Residents of Oak Crest Senior Living in Parkville, Maryland, attended a gala in March to celebrate the property’s three decades. Photo courtesy of Erickson Senior Living

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Oak Crest Senior Living, home to 2,000 residents in Parkville, Maryland, turned 30 years old this year.

To celebrate, the Erickson Senior Living community hosted a “Pioneer Brunch” in January, which recognized three residents and six employees who have been with Oak Crest since its opening in 1995.

One of those staffers is Laurie Bender, senior sales associate, who started working at Oak Crest six months after it opened.

“It’s just the warmest place. People are so kind to each other. It’s very down-to-earth; it’s very welcoming,” said Bender, who helps people move into the community.

One resident, Keith Derrickson, said that when he first saw Oak Crest, he thought, “This is like a country club.” The retired music teacher moved in eight years ago and has a packed schedule — clubs, piano concerts, meals with friends.

“It’s changed my life, really. I’m not just living a good life, I’m living my best life,” he said.

Built on a quarry

Erickson Senior Living debuted its first property, Charlestown, in 1983 in Catonsville, Maryland. The company transformed a historic seminary into a 110-acre retirement community. With Charlestown’s success, the company built Oak Crest on a former sand and gravel quarry in Parkville in 1995.

“Oak Crest proved to be equally popular. Available residences filled quickly, and to meet the high demand, construction continued through 1998, when the final residence building at Oak Crest opened,” according to Elizabeth Fabiano, spokesperson at Erickson.

Today Oak Crest resembles a resort. About 2,000 people live on the 87-acre campus. Ducks, geese and turtles live in Lake Victoria, a pond on the property. Nearby, small gardens are available for residents to grow flowers, fruits or vegetables. In its three clubhouses are nine restaurants, a gym, a pool and libraries.

“It’s like a land cruise, with all the amenities,” said Derrickson, 68. “I don’t have to worry about the house anymore — every time I turned around, there was something to be repaired. It gives me time to not just enjoy living here but to volunteer, to do things.”

Residents stay involved rather than withdrawing from society. Two programs connect them — in person and as pen pals — with local elementary school students, for instance.

They can also hop a bus to go to concerts, museums, Orioles games, White Marsh or the grocery store. On campus, they can play pickleball or bocce, take an art class or swim laps in the pool.

In addition to 200 resident-run clubs, Oak Crest has had a thriving scholar’s program since 1997. Residents can take classes on anything from history to technology. They held a graduation ceremony last June, attended by none other than John Erickson, founder and chairman of Erickson Senior Living, which now operates 20 properties in 11 states.

Appearances like that give Oak Crest a warm, family feel, Bender said.

“One of my favorite things are the friendships between the residents and student workers who come after school,” Bender said. “Scholarship money is available to them for college.”

‘Taken care of’

Derrickson, a pianist, has organized benefit concerts to raise funds for those college scholarships for some of the 950 people who work at Oak Crest. Over the years he has raised $130,000 for various causes, he said.

“Living here has given me the opportunity to serve and to do things I want to do rather than things I have to do,” Derrickson said.

Not everyone chooses to be as busy as Derrickson. Oak Crest is a continuing care retirement community with various levels of care, including independent living, assisted living and memory care.

Derrickson moved in at age 60 after caring for his homebound elderly mother for two years.

“It was exhausting. I wasn’t a doctor; I wasn’t a nurse. I didn’t know how to take care of her. I’m not going to do that to my kids,” he said. “Someday I will need help, and it’s here…I’m taken care of for the rest of my life.”

For more information, visit ericksonseniorliving.com or request a brochure by calling (410) 665-2222.