Story and Photo by Matt Neil

As Oklahoma’s Best Real Estate Planner, I have had the privilege of working with clients at various stages of their lives. Working with seniors, I’ve seen firsthand how important it is for people to find the right home that truly suits their needs, especially as they transition into a new stage of life. One housing option that is particularly appealing is a single-level home with included lawn-care, located in a tight-knit community. There are so many benefits to this type of living arrangement, especially for older adults who are looking to simplify their lives while still enjoying home ownership. Let me share with you why this can be such a smart and fulfilling choice.
1. Ease of living and accessibility: One of the most obvious advantages of a single-level home is its accessibility. As we get older, the idea of climbing stairs multiple times a day becomes less appealing, and in some cases, it’s no longer practical. A single-level home eliminates that concern entirely. Everything you need is on one floor—no stairs, no strain, just convenience. Whether it’s moving around the home with ease, or thinking ahead about mobility in the future, single-level living provides the peace of mind that comes with knowing you can stay in your home comfortably for many years to come.
2. Low maintenance, More Enjoyment: Another major perk is having lawn care included. For many older adults, the upkeep of a yard can become overwhelming—especially in Oklahoma’s unpredictable weather. While you might still enjoy the sight of a beautifully manicured lawn or garden, the physical work it takes to maintain it can be exhausting and sometimes even dangerous in the summer heat or spring storms. Having lawn care included means you can enjoy the benefits of a well-kept yard without any of the hassle. You’ll have more time and energy to spend on hobbies, family, or simply relaxing in your own outdoor space without worrying about mowing or edging. Often these communities will allow you to manage your own flower beds, so you can still exercise your green thumb and enjoy a small bit of gardening.
3. Community Connection: A neighborhood that has under 50 homes creates a perfect balance between privacy and community. It’s large enough to offer variety in your neighbors, but small enough that you can truly get to know the people around you. This sense of community is incredibly important as we age. Whether it’s sharing a cup of coffee in the morning, organizing a neighborhood gathering, or simply having neighbors who look out for one another, these communities foster a sense of security and belonging that is deeply comforting. You’re not just moving into a house — you’re joining a supportive and friendly community, and that’s something you can’t put a price on.
4. Peace and Quiet: Smaller neighborhoods tend to be quieter and more peaceful, which can make all the difference in your day-to-day life. Without the constant hustle and bustle of heavy traffic, you can enjoy peaceful mornings on your porch, take leisurely walks around the neighborhood, or simply relax in your yard. It can be a wonderful environment for those seeking calm and comfort.
5. Security and Safety: Smaller neighborhoods often foster a stronger sense of security. Neighbors tend to look out for one another, and it’s easier to notice unfamiliar activity, which can be reassuring. Additionally, many communities that cater to older adults may offer extra safety features, such as gated entrances or neighborhood watch programs, adding to that peace of mind.
6. Predictable Costs: Finally, when lawn care and potentially other exterior maintenance are handled by your homeowner’s association (HOA), it’s one less thing to budget for or worry about. Predictable monthly or annual fees help you manage your expenses better, without the worry of unexpected yard maintenance costs. This financial stability is a big advantage for many seniors living on fixed incomes.
In conclusion, owning a single-level home with included lawn care in a small neighborhood provides numerous advantages for seniors. It offers ease, comfort, community, and the ability to enjoy your home without the stress of maintenance. If this sounds like something that could improve your quality of life, I’d be happy to help you explore the possibilities and find a home that fits your needs perfectly. Give us, your certified Real Estate Planner, a call at 405-757-9980 or email at info@vibrantok.com
Matt Neill is a realtor who has lived in Oklahoma over 17 years and enjoys spending time with his family, reading, and cheering on the OKC Thunder.

On Friday, June 10, from 7 to 9 p.m. the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center (CSRHC) in Enid will present “Museum After Dark: Village Sounds” featuring singer/songwriter Stacey Sanders. The Village Church on the grounds of the Humphrey Heritage Village will be transformed for the evening into an intimate listening room for the musician to share songs and stories. The CSRHC will remain open for the duration, so visitors can also explore our shared history at their leisure.
Museums are honest, authentic interpreters of the past, using pieces of historic evidence as a guide. Musicians are also storytellers, also telling honest, authentic stories about the world around us. “Museum After Dark: Village Sounds” at the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center is a chance to explore our story in Oklahoma from the perspective of different songwriters from our state.
As Sanders’s song “Government Issue” suggests, “I was a Desert Strike baby conceived in 1964.” He indeed was born in 1965 in Blackwell. His family relocated frequently to other states and Germany due to his father’s military service until they settled in Enid in 1976. Sanders then started playing acoustic guitar and penning songs during his teens. He cut his teeth on the sounds of James Taylor, Dan Fogelberg, Neil Young and other acoustic musicians he would aspire to become. Sanders unapologetically shies away from love songs and prefers telling gritty, earthy stories. Many of his songs are based on true-life experiences while others are whimsical, wild tales. He resides in Enid with his wife, Kay, and their dog, Jane.
The concert is free with admission to the CSRHC. Members of the CSRHC or the Oklahoma Historical Society always visit the center for free. This event is made possible through the financial support of our community partner, Park Avenue Thrift. The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center is located at 507 S. Fourth Street in Enid. For more information, please call 580-237-1907 or visit www.csrhc.org.
The Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.

Rising gas prices, the ongoing fear of contracting the latest illness, and just parking and traffic in general.
Tealridge Retirement Community residents don’t have to worry about any of it when it comes to receiving therapy services – all from the comfort of their own retirement community.
Tealridge Executive Director Melissa Mahaffey’s, MHA, goal was to bring convenience and accessibility to the residents of Tealridge – something that currently is being done in other metro communities. However, her aim was to find something that was very unique and different. She found what she was looking for when she found Orthopaedic and Neurological Rehabilitation (ONR).
“I think overall everyone’s aim is quality of life so people be independent as long as possible,” Mahaffey said. “We’re working together. The residents are top of mind of anything we do here and we want to make sure we have resources in place to make it easy and possible for each and every resident to access the care that they need.”
The ONR TOUCH program works with continuing care retirement, assisted living, and senior living communities to establish and maintain innovative, onsite therapy and wellness programs.
Support is matched to each resident’s ability to age gracefully by offering proactive, comprehensive therapy services across the continuum of care.
What that means for Tealridge residents is they are able to receive physician-ordered rehabilitative, physical, occupational, and even speech therapies without leaving their residence.
In addition to therapies, ONR also provides fitness, wellness, and educational programming from a full-time, onsite licensed physical therapist in Kate Glasgow, PT.
Glasgow previously worked in a home health setting. She likes the partnership with Tealridge, which gets her back into the residents’ daily lives and into the halls at Tealridge.
“It’s very beneficial,” Glasgow said of being onsite. “Building rapport and relationships with residents here and getting to know them on different levels helps them improve in their environment as opposed to offsite where the skills we work on might not transfer as well to their environment.
“It really is a convenience factor being on-site full-time. We’re here Monday through Friday.”
Kaitlin Petrie, OTR/L, is ONR’s director of business development.
She said Tealridge is the first ONR community partnership in the OKC metro area and one that’s sure to be a hit with residents and their families.
She expects the model to be quickly adopted by others.
“It lends itself especially to independent living residents because they are out and about and they want to be out and about,” Petrie said. “Our fitness classes allow us to connect with residents and build rapport and have more of an impact with fall reduction.”
“We’re so thankful and so blessed,” she said. “We’ve experienced exponential growth and I think it’s because our model is so unique. We’ve got the resource of a full-time director on campus Monday through Friday.”
The partnership allows ONR to fulfill outpatient speech, physical and occupational therapy orders from providers in the comfort of a patient’s own apartment or in the dedicated ONR therapy gym inside Tealridge.
Services are billed under Medicare part B outpatient services and covered under most insurance plans.
The ONR TOUCH program offers staff stability with the same dedicated director and therapists in the community daily.
Residents seeking enhanced mobility, greater independence and increased success with activities of daily living will enjoy the luxury of these onsite therapy services. With more than 30 years of experience providing personalized and specialized therapeutic care, ONR’s core tenet is that life should be lived to the fullest at every stage.
Pain, weakness, or limited mobility should not prevent you from doing the things you love.
Petrie said ONR’s program utilizes several evidence-based, research-based clinical programs that dictate plans of care and treatment programs.
“There are really very few ailments that exist that we don’t have a matching clinical program,” Petrie said. “It’s always evolving with the research and that’s where ONR dedicates its resources.”
For Mahaffey, the partnership just made sense for Tealridge and its residents.
“It’s convenience and accessibility,” Mahaffey said. “They’re going to be able to easily access these services. It keeps them independent for as long as possible and with a good quality of life and that’s all we want to aim for. In addition to ONR, Tealridge has several partnerships with home health agencies, physician mobile services as well as ComForCare Home Care.
“We want to have everything, hopefully, under one roof. For the most part, residents don’t have to leave the community to get medical issues taken care of unless it’s a specialist provider appointment.”
Tealridge Retirement Community is a full-service retirement community located at 2100 NE 140th Edmond, OK 73013. Should you have any further questions, please call 405-546-2385.
For more information on Tealridge Retirement Community visit: https://www.tealridge.com/

Cmdr. Steve Lawrence relieved Cmdr. Thomas P. O’Donnell as commanding officer of Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS Oklahoma City (SSN 723) in a time-honored change of command ceremony at Naval Base Guam, Nov. 9.
Rear Adm. James Waters, III, director, Maritime Headquarters, U.S. Pacific Fleet, was the guest speaker for the ceremony. He congratulated O’Donnell and the crew of Oklahoma City on an outstanding job and successful deployment.
“Thomas [O’Donnell] ensured his team was ready for the gauntlet,” said Waters. “In fact, no crew was more ready than Oklahoma City at the time they deployed, providing an essential link in a long unbroken chain bringing American influence and combat power to the Western Pacific.”
Waters presented O’Donnell, a native of Mystic, Connecticut, with a Meritorious Service Medal for his tenure as commanding officer.
As O’Donnell took the podium for the last time, he addressed the crew of the Oklahoma City.
“Thank you for believing in yourselves and the ship over the last two and a half years and for allowing me to stand at the helm of your great warship,” said O’Donnell. “I am proud to have watched so many of you embody the command visions tenants of know your job, do your job, and train yourself out of a job.”
O’Donnell is scheduled to report to commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet as his next command, where he will serve as the prospective commanding officer instructor. Lawrence expressed his excitement for the ship’s future upon assuming command of Oklahoma City.
“I will always strive to accomplish the mission first,” said Lawrence. “It will be my absolute honor to sail with you into harm’s way to protect our country.”
Lawrence, a native of Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, is a 2001 graduate of the United States Navy Academy where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering.

The Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation has received a $1.75 million federal grant to study the impact of the coronavirus on Oklahomans.
Funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the two-year project will seek to understand the immune system’s response to the virus and how that immune response varies in different ethnic groups. Additionally, the study aims to understand if the immune response is protective against future infections — or if it might worsen them.
“OMRF has a strong history and wonderful partnerships throughout the state,” said Linda Thompson, Ph.D., who will help lead the project. “That should enable us to quickly obtain blood samples from those who have been exposed to or infected by the coronavirus.”
The researchers will analyze blood donated by volunteers to understand individuals’ differing immune responses to the virus. The OMRF scientists will be looking for biological clues that might identify those individuals most likely to experience a severe response to coronavirus infection.
As a group, Oklahomans are at a somewhat higher risk for life-threatening complications from Covid-19, as they tend to have higher rates of other conditions associated with greater mortality from coronavirus infection: obesity, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.
OMRF is actively recruiting individuals for Covid-19 antibody testing, especially people with these high-risk conditions, those with Native American heritage, and those who know or suspect they have recovered from the virus. If you’re interested in participating, please call 405-271-7221 or email Jackie-Keyser@omrf.org.
OMRF researchers will also be studying the roles and reactions of antibodies that form in the immune response to infection to the virus known technically as SARS-CoV-2.
“Specifically, we need to know if antibodies help fight the virus,” said Mark Coggeshall, Ph.D., who will also help lead the research. Work will focus on a phenomenon called antibody-dependent enhancement, where instead of protecting people from future infections, antibodies could actually make future infections worse.
“We have to understand all aspects of the body’s immune response and which ones correlate to good health outcomes, and we also need to understand how these vary in different ethnicities,” said Thompson. “This knowledge gap needs to be filled quickly to inform vaccine trials, some of which are already underway.”
The new funding comes as a supplement to a grant awarded to OMRF to study the immune system’s response to anthrax bacteria as part of the NIAID’s Cooperative Centers for Human Immunology.
“Our existing research on anthrax has a developed infrastructure to study immune response to a serious viral infection,” Thompson said. “So, we are set up to start this project without having to develop new methodology. The work can, and will, begin immediately.”
Coggeshall, for one, is eager to start the new project. “Our anthrax work is promising and important, but all research efforts right now should be on SARS-CoV-2 and Covid-19,” he said. “There is no more urgent issue to study in the world, and we will do everything we can to help.”
Funding for the research is provided by grant No. 2U19AI062629-16 from the NIAID, a part of the National Institutes of Health.