EXTON, Pa. — At about 7:30 each morning, Christine Patchell begins her day much like she did before moving to Exton Senior Living.
She gets up, washes, gets dressed and heads to the dining room for breakfast.
But two years into her life as a Personal Care resident in the IntegraCare senior living community, Patchell, 86, has discovered that the real value of her new home isn’t simply having help when she needs it. It’s having more opportunities to do the things she enjoys.
“I usually wake up or get woken up around 7:30,” Patchell said. “I wash up, get dressed and go down to the dining room and have breakfast.”
From there, the day can go in almost any direction.
There might be an outing, a barbecue, lunch at the Bistro or time spent with friends. And if there’s an opportunity to get outside, Patchell is likely to take it.
“I love the barbecue. I love anything outdoors,” she said.
Perhaps her favorite activities are the ones that take her beyond the doors of the community.
“I do seek those things out and take advantage of them,” Patchell said. “I most enjoy getting out. No. 1, of course, is our shopping trips to Boscov’s or any of the other stores. There is always something in there that interests me, even if I don’t purchase anything.”
That’s an important part of life at Exton Senior Living. Patchell’s experience is not unique, as other residents throughout the community thrive in Personal Care, which provides assistance with the routines that have become more challenging. It also creates opportunities for residents to remain active, social and connected to the community around them.
For Patchell, a shopping trip is more than simply an activity on a calendar. She appreciates the chance to get out, browse the stores, perhaps find something interesting and enjoy the experience.
The same is true when residents gather for lunch at the Bistro, head out for ice cream at a local dairy farm or spend an afternoon enjoying one of Exton Senior Living’s outdoor events.
“The goal isn’t simply to keep residents busy,” said Casey Counseller, Executive Operations Officer at Exton Senior Living. “It’s about giving them things to look forward to and creating opportunities to experience something special, both within our community and beyond its walls.”
Independence With Support
Patchell has learned that moving to senior living requires an adjustment.
“You have to get used to a whole different environment,” she said. “You have to listen and learn. You’re going to have to learn to live alone, but there are people all around who can help you. You must ask for that help and they will come and help you.”
That philosophy is at the heart of Personal Care at Exton Senior Living.
“Residents receive assistance with daily routines such as bathing, dressing and grooming when needed,” said Joleene Kinneman, Community Relations Director. “Our residents continue to make their own decisions about how they spend their days. Meals, housekeeping and laundry are handled, and this allows the residents to spend less time worrying about household responsibilities and more time participating in the activities and relationships that matter to them.”
Patchell said she has been fortunate to maintain her stamina and ability to do many things for herself. At the same time, she knows help is close by when she needs it.
“We have a callbell and they come to see what we need,” she said of IntegraCare’s award-winning callbell system.
When a senior living resident needs assistance, whether it’s for routine help or an emergency, they can push a pendant they carry on them. Exton Senior Living produced an average in-person, callbell response time of 1 minutes, 9 seconds during the second quarter in 2026 and consistently has been ranked among IntegraCare’s most efficient callbell responders throughout the past three years.
The combination of independence and support has helped Patchell and other residents feel comfortable in their surroundings. “I feel very confident in the people caring for me at Exton Senior Living,” Patchell said.
Friendships That Make a Difference
Some of the most meaningful parts of Exton Senior Living’s Personal Care experience have little to do with a scheduled activity. They involve relationships and positive interaction.
Patchell has developed a particularly close friendship with her next-door neighbor, Helene.
“The two women come from different backgrounds and have different personalities. But they’ve found something important in one another,” Kinneman said.
Such relationships are one of the less tangible, but important benefits of senior living. A resident who might otherwise spend much of the day alone at home has opportunities to meet people, share meals, participate in activities and form friendships.
“I have been very friendly with my next-door neighbor,” Patchell said of Helene. “We are two different people from two different walks of life, but we just depend on each other and watch out for each other.”
Making Memories
Exton Senior Living also creates opportunities for residents and their families to share experiences together.
A party, barbecue or special event can become a memory that residents and their loved ones share. Patchell has experienced that firsthand.
“At a wedding celebration, she helped with the makeup, becoming part of a special family moment rather than simply watching from the sidelines,” Kinneman said. “Those are the kinds of experiences that can make senior living feel less like a place where someone receives care and more like a place where life continues to unfold.”
A Team Residents Know
The sense of security Patchell describes also comes from those providing her care.
Exton Senior Living emphasizes continuity and familiarity among its team members. Many caregivers have been part of the community for years, allowing residents and families to develop relationships with the people they see every day.
“The community does not rely on agency staff to fill its regular caregiving needs,” Counseller said. “The people our residents encounter are IntegraCare team members who know the community, its routines and, most importantly, the residents.”
More Than Personal Care
Exton Senior Living offers a continuum of services that includes Personal Care, Memory Care and LifeBridges, allowing residents to access different levels of support as their needs change.
For Patchell, the senior living community has helped create a routine that gives her something to anticipate, which might be one of the greatest benefits of Personal Care.
Whatever the day brings, Patchell knows she doesn’t have to face it alone.For more information, contact Joleene Kinneman, Community Relations Director, Exton Senior Living, at [email protected] or call 610.594.0200.
