,” says Nancy. “I decided I was ready for a worry-free lifestyle and I wanted to move while I was young enough to enjoy all of the amenities here at Charlestown.”
Because Amy worked in the community, Nancy had an instant connection to Charlestown.
“Amy would send me photos of events that took place on campus and she always had positive things to say about Charlestown. It just confirmed that I was making the right decision,” says Nancy.
She found an extra-large one-bedroom apartment located in the Herbert’s Run area of Charlestown’s campus that was perfectly suited for her lifestyle.
“The most important feature for me was to have a patio and a view of the woods,” says Nancy. “I’m a yard person and I love nature. I thought since I’m downsizing it would be nice to have an area where I could go outside. The patio makes all the difference in the world. It extends my living space. Someone told me, it feels like a little piece of heaven back here and it’s true.”
Although downsizing from a large house to a one-bedroom apartment took some getting used to, Nancy says she doesn’t miss a thing.
“If you really think about it, how many rooms do you actually use in your house? Living in an apartment is really not much different,” says Nancy. “I always thought I would never be able to part with a lot of my stuff. But now that I’m here it feels like such a load has been lifted. I think part of the peace I’ve found living here is that I’m not overloaded with stuff. I hardly remember the things I got rid of. It’s hard to believe it until you experience it for yourself.”
Peace of mind
Living alone, Nancy says she also appreciates the safety aspect of living in a gated community.
“I’ve lived alone for years now and safety was always an issue,” says Nancy. “But I must say I sleep well now that I’m here. As soon as I pull up to the guard gate at Charlestown, I breathe a sigh of relief. I walk around the community in the evening which I had stopped doing in my last community once it got dark outside. But here I have no worries, I feel totally safe. That’s one of the biggest joys of living here -- feeling safe and having peace of mind.”
Now that she’s settled in, Nancy is beginning to fully appreciate why she was attracted to Charlestown in the first place.
“It’s great not to have to get in the car for every little thing I do. I enjoy going out eat, the on-site concerts, and movies—it’s wonderful!” says Nancy.
As for Amy, she says she is happy to see Nancy so happy.
“I love that she is now on campus and so close,” says Amy. “We have run into each other a few times and we went to lunch at The Fireside. She has really embraced the community and has met so many wonderful people. She is very active, talented and loves to learn. I’m sure she will take full advantage of all the wonderful benefits Charlestown has to offer.”
About Charlestown: Charlestown, one of 19 continuing care retirement communities managed by Erickson Living®, is situated on a scenic 110-acre campus in Catonsville, Maryland. The community is located in Baltimore County and is home to more than 2,000 residents who are supported by a team of more than 1,200 employees. Additional information about Charlestown can be found at CharlestownCommunity.com.
