When she moved to Wind Crest, the Erickson Senior Living community in Douglas County, Colo., Kate Adams was looking forward to relaxing on her balcony, listening to music radiating from the outdoor amphitheater.But with so many clubs and activities, artistic pursuits, and enriching volunteer opportunities to choose from at Wind Crest, residents are often surprised with how active and social their lifestyle is at the community.Thanks to Wind Crest's stylish and maintenance-free apartment homes, the headaches of homeownership are eliminated, allowing residents to fully enjoy all the advantages of being part of an engaging community that fosters meaningful connections and supports their overall well-being.Something for everyoneInstead of just being a spectator to performances at the amphitheater, Kate decided to get involved by starting a new club, Friends of the Amphitheater, so she could participate in seeking out talent and scheduling performances. One of the many advantages of living at an Erickson Senior Living community like Wind Crest is the ease of starting new groups or activities, if they don't already exist. With the support of experienced staff members, people can pursue their passions and share them with others."There is every kind of talent, skill, knowledge, and interest that you could ask for, right here at Wind Crest," says Kate. She says she knew "there have to be musicians here who would perform out in the amphitheater."Friends of the Amphitheater, which includes Kate and about 20 other neighbors, quickly began working together to find musicians and other acts within the community to perform at the amphitheater. Soon enough, the group was holding fundraisers so they could pay professional performers to come on campus. Their first attempt at raising money was very successful, and Kate hopes they will have two acts perform each month from June through October.Making connections is easyThe ease of getting involved in activities and starting new clubs - and making friends while doing both - are just a few of the reasons why people love their lives at Wind Crest."It's easy to make meaningful connections, and I think it makes everyone feel welcome," says Sales Counselor Sandy Shelpuk. "Whether it's their connections through clubs, classes at the fitness centers, or the ones they made over dinner, interactions like this are what make Wind Crest 'home' for residents. They've gotten to meet other people, and they've made friends here. And it's fun!"Darla Schwartz, Wind Crest resident and self-described "social worker who can't quit," would agree. When Darla isn't spending time in her apartment home with husband Ben, she's out and about meeting new people - and inviting them to get together for dinner at one of the communitys on-site restaurants.What's in a name?A couple of years ago, Darla began arranging "name" dinners."I started doing this because I knew three or four Karens at Wind Crest. One day, it occurred to me, 'Wouldn't it be nifty to have dinner together with all of them?'" Darla recalls. "They all said yes. Of course, I couldn't leave well enough alone, so I invited all the Karens who live at Wind Crest."Here's how it works: Darla reserves the private dining room, emails all the women on campus who share a particular first name, and invites them to come to dinner. She writes in the email, "The best thing about it is you won't have to remember anybody's name that you meet, except mine!"So far, she has held dinners for Lindas, Carols, Marys, Mary-somethings (Mary-Lou, Mary-Beth, and the like), Jeans, Janes, Joans, and Anns/Annes/Annies. She chooses one name each month. One day, Darla - who is currently the only one with that name at Wind Crest - is going to have a dinner with her fellow Darlas. Group gatheringsDarla has also set up monthly dinners called Newcomers and Neighbors (for those who are new to Wind Crest and community members who would like to welcome them), the Munch Bunch (for singles), and Couples Supper Club (so popular that there are two or three events held monthly).She also organized a Guys' Breakfast (for men who are single or widowed), and most recently, a breakfast club called Out to Breakfast, a group of singles and couples who travel off-campus together to try a new restaurant for the first meal of the day."It gives me a purpose, it keeps me busy, and it gives me a good excuse not to clean my apartment home," says Darla with a laugh. "I just love it!"After enjoying all these great meals together, residents have plenty of energy to spend in the fitness and aquatic centers."Wind Crest is an extremely active community," says Fitness Manager Terri Billings. "We offer a variety of exercise activities for residents. There is truly something for every 'body.' By participating in fitness activities, residents are able to build their social connections, form relationships with one another, have fun, and get fit." All of which culminates in a fulfilling, vibrant retirement.Invest in your future at Wind Crest. From top-notch amenities and activities to affordable, maintenance-free apartment homes, you'll enjoy living your retirement to the fullest. Request more information today!

When people move to Wind Crest, a continuing care retirement community developed and managed by Erickson Senior Living, they often say the same thing.They talk about how this is such a great place to live, says Beth Brandenburg, a personal moving consultant at Wind Crest.Current residents are often telling their friends, their former neighbors, people who go to their church, anyone in their community, says sales counselor Tony Stephenson. They tell them they should come to Wind Crest and check it out for themselves. The Denver Real Estate Market is Hot, Hot, Hot!One reason many are making the move to Wind Crest now is that the housing market in the Denver metro area is so strong. With low inventory and low interest rates, it's a sellers' market, says Stephenson.More people are moving into the Denver area, and it's a lucrative market for people who want to sell their houses in a no-hassle way. People have been waiving inspections. They're giving large cash offers above the asking price, he says.There's another important reason to move to Wind Crest now.We have availability at Wind Crest right now that we don't normally have, says Stephenson. Historically, were at 99 percent occupancy. But for the first time ever, we've opened up four brand-new buildings all within 10 months of each other, offering unprecedented availability in terms of options whether it's one bedroom, two bedrooms, two bedrooms with a den, ground floor with a walkout patio, upper floor mountain views, and much more.Stephenson adds, Right now is a fantastic time to be looking at Wind Crest although I don't think it's going to last another year as we fill up these apartment homes.Need Help Moving?When people need help moving, Brandenburg and other staff are here to help. When I visit prospective residents, I take a tour of their houses and do a furniture plan with them, which helps navigate the rest of their move, she says. Seeing the floor plan helps them to decide what items they'll bring to their new apartment home at Wind Crest. It helps make some of those broader decisions and simplifies the whole process.Brandenburg adds that Wind Crest is currently offering $3,000 to help new residents cover the costs of moving. That takes care of most of the packing and unpacking that would happen, she says. We also have a company-wide Move on Us program with preferred Realtors. If they use a preferred Realtor to sell their home, prospective residents may receive an additional $2,000 to use toward moving expenses!Wind Crests professional moving consultants can also help residents moving in with determining what to donate, auction, or consign and connect them with estate liquidators if needed.New AmenitiesIn addition to all of Wind Crests great restaurants, fun clubs, and outdoor activities, the community continues to enhance the on-site amenities. Stephenson says that they're opening up their second all-season swimming pool, which is a full-length lap swim pool featuring an enlarged wading area for a lot of their aqua classes. It's also a nice feature for the grandkids, so when they come over, they have places to swim, he says.Wind Crest also has a brand-new courtyard with a resort-style feel, featuring an outdoor amphitheater, a brand-new salon and spa (making it the third in the community), and its first barbershop. In addition, Wind Crest has added another fitness center with modern equipment as well as under-building parking.The time to move, says Stephenson, is now!Don't miss this unique opportunity to make the most of the investment in your home and start living the retirement you deserve at Wind Crest! Their experts are standing by to help with every step of the moving process. Request more information today.

To say that Larry and Vicki Noffsinger have loved living at Wind Crest, the Erickson Senior Living community in Highlands Ranch, Colo., for the last four years might be a bit of an understatement. When the couple first came to visit Wind Crest, after enjoying a tour of the community and sharing meals with community members, they told the sales office they wanted to be doing what those folks were doing giving the tours. Vicki was told that those folks were resident ambassadors, and that when they moved in, they would be welcome to join.We took training to become ambassadors before we ever moved in! says Vicki.Staying activeThe Noffsinger's have always been active. Larry belongs to the community's men's golf program and plays every Wednesday at the course next door to Wind Crests picturesque campus at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. During the winter months, he is a co-commissioner of a fantasy football league on campus. Vicki serves as the precinct person for their political party and participates in Readers Theatre, a resident-run drama group. She also wears many hats at the community's in-house television station, appearing regularly on its Java program, a daily talk show, doing everything from daily announcements one week a month to special segments on winners of the Resident Recognition Awards.I have met some of the most amazing people, says Vicki. Larry quips, when somebody finds out that Vicki's on TV, I tell them that she's the weather girl! Vicki also acts as a talent scout for the station, and she even had business cards made up for her so she can give them out when she asks people about their interesting hobbies or stories.And it's just so much fun! she says. In addition to attending exercise classes together five days a week on campus, Larry and Vicki also attend church off campus, get together with friends, and participate in Bible study.People moving to Wind Crest will make new friends here. But folks also can keep all their friends and activities they have outside the community. People are involved in churches and other organizations, and residents do off-campus volunteer work, play golf, spend time traveling, and see their kids and family, says Sales Director Krista Wagner.Where everybody knows your nameWhen Pete and Shelley Ritchie helped Shelley's mom move into Wind Crest in 2009, Pete fell in love with the place so much so that even though he was semi-retired at the time, he applied for a job.I thought that I'd love to work at a place like that, Pete says. I was looking for something to do for my swan song.Pete began working as Wind Crests community resources manager in January 2010. I was the cruise director. I did the scheduling for all the activities and set-up for functions. I became known as the go-to guy, he says.Wind Crest became such a part of the family that when Petes father passed, his mom also moved in in 2011. Pete worked at Wind Crest until June 2013, when he experienced a medical emergency. During his recovery, he received nearly 400 get well cards from residents, as he had become such a treasured part of the community. While he recovered, Pete returned to speak to the Sunday evening worship group. Community members were glad to see him, and the feeling was mutual. He was asked if he wanted to join Readers Theatre, which he helped to start its a theatre group in which residents don't need to memorize their lines unless they want to, and he jumped at the chance.It turned out that my connection to Wind Crest was the best therapy I could get anywhere, says Pete. So, it's not surprising that when he and Shelley decided to move, Wind Crest became their home.Loving life, on and off campusThey moved in March 2021 and are loving it. While Shelley still works as a preschool teacher, Pete can get physical therapy at the on-site medical center, participate in a wide range of fun and engaging activities, and talk with all the people he already knew as well as those he has just met. They also travel off campus to visit all their favorite local shopping and dining spots. Although Pete notes that the food at Wind Crest is amazing.I love the food, admits Pete with a laugh. I probably need to cut down.During the huge snowfall that occurred after they moved in, Pete says, Shelley and I said, Boy, are we glad were here. We don't have to shovel snow anymore! He also says they're relieved not to have to worry about pipes freezing and bursting or appliances getting old and breaking down.The setting could not be better. The community is gorgeous. Everybody here is wonderful. It's fantastic, says Pete.

Wind Crest, an Erickson Senior Living community, recently celebrated its 15 years of excellence in senior living with a series of special anniversary events.We mark this milestone in our communitys history with a commitment to continuing to provide the best programs, services, and amenities for those who call Wind Crest home, said Craig Erickson, executive director. Our unique experience and culture differentiate Wind Crest in the marketplace, offering an exceptional lifestyle to community members and career opportunities for our dedicated staff.The anniversary celebrations kicked off with the Blessing of the Buildings, a special ceremony hosted by Robert Smith, Pastoral Ministries Coordinator in each of the communitys three neighborhoods. That evening, residents enjoyed an elevated dinner service at four of the communitys restaurants, featuring winning dishes from the annual Taste of Wind Crest culinary competition held earlier this year.The next day, community members gathered at the Colorado Clubhouse Amphitheater for music, an Irish step dancing performance, outdoor games and ice cream treats. Other events throughout the week-long celebration included a special resident town meeting, Legacy Garden Celebration, and Pioneer Luncheon recognizing both residents and staff who have lived and worked at Wind Crest for 15 years. An outdoor concert featuring local Americana and Bluegrass musicians capped off the festivities.Making these celebrations memorable was important to me, having worked and now living at Wind Crest, said Pete Ritchie, who recently moved in with his wife Shelley after enjoying several years serving the community in his role on the resident life team. I knew first-hand how Wind Crest operated and their philosophy about senior living, and knew it was the right place for us. Kudos to the Wind Crest and Erickson Senior Living teams that keep this community running smoothly and looking beautiful day after day. Many thanks for the happy memories and bright future.As Wind Crest celebrates this milestone anniversary, the community continues to expand and evolve to meet the growing demand for the vibrant retirement lifestyle it offers. Last year, an expansion of the communitys Colorado neighborhood added two more independent living buildings, the Colorado Clubhouse and Bierstadt Terrace, along with several brand-new amenities including a second indoor swimming pool, two new restaurants and the outdoor amphitheater. An expansion of Mill Vista Lodge, Wind Crests continuing care neighborhood, adding both assisted living and memory care residences, is now underway.Since the communitys 2007 opening, Wind Crests diverse and inclusive community of employees has served as its greatest strength to provide the highest quality lifestyle and services to residents. Today, the campus offers meaningful opportunities for staff members to develop in a diverse range of careers from dining to general services, healthcare and more. To learn more about career opportunities at Wind Crest, please visit www.EricksonSeniorLiving.com/careers.To learn more about Wind Crests stylish, maintenance-free apartment homes and the active and engaged lifestyle that community members enjoy, request more information today.