Congratulations! You’ve decided you’re ready to rightsize from your much-too-large home into a comfortable, active senior living community. No more yardwork, home upkeep, cooking, cleaning or maintenance for you. Now all you have to do is find some helpful downsizing tips for seniors – then start downsizing, packing and moving. Sounds fun, right? Right? Ok, maybe “fun” isn’t the right word. The downsizing process, not to mention packing and moving itself, can be time-consuming and laborious, especially for an older adult. Friends and family members may offer to help with decluttering […]

About 83% of the largest not-for-profit senior living communities have some type of faith-based affiliation. Why is faith-based senior living so prevalent – and how does it benefit residents, even if they don’t ascribe to a particular belief system? Spiritual Wellness The National Wellness Institute defines spiritual wellness as “the search for meaning and purpose in human existence.” Simply put, it’s about being connected to something greater than yourself and having a set of values that guide your actions. It can mean participating in a specific religious practice, but it […]

Question: Family and raising your children have been important parts of your life. Do you have any stories from when they were younger? Answer: I have four children, seven grandchildren, and I’ve been married for 63 years, so I’d say family has been the center of my life. Frank, my husband, traveled a lot for work, so when our kids were younger and in school, that’s where a lot of my time and energy was focused. One of the more interesting stories I remember from that time was when our […]

There are a lot of senior living options in the St. Louis area – and they’re not all the same. If you’re starting to consider senior living for yourself or a loved one, here’s what you need to know about the different types of communities and what they offer. Active Adult Communities Typically restricted to people who are 55+, these senior living options offer residential living, usually in single-family homes, townhomes or condominiums, either for sale or for rent. Meals, outdoor maintenance, and other services might be included in the […]

Question: What is your strongest passion aside from your family and beliefs? Answer: I love flowers. I gardened here for 16 years when I first moved here in 2000. The first week I was here, I got a call asking if I could take care of a flower bed outside of my windows. I started out with one little bed, and I ended up with 40 beds by the time I retired from doing it. I loved every day of it, and I was out there every day but Sunday […]

Question: What’s something that sticks out to you as meaningful that you’ve done over the years? Answer: “My husband and I did a lot of travelling together. Later, after our kids were grown up and moved out is when we started. My husband was a geographer and he was really into it, so that’s how we got started – but I loved it, too. It’s infectious. Once you go someplace, it’s easy to think in your mind, “I want to go to that place next!” We went with programs like […]

Question: What’s something that makes you feel strong and confident? Answer: I have been a swimmer all my life and going to the pool here five days a week to water walk has been a blessing because I have had some problems with balance and the water walking has certainly helped. And I walk around campus, too. Depending on the weather, I also walk outside a lot. I try very hard to stay fit and I participate in the balance class and the circuit class and I’m going to try […]

Question: Why is faith and spirituality important to you? Answer: “I was always active in church. I sang in the choir up until this past year, and I’ve been involved in bible study groups and all sorts of activities. I had a mother that died when I was nine, and she was a very spiritual person. She taught Sunday school right there in our house growing up. I don’t even remember much about it, but it was part of who she was, and she passed it on to me. When […]