Manor House Acts CCRC, in Seaford, DE (6/2-3/2016)

Thursday, June 2, 2016
Headed across Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maryland to the state of Delaware to check out three retirement communities under the management of ACTS.
Stopped in Bridgeville, DE, the hometown of artist, Jack Lewis, who painted murals in the Delaware Legislative Hall in the capital, Dover. He left two murals in Bridgeville.

Jack Lewis mural on a former grocery store

Jack Lewis mural called Storybook (1976) that was on the
public library, and is now inside the new Bridgeville Public Library

On to Manor House in Seaford, DE, a former Methodist retirement community. Manor House was taken over by ACTS in 2010, along with the two other Delaware facilities.

Manor House, Seaford, DE

Manor House has undergone much renovation by ACTS, and currently the roof is being redone. It was first constructed in 1966, with additions and alterations in 1990.

The bathroom in the guest room is the
same as in most of the apartments

Walk-in shower, as seen in bathrooms
of all three ACTS communities in Delaware

All units have a washer and dryer,
some stackable, others of normal size

A typical hallway

A lounge in each wing

Jigsaw puzzles with a measured board and trays

The dining room with buffet; waitstaff bring drinks, soup, and dessert,
and serve meals to anyone who is unable to serve himself;
Manor House only serves dinner and has a café for those
who wish breakfast and/or lunch

Manor House also has a "Country Store" that sells basic foodstuffs (cereal, bread, beverages, etc.) and has two hot soups each day, as well as cooked hot dogs.
They have a gift shop that also sells sundries, a beauty salon, a small library, a billiards/game room, a fitness room, a craft room, a meeting room, and an "auditorium-chapel."

The "Aud-Chapel" (the group is doing brain exercises)

Swimming pool in the attached Wesley Wellness Center,
where there are also physical therapy services

Many of the apartment balconies have been enclosed;
note the color scheme!

A couple of the "cottages"

The allée down to the Point

The Point is a deck overlooking a curve in the Nanticoke River

An osprey nest in the middle of the river

Before dinner, we went "sightseeing" to see an 1885 grain mill that was supposedly still in operation.

The U.N.O.I (United Nation of Islam) Grain Mill is vacant now

We were going around the block, but ran into this sign
(at the end of the dead end street!). Hopefully people
see the sign before they plunge into the Nanticoke River

Downtown Seaford, DE

1887 building in Seaford, DE

Landscaping at the entrance to Manor House

Outdoors, besides the Point, Manor House has a double shuffleboard court and a tiny golf putting green.

Outside the dining hall during dinner

We were provided dinner, and were seated with five delightful ladies. Most of the residents are from the area, from Seaford itself, to Baltimore, MD. One "young" woman was from West Virginia, and we learned there are several from up north (NJ, NY, New England) who have come to be near family.
The closest major airport is Baltimore-Washington International/BWI, 91 miles away.

Friday, June 3, 2016
After spending the night at Manor House, we had breakfast in the Poolside Café. Since it was National Doughnut Day, there were coffee and donuts provided in the main lobby.
We were given a tour of a two-bedroom apartment, and a two-bedroom cottage. Assisted living apartments were on hallways crossing halls of independent living apartments. Health care units were on the lowest level.

We had a two-hour drive up nearly the length of the state to the next ACTS retirement community, Cokesbury Village.