I’m Sharon V and I’m a newbie here [at The Waterford]. I think it’s about 10 months since I moved in.
I left the ocean with much sadness, but I was in a condo and decided: if I lose my driver’s license, I’m isolated. And I had a husband in Kin Village, and I needed to get to see him as much as I could, and then to be closer to shopping. And once you lose a partner, you lose your community. And so I thought I had to find myself a new community to incorporate into my life.
So it’s just been wonderful. I’ve just met so many wonderful friends and lost my husband in a few months ago, and it really helped me having people give you lots of hugs and cards and just made you feel like you were part of a larger family.
It’s very frightening making a move at my age sort of thing, And because I had a lovely community where I was in the condo, would I find the same thing? And once you make the decision to move, then you go, “Oh, I wonder if I’m going to like it, and will I fit in. ‘cuz I still feel like I like to party a little bit and uh make some noise.” And you wonder how that’s going to be.
I’m enjoying it immensely: good entertainment, good music, and I try to dance with different people. So I just enjoy it so much, and I hope to bring out more people to enjoy that because it just does wonders for your soul to party on. We’re never too old.
It’s great to be involved in a holistic community. Seniors are dying, not of cancer or heart disease, but dying of isolation, loneliness, depression, etc. And I think if we can involve more and more seniors in communities like this, whether you’re religious or you want more physical, which I think is very important.
Waterford has an exercise program every day, plus a yoga chair yoga program, and a walking group, and a golfing group, bocce ball, and also a lot of educational things go on here. We investigate different countries, and we had Jeopardy contest, which we’ve won! And so it’s an all-encompassing community. My children call this the cruise ship, and they have a hard time getting ahold of me because I’m tiddling here and tiddling there and going on bus trips , etc.
I always liked to cook. We have a small kitchen here, no oven. So I bought a toaster oven thinking, “Oh, I’ll cook a chicken or I’ll cook a nice dinner.” I have yet to use it.
So, the meals are lovely. I find that the meals are an excellent time to join in the community part of it and socialize. And you can go around the dining room and talk to people and see how their day is going etc.
As the days go by you’re thinking, “Thank goodness I made the move when I did rather than being forced into a move.” And to move on your own terms.
I just think it was the best move I’ve made. So I am just in immense, enjoying it immensely!
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