Finding the Good Life at The Hill

For Robert “Bob” Tate, a retired Episcopal priest, and Ann Greene, a retired University of Pennsylvania historian and administrator, the decision to move to a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) was simply a practical matter.

“Both of our mothers lived into their nineties,” said Bob. “Ann’s mom decided to move into a CCRC, but my mother insisted on staying in her own home for as long as possible.”

“The experience with Bob’s mother was a complete unending crisis for all of us,” Ann added. “We didn’t want to have to make a crisis-decision move. We wanted to be able to make the right decision from a place of calm.”

With the intention of making a proactive move out of their longtime Mt. Airy, Philadelphia home instead of being forced to make a reactive move, the couple began to research options for a CCRC that would best suit their needs. In addition to access to exceptional healthcare, Bob and Ann wanted a community that was in close proximity to the city and had apartment-style residence options.

“I had served as the Rector of the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields in Chestnut Hill, and was on staff at the Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, so I was familiar with many of the communities in the Philadelphia area,” said Bob. “We wanted to come visit The Hill at Whitemarsh because many of my former parishioners are here, and have only had great things to say about life at The Hill.”

The couple came to tour the property and decided to add their names to the wait list in December 2023, assuming that they would have a few years to downsize and sell their home.

“We ended up getting the call that an apartment was available a few months after putting our name on the list,” recalled Ann. “We didn’t want to wait, so we just went into hyperdrive! We ended up only having six months to do what we were expecting to do over the course of two years. But as soon as we knew we’d be moving we connected with a real estate agent who specializes in our neighborhood, and the house sold quickly.”

“We had to downsize a six-bedroom house into a two-bedroom apartment,” said Bob. “But The Hill has wonderful resources that we were able to access for help and for guidance around what could come with us for the move.”

“They helped us with a floor plan and measured all of our furniture,” said Ann. “It’s always good to put yourself in the hands of experts!”

Prior to moving in, the couple chose to make some minor renovations in the space to personalize it and make the space work for them.

“The apartment is south-facing with wonderful ceilings and plenty of windows,” Bob said. “We knocked down some walls, put in crown molding, and customized the kitchen. We used the exact same paint colors that we had in our home in Mt. Airy, so it feels very familiar to be here!”

The transition has also been relatively seamless for the couple; they remain close enough to their old neighborhood in the city to continue to see their dentist and remain within the Jefferson Health system, which has a partnership with The Hill.

“I was already part of Jefferson Health downtown, so that aspect of the move was seamless for me,” said Bob. “We are so impressed with the doctors here, and the entire health care operation.”

It’s not only the small details of their everyday life that have made for a smooth adjustment after their move to The Hill; Bob and Ann have also immersed themselves in the community.

“I’m learning how to play Duplicate Bridge and it’s been a real challenge,” Bob said. “I play for three hours every Monday afternoon.”

“I play water volleyball and we do a water fitness class together,” Ann said. “And I’ve attended some of the live lectures and there’s fabulous live music events here that we’ve taken full advantage of.”

“We’ve also been able to play music with other residents here, as well,” Bob said. “I play banjo and guitar and Ann plays electric bass and we’ve formed a folk rock jam group that we play with every Wednesday afternoon for a couple of hours.”

“There’s a lot to do here that’s very interesting, and plenty of ways to get involved in the life of the community,” Ann said. “You can manage your level of involvement based on your own preferences and remain engaged at your own pace.”

“There is a real spirit here. If you want to do something or try something new, everyone is incredibly supportive.”

– Robert Tate