Chemistry is the study of the composition, properties and reactions of substances. It is also the inexplicable connection that unites people. John Mutchler knows both types of chemistry well.

John Mutchler found the perfect balance of amenities to meet all his needs at The Hermitage.

A native Washingtonian, John grew up in Kensington, Md., and attended Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School. From this top-rated public high school, he was able to go on to Cornell University, where he graduated with a degree in Chemistry.

John’s first job brought him back to Washington, D.C. He worked for the Gillette Company on Teflon-coated razor blades. Later, he pursued other ventures, but found himself drawn back to his work as a chemist. “As most people do, I changed jobs just to see if the grass was greener on the other side of the fence. I found out it wasn’t,” John recalled of his career move.

After returning to his original passion, John found his dream job as a chemist at a manufacturing plant in Northern New Jersey. “When I retired, I went out with a bang, instead of a whimper! I felt very fortunate that my last job was so satisfying,” he said.

While he found a lot of fulfillment in his work, John also enjoys spending time with his family, including his two children. He is also very close to his twin sister and spent many hours on the tennis court playing the single’s champion.

After retiring, John continued to live in Northern New Jersey. Several years ago, while still living alone, he fell and broke his back. While the injury was slowly healing, John realized that he needed some additional help. “I really couldn’t walk very far on my own, and I was very curtailed in my physical activities,” he said. “My daughter had always wanted me to come and live near them when I retired, so we started talking about it.”

When John’s daughter found The Hermitage, a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) in Alexandria, Va., she thought it would be a perfect fit for her father. The location meant he would be close to most of his family. The community also offers the security of on-site health care or in-home services should they be needed in the future, all without an entrance fee.

“I came down here, and I was very impressed with the community,” John said. “Sure enough, I moved, and I’m really very happy here.”

John quickly discovered that The Hermitage offered the perfect balance of amenities to meet his needs. “They are really very good at serving three aspects here: physical needs, mental needs and spiritual needs,” he said. John explained that he participates in fitness classes and a bible study group and that his medical needs have always been promptly met.

While John is an avid participant in many activities, it is the friendships he has made since moving that have really changed his life. “Like any place, it’s the people that really count, and I’ve made so many friends here,” he said. Many of John’s friends are fellow participants in two of the community’s most active groups: the current events group and the poetry group. “We all look out for one another, and we’ve really become very close,” he explained.

Connecting with so many fascinating peers has made John’s transition easy. However, his unwavering positive attitude has also served him well. “I think people should try to focus on the many positive aspects of life in a community like this, and there are many, many positive aspects,” he said.

At The Hermitage, John has found a retirement lifestyle with the perfect balance of social, physical, mental and spiritual offerings. Most importantly, he has also discovered a community where the residents are truly connected and deeply engaged – a place with the right chemistry.

Elizabeth “Liz” Quinlan is a native of Hagerstown, Md. who received her Nursing degrees from Cornell University and University of Pennsylvania.  During the Korean War she joined the Air Force as a nurse at Shepherd Air Force Base, where she met New Jersey native Jerry. Although they met in 1952, the couple did not get married until 1968.  Liz recounted the story of when the “romance got started.”

“Both my parents were very ill and, since my father was born in Greece, Jerry came up on Greek Easter with this beautiful tray of all these food specialties he’d gotten at a Greek restaurant in Washington,” she said.  “He was so kind and he said, ‘You know, Liz, I know both your parents have been ill and you’re tied down.  I’ll look after them this afternoon and you can go and visit some friends or whatever you want to do.’  Of course I didn’t go, but I was just sort of overwhelmed that anybody would be that kind. And that’s really the essence of Jerry, that he’s always been so kind to everybody.”

After they married, the couple settled down to focus on their careers, hobbies and travels.  Several years into their retirement, Liz noticed Jerry’s behavior started becoming slightly erratic.  It was particularly evident the day Jerry approached her and asked how she felt about giving up their car.  Actually grateful since it left them with unnecessary expenses, she told him that would be fine.  Then according to Liz, Jerry responded saying, “Well I think I’m going to do it because I get lost coming home.”

Similar incidents led the couple to see a physician.  When the diagnosis revealed Jerry had dementia, Liz made sure to help and care for him at home.   “I really wasn’t able to talk about it,” she said.

"The essence of Jerry is that he's always been so kind to everybody," said Elizabeth Quinlan of her husband of 43 years, who was eventually diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

During a trip to the dentist, she found a magazine article describing a drug that helps Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.  Liz then approached the receptionist asking if she could make a copy of it, revealing that Jerry had Alzheimer’s. “When I finally said it, the tears started to come and I couldn’t stop crying,” she said.

That conversation opened the door to her discovering a vast amount of resources at IONA Senior Services.  Liz learned about their renowned Adult Day Health Care Center and support groups, where Jerry thrived and eventually participated five days a week.

As his condition progressed, it was clear that he was going to need more assistance, so Liz began to look at their options.  “The Methodist Home of Washington, D.C. had the best reputation for nursing care, so that was the first place I went,” she said.

At her first meeting, she learned the Methodist Home was building a brand new community in Chevy Chase, D.C. called Forest Side that would be exclusively devoted to Alzheimer’s and memory-related disorders.  After visiting a few other options, she was excited for Jerry to become one of Forest Side’s first residents and filled out an application.

Today, Jerry is in the hands of compassionate caregivers and staff, leaving Liz much more confident about his well-being. The state-of-the-art community features four “neighborhoods” within the building. The focus of the caregiver for each neighborhood at Forest Side is to be engaged with the residents in all aspects of their day, from dining and afternoon teas to activities and neighborhood strolls.

According to Liz, Jerry has “deluxe accommodations” at Forest Side and she was able to bring many of their treasured items to decorate his spacious apartment.  She has also enjoyed spending time with him on her visits in one of the several tastefully-decorated rooms throughout the community.

Although Elizabeth initially cared for Jerry when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, he eventually needed more assistance, so she moved him to the assisted living community Forest Side, where she is confident about his well-being knowing he is in the hands of compassionate caregivers.

The philosophy at Forest Side is that each resident’s interests are respected and taken into consideration regardless of their cognitive ability.  Alexis McKenzie, the community’s executive director, said, “We look at the likes and dislikes of the resident and do our best to build their life around those preferences. We interview each of the families, like the Quinlans, and we found out that Jerry had written a book.  It is through this time spent with the family and resident that we gain firsthand knowledge of the gifts and talents each individual brings to the table.”

Along with this individualized support, the trained staff understands the challenges of memory loss and has great sensitivity for their residents and families. They encourage and understand each resident, assisting them to make every opportunity as successful as possible.  This care and attention at Forest Side extends beyond just the residents’ needs as Liz has learned during particularly emotional visits.  “When the tears come, the staff will be right there to help and comfort me. They could not be kinder to us,” she said.

Although the challenges they face can be frustrating, Liz shared some words of wisdom for others in this situation.  “When you look around the world, you see the poverty and the problems so many people have. I look at the wonderful care Jerry gets at Forest Side and I think that I’m blessed.”

Richard and Kathleen McCarty faced an especially overwhelming task when they eventually decided to downsize from their large home, but with the help of move management service Senior Transitions, Inc., their move to a retirement living option was completely stress-free.

When Kathleen and Richard McCarty retired, they took the path less travelled by choosing to upsize.  Therefore, when the time came to move to a retirement community years later, the process seemed especially daunting.  With the help of Charna Kinneberg and her team at Senior Transitions Inc., however, the couple was able to experience a seamless move from the large family home to their new apartment.

Kathleen and Richard met in Baltimore while he was a student at Johns Hopkins University and she was attending Mount St. Agnes, now a part of Loyola University.  Married a year later, the couple had two children as Richard pursued his Masters degree at Hopkins.

The family then moved to Ithaca, NY where Richard became part of the faculty at Cornell University and Kathleen helped with library and development work for the school.   With the birth of their third child, the couple remained in the area for 24 years before returning to Baltimore in 1990 where Richard served as Chair of the Department of Biology at Hopkins.

“We had moved to Timonium, but the suburbs just weren’t for me, so we downsized to a condo in the Tuscany-Canterbury neighborhood,” said Kathleen.  At the time, the McCartys had also bought a weekend place in the mountains of Virginia.

“Two years later, the house right up the street became available and the first time we looked at it, we were filling out a contract,” said Richard.  “It had five bedrooms, so we were upsizing again, which isn’t necessarily a good idea.”

Although the couple loved their home, they were there for a decade before the maintenance became too much to handle.   Additionally, they had sold their weekend home and were therefore combining the belongings of two households.

Despite the overwhelming aspects of downsizing, there was one base the McCartys fortunately had covered.  They had always known where they would spend their later years.

“Our lawyer looked at our housing agreement and said everything looked fine but asked if we had shopped around,” said Kathleen. “We said we have not shopped around, we don’t want to live in the county, we want to stay in our neighborhood, and we want to be a part of Roland Park Place.”

The continuing care retirement community was a mere two blocks from where the couple had already been living, and for them, Roland Park Place’s reputation set it apart from any other option.

“It was also the peace of mind we could give our children,” said Richard.  “This is a place you walk in at your own power and they carry you up and you don’t have to worry about a thing; it’s wonderful.”
Among these perks, however, the couple still knew they faced the hurdle of clearing out their large home and giving whatever items they could to their three children or Goodwill.

Fortunately, upon signing their agreement to be residents, the McCartys received a packet from the community that included a brochure for Charna Kinneberg and her professional senior move management service, Senior Transitions, Inc.

“I looked at it and immediately told Richard we were going with this organization,” said Kathleen.  “Charna seemed to do everything, and she certainly did.”

Senior Transitions, Inc. helps with various parts of the moving process including automated floor plan designs, packing, supervising movers, preparing for home sales and disposing of unneeded items.  Charna Kinneberg, RN, MBA, started the company in 2001 and is a founding member of the National Association of Senior Move Mangers (NASMM).  She also serves on the board of two geriatric care provider groups.

And with this expertise, the couple said she was fully prepared from the start.  “From the moment Charna walked in the door, it was peace, serenity, efficiency and organization,” said Kathleen.  “A lot of people have jobs that they’re really good at, and she is really good at senior transitions.”

With the help of the Senior Transitions staff, the McCartys were connected with reliable movers and were able to donate several items, including 17 boxes of books that went to a charitable organization.

“When we got here, it was shocking to discover how they could unpack and find places for everything, and exactly where I would’ve put them!” said Kathleen.  “They knew our house and they took the time to do all that.”

With the move behind them, the couple is enjoying life at their new home, Roland Park Place, where they take advantage of the retirement community's fitness center and further pursue their passion for gardening.

As avid gardeners, the McCartys were especially delighted to know their beloved flowers were also accommodated.  “Our sunroom was filled with at least 20 orchids and all kinds of paraphernalia, and we had no place for them here,” said Richard.  “Charna put them on Craigslist for us and got several phone calls.  A woman came and took everything in a half hour period and our worry was off the deck completely.”

The couple not only appreciated Charna’s dedication throughout the process, but that of each of her employees.  “They were the best we’ve encountered.  All wonderful, lovely, charming people who came prepared every day to calm me down,” Kathleen said with a smile.

While many of the McCartys’ peers have utilized Senior Transitions and were just as thrilled with their services, the couple still does not hesitate to spread the word about the move management company whenever possible. “I couldn’t recommend Charna and her employees more highly to anybody,” said Kathleen.

With the stress-free move behind them, the couple could not be happier with their new apartment and surroundings at Roland Park Place.  As they take advantage of the community’s fitness center and scheduled daytrips, the McCartys have enjoyed getting to know their neighbors and continuing their favorite pastime by reserving a plot in the gardening areas.

“I think it’s important to move when both of you are able to do so physically and mentally,” said Richard.  “We are younger than most people here, but we were actually able to make the right decisions and enjoy the move and get it done.  It made our adjustment to living here very easy.”

Helen was born in Ithaca, NY on Feb. 14, 1908 and eventually moved to Washington, D.C. at age nine. She is the daughter of Robert Harold Ogle, one of the founders of the Alpha Phi Alpha organization which began at Cornell University in the same year as her birth.

Over the years, Helen and her sister were raised by her father and grandmothers after her mother had passed away when she was an infant.

Helen, who graduated from Dunbar High School, the Miner Normal School for colored Girls (now part of the University of the District of Columbia), and Howard University, has always been a warm, friendly and outgoing person with a love for poetry.

After 37 years of teaching in the Washington D.C. public school system, Helen retired to utilize her passion and skills to write poetry and children stories. Always wanting to enjoy life to the fullest, she also started a poetry club while traveling to various locations and working feverously in her church.

When arthritis eventually took its toll, she decided it was time to make the transition to an assisted living home. She was looking for a place with a home-like atmosphere in a family setting. With a little research, Helen and her loved ones found the perfect fit at Gentle Steps Assisted Living located in Riverdale, Md.

Here, she is genuinely loved and cared for. She and her family are superbly pleased with the high level of warm professional care that she receives from the staff as well as the cleanliness and ambiance of the facility. “The food is good and I have some friends here to keep me company,” she says.

Another aspect that makes Helen extremely happy is the security in knowing that the owner is a registered nurse who is very visible.

Most importantly, the warm and friendly environment the community provides has allowed and encouraged Helen to recite from memory the hundreds of poems she loves and cherishes.