Making a move often feels overwhelming causing many to delay their decision. Residents at Wesbury’s Cribbs Residential Center made the choice for a variety of reasons. In their own words, let them put you at ease as they share their points of view.

“I enjoy living at Wesbury very much and moving to Cribbs really brought me out of my funk.”

“I was one of the first seniors to buy into the new downtown Meadville townhouses in 2004. I had lived in Saegertown for twenty years prior to that move. I was retired, living alone after losing my second husband, and thought the move to downtown Meadville would make things easier for me. The grocery store and banking were located up the street, and my son also lived nearby in town. I lived there for ten years. During the good weather, it was great. I could go out and do the things I needed to do. In bad weather, I had to rely on my son to help me out. Add in some health issues, the loss of an extremely close friend, the difficulty of maneuvering around my two-story townhouse, and I found myself doing less and less to the point of literally doing nothing at all. I had been thinking about a move, but it was my son who recommended Cribbs. I really came into the move cold. I didn’t know anyone but had an open mind, and it turned out great! For one, I am not alone. I have made a lot of friends here. We do things every day that keep us busy. I just enjoy being here with everybody and wouldn’t have it any other way. I volunteer to help with different activities and I am a good neighbor to newcomers. I just don’t want to sit and be alone. If you were to come and live at Wesbury and feel like you have a lack of opportunities to stay busy and the choices to do what you want, you’re just not trying hard enough.”

– Pat Hughes

“I wasn’t able to live alone, and I knew Wesbury was where I wanted to go.”

“I was living in Erie, when I visited Wesbury with my church group. I really connected with the spiritual care and loved the chapel at Cribbs. Today, I attend bible study once a week in that chapel and Wesbury’s pastor is just the best. I love that I was able to bring all of the furniture I wanted to my apartment and it’s like I am in my previous home. My children love that I am here as they are swamped in their own work, but they stop in or call all the time. Really, I have everything I could possibly need at Wesbury. The pharmacy brings my medications right to my door, the laundry comes and gets my clothes, presses them, puts them on hangers, and comes up to hang them back in my closet; and the food is delicious. I don’t need for anything; it’s a wonderful place. I worked for the Erie County Housing Authority, so I know what it is like to help seniors, and Wesbury is one of the best at it! The staff is also wonderful, from the top down everyone is so nice and accommodating. For me, living at Cribbs couldn’t be nicer or better. There are no worries here, this is my home now, and I love it.”

– Shirley Hammerlee

“Living at Cribbs, I was not only able to continue doing the art projects I enjoy but was actually able to expand them both with the help of staff and on my own.”

“We are originally from Meadville, but had moved to Fredericksburg, Virginia to live near our daughter, son-in-law, and our six grandchildren. We intended to stay for the rest of our lives. But after our daughter fell ill and passed away we just could not bring ourselves to stay. With the medical conditions my wife was facing, and with four recent moves, I decided Wesbury might be the place where we would like to live out the rest of our lives. I thought Thoburn Village was ideal, but after talking with Melissa, I came to realize that an apartment at Cribbs would work best for us. So, we made what I call a final move. I am glad we made this decision when we did instead of putting it on hold. After four years, I really see how Wesbury mimics the greater outside community. Some people who live here are very outgoing, others are more introverted. There are opportunities and activities one can get involved with every day, but you can also do the things you want to do on your own. I want to be here to help my wife, and originally, the idea of the woodshop appealed to me, but it would also take me away from the things she needs. Now, I am able to work on projects in my apartment, yet go down to the art room if I have questions or are in need of feedback. The crazy thing is I am getting accolades and recognition for those projects that may not have happened if we hadn’t moved to Wesbury. It’s the same with getting out, while my wife has limitations to some activities, she is out taking walks with me, or we spend time relaxing in the beauty of the campus from the gazebo or our patio. While we may not participate in every group activity, we are definitely keeping busy with the things we like to do, and our friends and fellow residents don’t judge those decisions. It’s a community, and we all have our place in it. In reality, I am not sure we would be doing as well as we are today living in a private home away from Wesbury.”

– Clair “Bud” Schweitzer

“You get good quality care, and the people have really made an effort to get to know me as an individual and know what my needs and wants are, and it’s not just lip service, it is genuine, they genuinely care.”

“I am originally from Emlenton, PA, but have spent almost 37 years living in Texas. My wife and I were actually living in an assisted living facility there when our daughters began the conversation of moving north to be closer. One of our daughters lives in Pittsburgh. I was familiar with Wesbury because my Mother, my Aunt, and my Cousin were all residents, so we began the plans to move. My wife passed away during our planning, but with no family in Texas, I decided to proceed with the move to Meadville. I have only been at Cribbs for a few months, but it was the right decision. I am getting good care. The food is good as well as the atmosphere. I involve myself in the activities where I can. The staff at Wesbury is great. The place where I lived in Texas couldn’t hold a candle to Wesbury. There is no comparison, I think the longest time any of their staff worked there was a year and a half. At Wesbury, I have met staff that has worked here twenty, thirty, and forty years. Some of the nurses and aides have mentioned they remember my relatives living here, my Mother in particular because of the name. The night I arrived at Cribbs, my daughters couldn’t say enough about how the Wesbury staff was bending over backward for me. For example, on the trip here, I had to fly and I arrived at 11:30 on a Saturday night. Melissa and other staff were here waiting for us to help get me settled in. The next day, the maintenance crew came in to make any adjustments I needed. I was pleasantly surprised. It’s the small things that I didn’t anticipate that really made the experience excellent. I would undoubtedly recommend living at Cribbs.”

– Duane Beals

As you can see, choosing Wesbury’s Cribbs Residential Center makes life a little easier, a little safer, but never compromises your independence and choices. If you are encouraged by these examples, find out for yourself what living at Wesbury is all about by phoning Melissa at 814-332-9009 to schedule a visit,  fill out the information request form, or learn more by visiting our Enhanced Living and Personal Care page.