March 29, 2022 —After living a full and active life in New York City, Peter Basquin and his wife decided that in retirement, they wanted to find a senior living community that included interesting people and plenty of social outlets. When they visited Collington, they knew they had found the perfect choice. “I really enjoy participating in golf and bridge, while Katie leans toward photography and drama, and both of us enjoy musical activities. Collington really suits the lifestyle we hoped to enjoy in retirement.”
Choosing a new home not too far away from their former life was also a consideration. When they want to visit old friends in the city, Peter and his wife appreciate Collington’s quick shuttle to the nearby New Carrollton stop so they can catch the Amtrak train to New York. They also love that they can take the metro from the same stop into Washington, D.C. and enjoy the museums and cultural life here as well.
Peter said, “There’s quite a good music program here,” which is important because music is Peter’s lifelong passion. He began playing the piano at the age of four. He studied music at Carleton College and earned his graduate degree from the Manhattan School of Music. As a student, he began entering competitions. He won the prestigious, elite-level Montreal International Piano Competition which launched his professional career as a classical concert pianist. In time, he joined the faculty as a music professor at Hunter College in Manhattan where he helped to shape the next generation of young musicians. The college also supported Peter in continuing his performance career as a touring pianist playing with ensembles across the U.S.
The Collington Artists in Residence program is an unexpected bonus that Peter discovered after he and his wife arrived. Two graduate students who are close to getting their PhD in Musical Performance at the University of Maryland are chosen each year to take up residence in a fully funded apartment and meal plan at Collington in exchange for periodically providing musical entertainment for the residents. In addition to being on the selection committee, Peter joins this year’s winners (who play the flute and trumpet), to perform a chamber trio concert together in May.
Peter and his wife chose a villa at Collington that looks out onto a lovely forested area. They appreciate the surrounding natural environment as amateur bird watchers, and the villa’s spacious layout which was important to accommodate his grand piano. They also enjoy participating in the wide variety of activities for residents. They particularly like meeting new people in their neighborhood and at the community dining hall where they can participate in open dining and sit with different people every night, or reserve tables in advance to sit with friends.
Collington also offers another important retirement amenity. Recognizing that they will not always be in good health, Peter and his wife needed a plan for the future. As a Continuing Life Care Community, Collington provides a valuable solution for those who have not purchased long term care insurance. They were happy to find that they could choose either a one-time buy-in fee or a higher monthly fee and be assured that if they needed long term care later, it would be available and covered.