Dolores Lush immediately knew she wanted to live at Masonic Village at Lafayette Hill after visiting her former neighbor who had recently moved here.
“Dave [Dolores’ late husband, who died in 2022] and I were visiting places for three years, but we couldn’t find the right fit,” she said. “When I came here, I thought, ‘I can live here – it’s beautiful!’ I decided to take a tour and get on the waiting list.”
As it turns out, Dolores’ instincts were right. In 2024, with help from her daughters, she moved from her home of 32 years in Conshohocken to a large, one-bedroom apartment. Despite having lived in a five-bedroom house, Dolores was open to downsizing.
“I knew I didn’t need the extra room, because it was just me,” Dolores said. “I liked the idea of the one-bedroom.”
Another selling point: her third-floor balcony overlooking the courtyard, which comes to life every spring with beautiful flowers.
“I’ve been told I have prime real estate,” she said. “Having access to outside was important to me. My dog, Winnie, and I sit out there every nice day.”
Dolores’ apartment also includes an open kitchen and living room, bedroom, laundry and two closets.
To prepare to downsize her new home, Dolores and her daughters spent a lot of time discarding items that were no longer necessary. She consulted with a realtor about the best way to show her home to prospective buyers. After moving into Masonic Village, she quickly met her future best friend, Claire Davis.
“The [Marketing team] does a really great job recommending where they think you’ll fit in,” Dolores said. “They recommended a popular moving company that packed up all my furniture and cleaned my whole house. They were very reasonable and organized.”
Dolores moved into her new space on the same date her husband had passed away a year before.
“I felt like my husband was taking care of me,” she said. “It was a good feeling.”
Today, Dolores is active at Masonic Village. She plays cornhole, volunteers in the Gift Shop, attends Bible study and church, is a member of Voices on the Hill (a performance group) and helps welcome new residents to the community. She said it’s easy to sell something she believes in.
“I’m happy that I made this decision,” she said. “It was the perfect decision. I don’t have to worry about anything, and neither do my girls. It’s a nice feeling.”
Residents Joe and Peggy Fierko can relate to that feeling. As they contemplated a move that would make their lives easier to navigate, their son, Joe Jr., found the ideal home just three minutes down the road at Masonic Village.
The couple were lucky enough to obtain a coveted spot quickly, at the perfect time when an apartment had just been made available.
When they arrived at Masonic Village in 2021, Peggy stayed in the skilled nursing area due to complications from an operation. But after five months, she recovered, thanks to the quality of care she received there, and was able to join her husband in their apartment.
“I had visited friends here many times in the past,” Peggy said. “It made it easy [for my son] because I always complimented Masonic Village whenever we drove past it on Ridge Pike. When it was time to move, he made the arrangements for us to come here. He knew we’d be happy.”
Joe Jr. was particularly impressed by the value and the quality of the recently renovated community, noting that the “amazingly nice” apartment made the decision easy. “I knew they were going to like it,” he said.
While Joe Sr. moved solo into their new one-bedroom apartment, he was never more than a short distance away from Peggy, allowing him to be by her side daily throughout her recovery.
“The different levels of care were a big selling point,” Joe Jr. said, noting how the community’s design kept his parents connected even when they required different types of support.
The one-bedroom apartment proved to be an ideal fit. The couple immediately felt at home in the open-concept layout, which allowed them to stay connected and chat easily from the kitchen to the dining room. Practical features like the in-unit laundry provide convenience, and the spacious balcony became a favorite retreat for enjoying the spring and summer air.
“They loved that they could always see and talk to one another,” Joe Jr. noted. “And that large balcony gave them a beautiful space to soak in the nice weather.”
Mary Beth Meehan, director of sales and marketing, streamlined the move by recommending a specialized moving company that was familiar with the village layout and offered full packing and unpacking services.
The transition also provided a welcome opportunity to declutter.
“Downsizing was truly beneficial; it encouraged my parents to keep the essentials and let go of things they hadn’t touched in years,” said their daughter, Patrice. (The couple also has a third child, Stephanie, who resides in upstate New York.) “It helped them prioritize what really mattered. Now, everything is within easy reach, and they no longer spend time searching for things.”
The apartment strikes a perfect balance: cozy enough to feel like home, yet spacious enough for the couple to enjoy their own pursuits. Patrice noted that the layout allows each of them to find their own area to relax. Joe Sr. often retreats to the large bedroom to watch sports or work at his desk, while Peggy stays comfortable in the living room, catching her favorite programs and listening to music on her Alexa.
The couple spend most of their time enjoying the social aspects of life at Masonic Village at Lafayette Hill, whether dining with friends at the bistro and the dining room or participating in various campus activities.
“They spend most of the day out of the apartment anyway,” Patrice said.
But when they want to stay put, they can enjoy a meal together at their compact dining table that fits nicely with the living room.
The couple couldn’t be more content with their home and their neighbors. Looking back, they wouldn’t change a single thing about their decision.
“We are very lucky,” Peggy said. “We found it so easy to make this our own happy home.”
For more information on how Masonic Village at Lafayette Hill can be your happy home, contact us today.
Dolores and her dog, Winnie, in her living room.
Joe and Peggy Fierko seated in their living room.
Dolores and Winnie on her outdoor patio.
