Inside Retirement Living: TED Talks and Pickleball Lead the Way
In an era where many communities boast about amenities, square footage, and gated seclusion, Amblebrook in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, is breaking the mold. Here, reimagining retirement living doesn’t mean simply offering more activities. It means handing the mic to the residents and letting them shape their own narrative—intellectually, socially, and creatively.
What’s emerging is a lifestyle that doesn’t just entertain—it empowers. Through resident-driven events, from TED-style lectures to garden clubs and pickleball tournaments, Amblebrook is demonstrating how giving residents ownership of their community cultivates belonging, purpose, and vibrancy. It’s a model that’s being quietly championed—and successfully scaled—by communities that want to move beyond the dated “activities calendar” of retirement past.
At the center of this transformation is a trusted platform: the Alosant app, designed not to spotlight technology but to quietly support community vision. And in the case of Amblebrook, this vision is being led by residents, powered by intention, and built with you.
A New Era for Active Adult Living: Where Residents Lead the Way
At Amblebrook, the term “active adult” isn’t a euphemism—it’s a lifestyle standard. From day one, CCD Rock Creek built the infrastructure to support not just movement, but momentum.
“We like to call Amblebrook a campus,” said Sara Carbonell, Amblebrook’s Marketing Manager.
Sara highlights how the energy here at Ambelbrook is unmatched—and it’s not because of the team. It’s because of the residents.
Unlike passive programming models where events are designed and dictated by lifestyle staff, Amblebrook has adopted a resident-first framework. The result? A living, evolving ecosystem where residents teach, lead, initiate, and inspire.
What sets Amblebrook apart:
- Residents have launched a TED Talk–style lecture series, including topics like foreign policy, that draw strong attendance.
- The community attracts people with rich professional backgrounds—government, military, education—creating what Sara called a “brain trust” eager to share knowledge.
- Residents balance learning with wellness, from fitness to hobbies, supported by indoor and outdoor pickleball courts unique to the Mid-Atlantic.
- Prospective buyers often describe the community as feeling like a college campus, where they can explore new interests and build friendships.
This isn’t a retirement community. It’s a collaborative micro-society where life experience becomes an asset to be shared, not a chapter to be shelved.
Resident-Driven Events: The TED Talk Transformation
One shining example of resident-driven events at Amblebrook is the TED-style talk series created and curated by residents themselves. From lectures on foreign policy to sessions on civic engagement, these gatherings are more than educational—they’re transformational.
Why it works:
- Residents bring decades of expertise from government, education, science, and business.
- Topics evolve based on current events, curiosity, and community interest.
- Sessions are hosted in the community’s custom-built theater and smaller meeting rooms.
- New speakers volunteer regularly—making it a continually growing tradition.
Sara Carbonell highlighted one particularly popular talk by a former diplomat that explored the intricacies of U.S. foreign relations. “It was standing room only,” she said. “It’s not the kind of thing you expect in an active adult setting, but it was well attended and they keep coming up with topics that are interesting.”
The takeaway? Purposeful programming doesn’t need to be outsourced. When you give residents tools and trust, they build something extraordinary.
Pickleball, Purpose & Programming Built With You
Amblebrook isn’t a typical retirement community—it’s an active adult destination in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, created by CCD Rock Creek. With five different builders and mostly custom homes, it blends low-maintenance living with more than 50,000 square feet of amenities designed to inspire connection.
Highlights include:
- Clubhouse and Fitness Center for wellness and daily activity
- Demonstration kitchen for culinary gatherings and events
- Performing arts theater and smaller movie theater for entertainment
- Art studio and speakeasy lounge to spark creativity and conversation
- Live music spaces that bring residents together
- Pickleball courts—three indoor and nine outdoor—central to community life
- Great lawn, bocce courts, fire pits, and outdoor amphitheater for recreation and events
- Event lawn and raised garden plots (68, all reserved) for collaboration and seasonal enjoyment
What makes these amenities stand out is not their scale, but how residents bring them to life. From pickleball leagues to lecture series, residents transform facilities into experiences. These amenities aren’t just spaces—they’re platforms for resident-driven events that form the backbone of a community dedicated to reimagining retirement living.
From Home Tour to Immersion: How Stay & Play Powers Purpose
For prospective buyers curious about the Amblebrook lifestyle, a guided tour isn’t enough. That’s why Sara and the team designed Stay & Play, a multi-tiered program that invites guests to experience the community as a resident would.
Two Signature Experiences:
- Joyride: A daylong visit with personalized introductions, class access, and community highlights.
- Joycation: A 3-day, 2-night immersive stay supported by local hotel partnerships, with full integration into the Alosant app and access to scheduled events, builder appointments, and meals.
“We don’t just want guests to see the campus,” Sara explained. “We want them to feel what it’s like to live here.”
Through Stay & Play, guests engage in resident-driven events, meet lifestyle ambassadors, and explore amenities at their own pace. The Alosant platform manages every touchpoint—from event RSVPs to push notifications—ensuring no detail is missed.
Before the App: Manual Work, Missed Moments
Like many communities, the Amblebrook early guest programming relied heavily on follow-up calls, manual schedules itineraries. It wasn’t scalable—and it certainly wasn’t seamless.
The challenges:
- Difficult to change guest preferences on personalize itineraries.
- Communication was fragmented.
- Coordinators could only handle so many requests.
A Seamless Shift: How Alosant Reimagined the Stay & Play Experience
The integration of Alosant into Stay & Play didn’t just improve logistics—it reimagined the entire buyer journey. The app offers real-time access to events, maps, classes, builder appointments, and even resident bios.
Most impactful features:
- RSVP Management: Guests confirm events directly in the app, reducing no-shows.
- Push Notifications: Timely reminders nudge guests to join activities they showed interest in.
- Custom Itineraries: Each guest receives a curated agenda based on their lifestyle preferences.
- Wayfinding Tools: Digital maps and amenity descriptions help guests feel comfortable exploring.
- Guest-to-Resident Mode: The same app that guides the prospect becomes their resident portal post-move.
With the app, Amblebrook doesn't just show what it offers—it demonstrates how it works in real life, and that’s a critical differentiator in reimagining retirement living.
Measurable Momentum: Growth in Engagement & Conversion
Since launching the Alosant-powered Stay & Play, Amblebrook is beginning to see tangible results. The ability to offer more Stay & Play vacations will lead to higher conversions in an already high performing program.
Key results:
- Increased Stay & Play bookings and event attendance.
- More builder walk-throughs being offered..
- Better opportunity in the welcome center to introduce the app.
Community as Curriculum: Lifelong Learning at Amblebrook
One of the most powerful extensions of resident-driven events is the budding partnership between Amblebrook and Gettysburg College.. The collaboration invites residents to participate in university-level lectures, innovation lab workshops (woodworking, 3D printing), and even mentorship programs with students.
It’s more than co-learning—it’s intergenerational exchange.
Benefits to residents:
- Access to creative and technical tools via the college’s Innovation Lab.
- Enrichment courses hosted in The Amblebrook clubhouse.
- Opportunities to mentor young adults, especially graduating seniors.
Benefits to the college:
- A network of seasoned professionals for mentoring and storytelling.
- A living example of engaged aging to inspire new thinking.
In this model, reimagining retirement living means rejecting the notion that aging and learning are mutually exclusive.
Alosant: A Trusted Partner in Reimagining Retirement Living
Behind every vibrant community is a reliable system quietly powering its success. At Amblebrook, that system isn’t just a tech platform—it’s a partnership. Alosant doesn’t act like a vendor. It shows up like a teammate. And that distinction makes all the difference.
Sara Carbonell was clear about this during our conversation: “We wanted to elevate our Stay & Play program, and we thought a community app could help, and we knew April and Alosant was who to call. ”
That’s the role Alosant has come to play—not with flash or fanfare, but with purpose and precision.
Why Alosant fits:
- Built with you: Alosant co-develops solutions based on the real-world needs of community marketers, lifestyle teams, and residents.
- Amplifies your community—not our company: The platform is white-labeled to the community, seamlessly integrating into the identity of Amblebrook rather than overshadowing it.
- Reliability you can trust: As a long-term partner, Alosant supports ongoing updates and iterations—not just a one-time deployment.
- Scalable, not static: Whether it’s a new Stay & Play program or evolving lifestyle demands, the platform flexes to grow with the community.
Rather than positioning itself as the hero, Alosant plays the role of the quiet enabler—letting the community lead while ensuring every part of the experience works exactly as it should.
At Amblebrook, the focus is always on people and the places and experiences that make community life meaningful. By partnering with Alosant, the team can prioritize programs and relationships rather than being consumed by logistics. This partnership functions as an extension of Amblebrook itself—ensuring every interaction feels seamless, personal, and human.
That kind of support isn’t easy to find. But when you do, you don’t just get better technology—you get stronger outcomes, a more engaged community, and a lifestyle brand that delivers on its promise.
In that way, Alosant isn’t reimagining retirement living. They’re helping others do it—better, faster, and with integrity.
Want to Hear More?
For a behind-the-scenes look at how communities like Amblebrook are built from the ground up,with purpose, connection, and lifelong learning in mind,tune in to the Communities Connected: A Land and Lifestyle podcast by Alosant.
🎧 Episode: “Building Community Through Lifelong Learning and Partnership”
Listen now on Apple Podcasts
This episode features the Director of Marketing, Sara Carbonell from Amblebrook as she shares firsthand insights on creating a brain trust, the shift in over 55 housing trends, and why today’s active adult communities feel more like vibrant college campuses than ever before.
FAQs
What makes Amblebrook at Gettysburg unique compared to other active adult communities?
Amblebrook stands out because it empowers residents to lead. Instead of relying only on staff, the community thrives on resident-driven events such as TED Talk-style lectures, clubs, and fitness programs. This approach builds authenticity, fosters deeper connections, and makes the lifestyle feel truly resident-centered.
How do prospects experience the lifestyle before moving in?
Prospective residents can participate in the Stay & Play program, which offers immersive experiences through day visits or multi-night stays. Guests receive curated itineraries, attend community events, and meet residents. This gives them a genuine preview of what reimagining retirement living looks like at Amblebrook.
How has the Alosant app improved the Stay & Play program?
The Alosant app streamlines the Stay & Play experience by offering real-time event calendars, RSVP tracking, maps, and reminders. Guests can customize their schedules and explore amenities easily. This technology enhances engagement, reduces missed opportunities, and helps prospects feel like part of the community from day one.
What role does lifelong learning play in reimagining retirement living?
Lifelong learning is central to reimagining retirement living. Amblebrook supports this through lectures, classes, and partnerships with local institutions like Gettysburg College. Residents can explore new hobbies, gain access to innovation labs, and even mentor students, keeping intellectual growth at the heart of community life.
Why am I so unhappy in retirement?
Unhappiness in retirement often comes from a loss of purpose, structure, or social connection. Active adult communities like Amblebrook at Gettysburg address this by encouraging involvement in resident-driven events, which provide opportunities to stay active, pursue passions, and build meaningful relationships.
How many Americans have $500,000 in retirement savings?
Only a small percentage of Americans nearing retirement have $500,000 saved. Studies show the median retirement savings is much lower, often below $200,000. This reality makes low-maintenance living and socially engaging communities important for maintaining quality of life during retirement.
What is the number one fear in retirement?
The top fear for most retirees is running out of money. Other common concerns include declining health and social isolation. Communities that emphasize connection, purpose, and resident-driven events help reduce the emotional burden of retirement by creating a lifestyle centered on belonging.
Conclusion: Purpose, Programming, and the Power of Resident-Led Living
In a world where many retirement communities still market tranquility, Amblebrook is modeling a new kind of peace—the peace that comes from belonging, from purpose, and from the ability to shape your own experience.
Through resident-driven events, a culture of collaboration, and strategic support from platforms like Alosant, Amblebrook is not just reimagining retirement living—they’re redefining it.
And perhaps the greatest insight from their success is this: People don’t want to retire from life. They want to retire into something meaningful. Something active. Something that feels like a continuation—not an ending.
That’s where the real magic lies. And it’s only just beginning.
Further Reading
- Gettysburg College Innovation Lab
- The Smartest Resident Engagement Solutions for New Communities
- Smart Ways to Improve Community Communication
- Designed to Belong: Life in Newfield Florida
- PropTech for Community Living That Pays Off
