Crosslands retirement community is a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) located in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, in the heart of Chester County's Brandywine Valley. Founded on Quaker values in the 1970s, it operates as part of the Kendal-Crosslands Communities family alongside its neighbor Kendal at Longwood.
The challenge for most families is that brochure photos and sales visits rarely tell the whole story. This guide walks through the five things prospective residents and their families should understand before committing: the care continuum, the fee structure, daily life and culture, health and wellness services, and how to verify quality independently.
By the end, you will have a practical checklist for evaluating whether this community fits your needs.
What Type of Community Is Crosslands?
Crosslands is a lifespan (continuing care) retirement community, meaning residents can transition between independent living, personal care, and skilled nursing on the same campus as their needs change. This model is designed to prevent the disruption of a second move during a health crisis.
Families who choose crosslands retirement community often cite this care continuum as the single biggest factor in their decision.
The community is rooted in Quaker values, which shape its culture in practical ways: an emphasis on resident autonomy, consensus-based decision-making, and a strong volunteer culture. Residents typically participate in committees that influence dining, landscaping, and community policies. Crosslands also maintains connections to the wider Kendal Corporation system, which operates retirement communities in several states.
Because it is a nonprofit CCRC, its stated mission centers on resident well-being rather than shareholder returns. That does not automatically make it the right fit for everyone, but it does shape how services and pricing are structured.
How to apply this: Ask the admissions team specifically which levels of care are offered on-site at Crosslands versus at a neighboring campus, so you know where you would actually receive care.
Understanding Entrance Fees and Monthly Costs
Cost is where most families need the most clarity, and CCRC contracts are famously complex. Crosslands uses a lifecycle contract model typical of nonprofit CCRCs: you pay a one-time entrance fee plus a recurring monthly fee that covers housing, meals, utilities, maintenance, and access to higher levels of care if needed.
Anyone seriously considering crosslands retirement community should request these figures in writing early in the process.
Key questions to raise during your visit:
- Is the entrance fee refundable or amortized over time?
- How much does the monthly fee increase if you move to personal care or skilled nursing?
- What happens to your contract and finances if you outlive your assets?
- Are there age requirements or health screenings before admission?
Entrance fee amounts vary widely based on unit size, view, and contract type, so request a written fee schedule rather than relying on verbal estimates. The community's financial disclosure documents, which nonprofit CCRCs in Pennsylvania provide during the sales process, show audited financials and occupancy.
How to apply this: Before signing anything, have an elder law attorney or fee-only financial planner review the residency agreement — most charge a flat fee for this review.
Daily Life, Amenities, and Community Culture
Life at Crosslands revolves around its campus setting: residential cottages and apartments surrounded by walking paths, gardens, and open land in the Brandywine Valley. The nearby town of Kennett Square — known as the Mushroom Capital of the World — offers restaurants, galleries, and seasonal events like the Longwood Gardens proximity that draws many retirees to this region.
Residents of crosslands retirement community often point to this setting as a daily luxury in itself.
Typical amenities and programming include:
- Multiple dining venues with flexible meal plans
- Fitness and aquatic programs
- Woodworking, art, and craft studios
- Lifelong learning lectures, often connected to area colleges
- Resident-run committees and interest groups
What distinguishes Quaker-rooted communities like Crosslands is the depth of resident governance. Newcomers often describe the adjustment as joining a small town rather than an apartment building. If you prefer anonymity and hotel-style service, a large corporate chain may suit you better.
How to apply this: Request a trial stay or a meal with current residents — candid conversations over lunch reveal more than any marketing tour.
Health Services and Levels of Care
The health services component is a major reason families choose a CCRC over aging in place. At Crosslands, personal care and skilled nursing are available as needs evolve, and wellness programming is designed to keep independent residents healthy longer. This built-in safety net is what sets crosslands retirement community apart from standard senior housing options.
Skilled nursing facilities nationwide are subject to inspection through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and you can review staffing and inspection summaries using Medicare's Care Compare tool, which rates nursing homes on health inspections, staffing, and quality measures.
As CMS states on its Care Compare site, the tool exists so that "you can compare nursing homes near you" using standardized federal data rather than marketing materials.
Use the tool to look up the skilled nursing facility associated with Kendal-Crosslands Communities and review its most recent inspection history. Look at the staffing hours per resident day specifically — research consistently links higher staffing levels to better resident outcomes.
How to apply this: Pull the Care Compare report before your visit, and bring specific questions about any cited deficiencies to the admissions director.
How to Verify Quality Before You Commit
Independent verification is your best protection. Beyond the sales process, several free resources let you evaluate any retirement community, including crosslands retirement community:
| Resource | What it tells you | Action to take |
|---|---|---|
| Medicare Care Compare | Nursing home inspection and staffing data | Search the facility name and review ratings |
| AARP | Checklists for evaluating CCRCs | Download their nursing home and CCRC checklists |
| Pennsylvania Dept. of Human Services | State licensure and complaint records | Request the facility's inspection summary |
| Resident references | Lived experience, unfiltered | Ask for 2-3 current resident contacts |
AARP's long-term care guides are particularly useful here — the organization notes that understanding a community's contract terms and complaint history should happen before any deposit is made, not after. You can also check whether the community is accredited by CARF International's Continuing Care Accreditation Commission, a voluntary third-party review many nonprofit CCRCs pursue.
How to apply this: Build a one-page comparison sheet scoring three communities on contract type, inspection history, and resident satisfaction before scheduling a second visit.
Frequently Asked Questions About crosslands retirement community
Where exactly is crosslands retirement community located?
Crosslands sits in Kennett Square, in southeastern Pennsylvania's Chester County, roughly an hour from Philadelphia and within driving distance of Wilmington, Delaware. The location matters for practical reasons: proximity to adult children, specialists at major hospital systems, and an airport matters more in retirement than many people expect.
If your family is spread across regions, map the drive from each adult child's home before deciding on crosslands retirement community versus a community closer to them.
How does crosslands retirement community compare to Kendal at Longwood?
The two communities are neighbors on adjacent campuses under the same Kendal-Crosslands umbrella, sharing Quaker roots and some governance structures. They differ in unit mix, pricing tiers, atmosphere, and amenities, so touring both is worthwhile. Some families choose crosslands retirement community for its cottage-style feel while others prefer the neighboring campus's apartment model.
Visit both in the same week while impressions are fresh, and request fee schedules from each for a true side-by-side comparison.
What is the minimum age to move into crosslands retirement community?
Most CCRCs in the Kendal system set a minimum entry age, commonly in the early 60s, though exact requirements are set by each community's residency agreement. Some residents enter while still working part-time; others wait until a health event forces the conversation.
If you are younger but planning ahead, ask whether crosslands retirement community maintains a waitlist or priority deposit program that lets you reserve a future unit while continuing to live at home.
Are pets allowed at crosslands retirement community?
Pet policies at CCRCs typically allow pets in independent living units with size, number, or registration restrictions, while personal care and skilled nursing areas usually prohibit them. Rules can also change between buildings on the same campus.
If a companion animal is central to your well-being, get the current pet policy in writing before signing, and ask whether crosslands retirement community offers any outdoor relief areas or pet-sitting support through resident volunteers.
Can residents use their own doctors near crosslands retirement community?
Yes — residents generally keep their own primary care physicians and specialists, though the community may have affiliated or on-site medical services for convenience. The practical question is which local physician practices are accepting new Medicare patients in the Kennett Square area.
Before moving to crosslands retirement community, confirm your current doctors can continue treating you there, or ask the community's wellness staff for a list of nearby practices that coordinate with continuing care residents.
Conclusion: Is Crosslands the Right Fit for You?
Choosing a CCRC is one of the largest financial and lifestyle decisions of later life. Here is what matters most:
- Understand the contract type — refundable versus amortized entrance fees change your financial picture dramatically
- Verify care quality independently using federal inspection data, not marketing materials
- Assess cultural fit through trial meals and conversations with current residents
- Get professional review of the residency agreement before signing
Crosslands retirement community offers a well-established, Quaker-rooted option in a region rich with medical, cultural, and natural amenities — but the right choice depends on your budget, health outlook, and family geography. For many families, crosslands retirement community strikes the right balance between value and peace of mind.
Your next step: request the current fee schedule and residency agreement, book a trial visit, and compare at least two communities side by side before making any deposit. A methodical process now prevents costly surprises later.
