Wellington at Hershey's Mill

Wellington At Hershey's Mill was very nice, and I loved it. I liked that you could have dogs and you had your own private entrance. Everybody I knew who lived there liked it. They had one-bedroom apartments. It had a kitchen, dining room, a bedroom, a bathroom, and a little deck. The sanitation was very good, and they had tons of activities. They had swimming, and they were playing some sort of card game.

With Wellington Retirement Living, I liked the fact that they don't have an upfront fee and that's a plus for me. It was closer to my son's house, so I thought that might be the best place for me. The facility looked very nice from the outside, but I was very disappointed at the interior. It looked very, very dark. There was nothing light or airy about it. Also, it did not smell good. The apartment that I was shown was very ill kept. It was not furnished and it was too small. The whole thing just looked neglected to me. I had built homes. I have been my own contractor many times, and I perhaps looked at things a little differently, but it simply was very unpleasant. We weren't even invited to see their dining room and the staff were not very helpful. I didn't feel the person who showed us around liked her job very much.

After several years of searching for my next home, I chose Wellington Hall for a myriad of reasons. One, I didn't have to sell my house to afford Wellington since the accommodations are provided on a monthly basis. My independent living apartment (1238 sq ft) consists of two huge bedrooms (one to use as an office), two full bathrooms, washer/dryer, complete kitchen with microwave, full size 'fridge' and stove, dishwasher, and garbage disposal. Monthly fee includes all taxes and utilities (my own hot water heater, HV/AC, basic cable, electricity) and a full underground garage for all residents. Also included are 20 meals a month (optional). Each apartment has its own patio or balcony (72 sq ft), housekeeping twice a month, plumbing and structural maintenance on demand for no fee. Full telephone and internet access for minimal fee. Second, the migration between independent living to assisted living or nursing care and back again after illness or hospitalization and rehabilitation is facilitated by the caring and energetic staff. Entertainment onsite and offsite via our own bus is a real boon for those no longer able to drive. Third, residents no longer have to pay property taxes, but are eligible for rent rebates from Pennsylvania and are also eligible to deduct a percentage of medical expenses from their individual tax returns! In sum, as a CCRC, Wellington Hall is in full compliance with state CCRC certification.