D I A K O ND I A K O N

LifestylesLifestylesTopton

Winter

2009

In 2007, we developed a vision for The Lutheran Home

at Topton—to expand our senior living community so

that it not only provides senior living accommodations,

but is also a focal point in the greater community for

services supporting children, families, and seniors in

need. In addition, we wanted the campus to promote

Topton’s heritage, while emphasizing our country

living, beautiful landscape, and a lifestyle focused on

the six dimensions of wellness:

• Social • Spiritual

• Vocational • Physical

• Intellectual • Emotional

That’s right. Wellness is not just about staying

physically fit. Wellness also is about being healthy in

mind, body, and spirit.

The Old Main administration building on The

Lutheran Home at Topton campus stood out as the ideal

location to develop our community’s wellness center.

Construction of Old Main began in 1897; the building

1 New wellnes center Vision to expand becomes reality

3 Diakon Smart Homes Bringing designs of the future to Topton

4 House of the future unveiled Diakon Smart Homes open house draws crowd

For more information, call (610) 682-1350

Old Main may becomehome to a new ToptonWellness Center

Please turn to Page 2

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is rich in history and offers the ideal

location to construct an addition, as

well as develop multiple wellness areas

within the current structure.

From the ground to the third floor,

the community’s wellness center will

offer these services and amenities that

focus on mind, body, and spirit:

• A beautiful dining room overlooking the valley that also offers private dining for family gatherings;

• The Brandywine Community Public Library;

• An area that serves as the historical center for The Lutheran Home at Topton and regional Diakon efforts;

• Conference and meeting center with catering services that also will serve as the worship area for Grace Lutheran congregation;

• Indoor swimming pool;

• State-of-the-art fitness center;

• Relaxation salon and spa;

• Business and banking center;

• Physician’s practice focusing on geriatrics and general family practice;

• Offices for resident-related supportive living services such as Diakon Home Health, Diakon Help at Home, Diakon Hospice Saint John, and Diakon Volunteer Home Care;

• Offices for additional Diakon programs;

• Flexible spaces designed for resident use related to special groups, meetings and classes including discussion groups, book clubs, card clubs, creative arts, fitness, adult education classes with local universities, and meeting space for the governance committees of the Resident Association, and more.

Additional wellness-focused design

elements of The Lutheran Home at

Topton’s master plan include…

• Walking and biking paths with fitness stations that connect virtually every area and building on campus;

• A nature trail that winds its way to the top of our mountain and connects back to our walking/biking path;

• An outdoor commons area designed for lawn games such as bocce ball, horseshoes, and croquet, etc.;

• An orchard and garden area for residents who desire to grow their own fruits and vegetables;

• A playground for visiting grand-children; and special parking for those who own recreational vehicles or other recreational equipment such as boats and snowmobiles.

Diakon is committed to designing

a senior living community where

dimensions of wellness are

interwoven throughout campus life.

We hope you catch the vision of The

Lutheran Home at Topton’s master

plan and our focus on wellness.

Sue Lippy Executive Director

Topton's New Wellness Center (continued)

Sue Lippy

a focal point for services supporting children, families, and seniors in need

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elements that were good on paper but didn’t

translate into the real thing. One such element

was an under-counter microwave.

“We learned that when you place a bowl of

soup in this type of microwave, it spills when

you attempt to take it out,” Baker says. “As a

result, we went with an in-wall microwave that

sits above the in-wall oven.”

The best part of new technology, according

to Baker, is that the infrastructure to operate

it will be built into every new house on the

Topton campus.

“Older adults understand they will eventually

need these design elements if they want to

remain in their homes,” he says. “With the

infrastructure in place, we can bring systems

in as needed so they can live longer, happier,

independent lives.”

Technology of the future meets universal designThe National Association of Home Builders has come to the same

conclusion The Lutheran Home at Topton had already reached—that

universal-design elements are integral to home designs of the future.

Universal design, livable design, accessible design, whatever you want

to call it, has builders talking. They are talking about wider hallways and

doorways, minimal-step entries, non-skid flooring, and more, says Dave

Baker, chief information officer for Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries,

operator of The Lutheran Home at Topton.

“While this direction arose from compliance efforts in terms of the

Americans with Disabilities Act, these features really benefit more people

than just those with disabilities,” says Baker. “They make perfect sense for

the older adult.”

Universal design is central to the Diakon Smart Home, two models of which

have been developed on The Lutheran Home at Topton campus as part of the

senior living community’s new Stone Crossing community.

The Diakon Smart Home demonstrates the future of senior living,

says Baker. In the home’s kitchen, elements such as efficient work

triangles and multiple height countertops are redefining the way people

will live. Easy-grip handles, accessible appliances, pull-out shelving,

and under-counter task lighting are just a few of the additional features

that define this type of design. In the bathroom, minimal-threshold

showers, integrated seating, comfort-height toilets, and emergency pull

cords add to the home’s safety features.

“The key to the design is that it is behind-the-scenes,” Baker says,

adding that the “smart home” does not look institutional or high-tech.

“It has to be useful, easy, user-friendly, and look contemporary in today’s

interior design themes.”

The futuristic home is the product of Baker’s research and work done as

a commissioner for a national coalition focused on helping older adults

maximize their independence, support the needs of professional and family

caregivers, improve the quality of care and life, reduce health-care costs,

and increase service efficiency.

“We owe it to older adults, as one of the larger aging-services providers,

to experiment with these things and see what works and what doesn’t work,”

he says. “We feel as the leader in the industry, it is part of our role.”

The demonstration home has proven helpful in identifying design

Grand opening draws crowd

Seniors from around the region turned out for the

grand opening and chance to view the Diakon Smart

Home at The Lutheran Home at Topton.

The demonstration home features the new

technology, construction, and universal design

necessary to help individuals remain in their home as

they begin to want more supportive-living services.

The home serves as the model for up to 70

residences planned for Stone Crossing, the newest

planned option at The Lutheran Home at Topton.

✃

Yes, I would like more information on Topton!

Please cut along the dotted line and return to The

Lutheran Home at Topton, One South Home Avenue,

Topton, PA 19562.

I am interested in:

_____ Scheduling a visit to Topton

_____ Receiving an informational packet

in the mail

_____ Receiving a phone call to answer some

of my questions

_____ Receiving an e-mail with more information

Name: ____________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________

City: ______________________________________________________

State: ____________________ Zip Code: _____________________

Phone: __________________ Cell: __________________________

E-mail Address: _________________________________________

The Marketing Department works in close

association with future residents’ adult children,

Realtors, movers, auctioneers, decorators, and

bankers to make your move as stress-free

as possible.

5

Educational Seminars:

Perfect Planning for selling your home Join us for a Perfect Planning Educational

Seminar. Learn from the experts the factual real

estate trends and how homes are selling in your

market. Find out what makes one home sell more

quickly than another, and get creative insights on

financial programs to meet your retirement living

goals. In addition, you will learn how moving can

be easy and stress-free.

Call (610) 682-1350 today for the date of our next seminar.

Contact Meredith McCloskey at (610) 682-1413 for upcoming events in 2010.

COMING 2010

One South Home Avenue, Topton, PA 19562

Phone: (610) 682-1400 | www.diakon.org/topton

Berks County housing market offers opportunityThinking about selling your home, but worried now

might not be the best time?

Not so, says Matt Wolf, a Realtor® with ReMax of

Reading. Although many homeowners think the

economic downturn has dampened their ability to sell,

there is good news in Berks County.

“Many people want to compare the top three or four

real estate years we’ve ever seen in this country [with

today’s market],” says Wolf, suggesting that the market

in 2000 would make a better comparison. “I categorize

the market now as ‘more normal.’”

As of the end of June in Berks County, there were slightly

fewer homes on the market than in the previous year.

“That is a sign things are moving in the right

direction,” Wolf believes.

Another sign is the average settled price for homes

in Berks County. In 2007, that price was $177,000. In

2008, it dropped to $174,000. Year-to-date in 2009,

the average settled price is $162,000.

“When you look at the difference, it is only about 8.5

percent,” says Wolf, pointing out that Chester County

saw a 14 percent difference and Montgomery County

saw 11 percent during the same period. “The message

is that prices have gone down a little, but it is not the

doom and gloom that people are expecting.”

When the real estate market was booming in the summer

of 2007, the average home stayed on the market 53 days.

Today, that number is 100 days. So while a home may not

sell in one month, it is more likely to sell in three to five

months, particularly if it takes into consideration the

price-sensitivity of the market.

Those homeowners selling their homes to

incentivized first-time buyers also will be looking to

buy. The bottom line, says Wolf, is that there are buyers

out there.

“If your house is clean, neat, and priced well, it can be

sold in under 100 days.”

the bottom line is there are buyers out there