When longtime Mountain Lakes resident Rose Campbell began finding her home increasingly difficult to navigate, she knew a change was on the horizon.
“There were stairs to the bedroom, stairs to the rec room, stairs to the living room,” she recalled. “It became troublesome for me.”
With her children grown and out of the house, Campbell started considering new housing options. One day, while out for a casual stroll in Denville with her husband, she spotted The Oaks at Denville on Pocono Road. Something about the community immediately resonated.
“I said, ‘That looks like a nice place,’” she remembered—though it would soon mark the beginning of her next chapter.
The Oaks, formerly Franciscan Oaks, has offered independent and assisted living since the 1990s. In 2016, it became Morris County’s first Life Plan Community in partnership with Springpoint, a nonprofit that invests in programs, services, and staffing. Along with housing, the community offers on-site healthcare, transportation, maintenance, and a full calendar of activities.
It was close to amenities including her doctors and just a stone’s throw from downtown shopping. Inside the development, she found a burgeoning social life and support, especially after the loss of her husband a few years ago.
“I’ve developed a lot of new friendships here and I’m involved in a good number of activities,” the happy resident added, naming bridge and mahjong among her favorites. Today, she even serves as lead resident ambassador, assisting with marketing and volunteer efforts.
When her husband passed, Campbell found immediate comfort in her neighbors.
“I felt like there were arms around me all the time. It was really comforting. People called, got me cards, and invited me to dinner. I’m really thankful for all of that.”
Campbell isn’t alone in her experience. Fellow resident Pam Winslow, who moved in just over two years ago, tells a similar story. Like Campbell, she faced the challenges of stairs in her former Denville home, along with the declining health of her husband.
“There were stairs galore,” Winslow explained. “And it was a big house.”
The couple decided it was time to downsize and placed a deposit on a spacious two-bedroom at The Oaks. But just weeks before move-in, her husband suffered a second stroke and passed away.
“It was traumatic for me,” she revealed. “I had to plan a funeral and sell a house. Everything was up in the air.”
The Oaks worked with Winslow to adjust her plans, moving her into a one-bedroom instead. Still, she found herself struggling with grief.
“I was feeling sorry for myself staying in my apartment, but what finally brought me out was getting involved."
Today, Winslow serves on the finance committee, attends fitness classes, and regularly enjoys live performances. She also remains active outside the development as a longtime YMCA member, while maintaining friendships in town. With a son in Boston and a 100-year-old mother in Basking Ridge, she appreciates the security, healthcare, and convenience The Oaks provides.
The activities keep Winslow on her toes and she looks forward to the monthly listing of events to pick and choose from. She is equally as comforted by the close proximity of health care services as well as having onsite security.
“I don’t have to worry about anything,” Winslow explained. “I can close and lock the door and go to sleep.”
Both women agree that The Oaks offers more than housing—it provides community. From card games to concerts, residents stay engaged, supported, and connected. And for Campbell, the meals are an added joy.
“What I really love is the fact that we have well-prepared meals here,” she said. “I don’t cook and best of all, I don’t clean up after. I leave the dining room to play cards and leave the cleaning to somebody else.”
In the end, both women have found not just homes, but belonging.
“There’s a sense of community and people care about each other,” Campbell said with a smile.
Winslow agreed: “Even though my husband died before I moved here, I was able to pick myself up and start a new life,” she said. “Now I have friends, structure, and routine. If you don’t have that you’re sitting around doing nothing.”
The Oaks, located at 19 Pocono Road, provides independent living in studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments, as well as assisted living units. The Health Care Center, offering skilled nursing, is located at 21 Pocono Road. For more information, visit oaksatdenville.org.
“I felt like there were arms around me all the time. I’m really thankful for all of that," Campbell said.