Langhorne Senior Living Residents Publish 252-voice Book For America’s 250th Anniversary

A senior living community in Langhorne, Bucks County has marked the nation's 250th anniversary by gathering personal stories from residents, staff, and family members into a published book. The collection, titled Home, anew., draws from 252 contributors across 16 communities managed by Marquis Health Consulting Services in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland.

Tori Dubesky, regional life enrichment director for Marquis Health Consulting Services, told 6abc that the project gave contributors a single prompt: what do home, belonging, and community mean to you? The responses covered a wide range of experiences, from childhood homes and military service to lifelong careers, love, and loss.

Cover Art Selected by Resident Contest

Oxford Enhanced Senior Living resident Paula Pennie won a competition to design the book's cover. A self-taught artist, Pennie described wanting imagery that captured both the semiquincentennial and the idea of home and legacy — settling on a grandmother sharing her story with grandchildren on a front porch.

Family Traditions and Immigration Stories

Two other Oxford residents contributed personal essays that anchor the collection in family memory.

Marie O'Brien wrote about Pysanky, a Ukrainian egg-decorating tradition her family adopted and passed to the next generation. The practice uses layered dyes and wax to produce intricate designs. O'Brien described it as rewarding but demanding patience.

Rose Marie Hibbs wrote about her grandparents' immigration from Italy and the death of their child, Dominic. She described keeping Dominic's crucifix and holding it each night during prayers for her own children. It is a small, specific detail. It carries the weight of the whole project.

Communities Across Three States

Marquis Health Consulting Services operates 16 communities across Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey, a mix of independent living, assisted living, and personal care settings. Dubesky noted that moving into senior living often involves a significant identity shift — residents may be leaving a longtime home or retiring — and that storytelling helps build connection in that transition.

Book Available to Purchase; Proceeds Benefit Heart Association Event

Home, anew. is available for purchase by emailing homeanew@mqshealth.com. Proceeds will support the American Heart Association's CycleNation stationary cycling event, scheduled for Thursday, September 24, 2026, at Fountain View at Logan Square, located at 2 Franklin Town Boulevard in Philadelphia. Oxford Enhanced Senior Living is at 290 E. Winchester Ave. in Langhorne.

This report is single-sourced to 6abc/WPVI, where it appeared as sponsored content in partnership with the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging.