“When my father decided it was time for a move, I was pretty stressed about how I was going to get him moved,” recalled June Jacobs, Mr. DeBois’ daughter.

June and her family quickly settled on North Oaks, a nearby independent living community, as her father’s new home. The community suggested she contact a moving coordinator to help with the details of the large move. “I called Senior Transitions, and that was the best call I ever made,” June said. Senior Transitions, Inc. is a moving coordination company owned by Charna Kinneberg, RN, MBA.

Following their initial phone consultation, Charna started working on a floor plan for Mr. DeBois’ new home. She brought her computer to the family home, measured the furniture and quickly ascertained what would fit in the new apartment. June said, “By the time she was done, we knew exactly what furniture we were taking. That was a major help.”

When moving day arrived, Senior Transition’s expertise again proved invaluable. Charna and her staff packed the entire house in just a few days and then enlisted a top-quality mover to handle the complex move. “Throughout the process, every time I would panic, she would assure me that everything would be all right, and she was right,” explained June.

On the day of the move, Mr. DeBois went out to lunch with his caregiver and returned to an apartment that was ready to live in: complete with pictures on the wall, clothes in the closet, food in the fridge, and linens on the bed. After the move was finished, Charna arranged to have people remove the remaining junk and trash from the home.

“I really can’t recommend Charna’s services enough,” June concluded. “She took so much off my plate and made the whole process just amazing. I call her and her staff angels.”

A mere six weeks after deciding he was ready to move, Mr. DeBois was settled into his new home at North Oaks. Today, he is enjoying all that community living has to offer.

After his wife's passing, retired Rear Admiral Ed Keats was still determined to move to the retirement community they had chosen years before.

Ed Keats, a retired Rear Admiral is a graduate of the US Naval Academy.  He received the degree of Master of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  He was a career naval officer and aviator.  During World War II he took part in the captures of Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.  After his naval service he was engaged in civilian positions, the last being President of a dredging company operating in the Persian Gulf.  In retirement he has taught “World War in the Pacific” and “America in the Last Quarter of the Eighteenth Century” at the Johns Hopkins Odyssey program and at the Baltimore County Community College.  At present he is engaged in an hour and a half on Thursdays for ten weeks course on the Pacific.

Over a period of many years friends of Ed Keats and his late wife invited them to dinner at various retirement communities in the Baltimore area.  Both of them agreed that Brightwood was unquestionably the top of all such places.  They recognized its cost as being above that charged by many lesser competitors although comparable with others offering not quite as much.  They told their children and grandchildren that if they were ever to decide to leave the condominium where they lived they would move to Brightwood.  Even after Mrs. Keats died her widowed husband held on to his condominium apartment.  After he attended his Seventy-Fifth Reunion and found only three other classmates present, all of them confined to wheelchairs pushed by family members he interpreted the scene as depicting the inevitability of his own aging.  It affected him to the extent of his recognizing his need to live where he would have services to an magnitude not available at any condominium.   Even though he is still enjoying excellent health and vigor he promptly reacted.  Within a month he purchased a unit at the community, which calls itself “Brightwood Club,” eschewing the word “retirement.”  Now, after just a year’s residence, he desires to tell the readers of “SourceBook” of his happiness.  He says the staff treats the residents as though they were their grandparents.  The gated community has twenty-four hour roving security provided by experienced men and has Registered Nurses to attend to day-to-day medical concerns.  All of the rooms are spacious, all the views are unobstructed outside, the weekly cleaning and flat laundry service is thorough.  Best of all, the beautiful dining room provides “four star” dinner meals with at least three choices of soups, salads, entrées, vegetables and desserts.  Unique to Baltimore, all residents own their units outright.  Thus they, through an elected board, instead of a developer or outside investor, make the policy decisions for the community.

When Mr. Knott, who is known by the staff at Morningside House in Ellicott City as “Mr. Tom,” starts talking about life with his beloved wife, Mary Jean, and their adventures, people soon realize that they are in the presence of a couple whose life could easily be the subject of a Hollywood movie!

Mary Jean operated undercover and was a known and respected administrator of polygraph, lie detection and interrogation. Tom was a renowned police dog trainer and administrator. His expertise was even called on from programs around the world.

Training dogs was part of Tom’s job, but it also became the couple’s passion in their leisure time. Over the years, they trained and raised many dogs and won countless awards at dog shows throughout the country.

The couple met while roller skating in New York in their early 20s. They both taught roller skating lessons and participated in competitions. This was the beginning of a long successful marriage and partnership as the couple enthusiastically shared a variety of interests, hobbies and vocations. The Knotts moved to Baltimore early in their marriage and eventually settled in a beautiful home on eight acres near Morningside House.

Down the road, Mary Jean’s health took a turn and, to complicate matters, Tom was facing some health challenges as well. As opposed to leaving their beloved home, the couple hired home care assistance, but their experience was not a good one. They fell prey to poor care, unreliable help and worst of all, fraud and crime.

“It was frustrating and frightening, and I was really concerned about Mary Jean,” said Tom.

Fortunately, the couple’s physician took a keen interest in their well-being. With the assistance of his wife, he began to investigate better available options and helped the Knotts select Morningside House, an assisted living and dementia care provider.

“This type of situation is what makes my job so rewarding. Mr. Tom and Miss Mary Jean were in a very unsafe environment and to have assisted their physician’s wife in the move to Morningside was as fulfilling as it gets,” says Alan LeMay, Director of Marketing. “Knowing they are in a secure environment where people care about them makes every day better. This is the perfect example of how essential it is for seniors to be aware of all the options available to them in the community and how it affects their quality of life.”

Since their move, the couple has been free of any home maintenance with the community’s range of amenities including housekeeping, linen and laundry services. Morningside House also offers scheduled transportation, three daily restaurant-style meals and a 24-hour emergency call system that provides peace of mind for the Knotts and their fellow residents.

Individuals also have several opportunities for socializing with elegant common areas, weekly trips and private dining areas for family gatherings.

For the Knotts in particular, it was also an ideal location since the community’s close proximity to their large estate still enables Tom to return frequently to get his photos, books and memorabilia. Having so many apartment style choices made it easy for the Knotts to choose a spacious one-bedroom apartment overlooking the courtyard that would accommodate all of their favorite memorabilia and comforts of their home.

With the goal of creating a win-win situation for all residents, Morningside’s fundamental philosophy of keeping couples together despite their different care level needs made the transition and experience for the Knotts a very good one.

Although this convenience along with the location and services of Morningside House have been a perk for Tom, it is the care of the community that has had a true impact for him and his wife.

“The difference is dramatic; Mary Jean is eating and talking more,” said Tom.

For Tom, the advantage is obvious, as he gets to spend all of his time enjoying Mary Jean, whom he refers to as “the other half of the team,” instead of worrying if she is receiving the appropriate care or taking on the caregiving role himself.

Like the Knotts, residents of the community have a great sense of security knowing a range of levels of care are available. This also includes independent living, respite care, coordinated hospice care and on-site rehabilitation.

Now, after finding a home that could provide the optimum care and a range of amenities, it is impossible to accuse this couple of not making the best decision for a relaxing and secure future.

Though they share similar interests, it is no wonder Josephine and Ray have become great friends as caring individuals who have served others during their lives.

A registered nurse, Josephine utilized her certification in different areas. From working in the emergency room to industrial nursing, she truly enjoyed making a difference in people’s lives, and it is something she has carried with her to this day.

“Up until about two years ago, she continued to have annual reunions with her nursing school class,” said Ann Newman, Josephine’s daughter.

It was when her macular degeneration worsened that prompted her to seek a community with the help of her daughter.

“The day she called, I had gotten an ad in the mail for Arbour Square and I was impressed with the no down payment, month-to-month rental,” said Ann. “I then visited and was so impressed with the building and the wonderful people.”

For Ann, the amenities and services her mother would receive were a great deal compared to other communities that had large entrance fees. Site unseen, Josephine settled into her stylish apartment with a view in 2007 and could not be happier.

Along with group exercise programs at the community’s fitness center, she remains active attending music programs, and of course, playing pinochle every week with her best friend.

Originally from western Pennsylvania, Ray joined the Army and served in the Corps for over three years. When he returned from overseas, he worked 42 years for U.S. Steel and Fairless Steel Works.

After his wife of 60 years passed, one of their three sons suggested he downsize and make the transition to a community that could offer everything he needed.

“My son lived around here at the time and saw Arbour Square,” said Ray. “He told me about it, so we visited and that is when I decided to come here.”

Since his move two years ago, he has enjoyed a maintenance-free lifestyle with his fellow residents as several services including housekeeping, meal preparation and transportation are all provided at the community. This has allowed Ray more time for the numerous available activities as he takes bus trips to casinos and race tracks while showing off his Wii bowling skills.

“I had surgery, so I’m hoping to eventually get back into swimming and playing Golf too,” he said.

From the frequented indoor Main Street to energetic ‘Brain Teaser’ games there are plenty of opportunities for people to stay active. The numerous amenities and services, however, will only expand as staff and residents eagerly anticipate the opening of The Birches, Arbour Square’s Assisted Living Community. This will feature 44 assisted living apartments with an additional 25 in a secure memory care unit.

For Ann, this will be just one more perk for her mother and their new friend.

“This is truly a lovely place,” she said. “The décor is great, there are lots of activities for them, and the people here could not be any more helpful.”

Mrs. Russell was living with her husband in their family home in Havertown when his health began to deteriorate. She realized that she needed some assistance. Mrs. Russell was listening to a radio show when she first heard about Senior Supportive Services, Inc., a one-stop shop for older adults’ and their families’ needs. This Geriatric Care Management Firm provides free, comprehensive evaluations of a client’s physical, social, mental, financial, and legal situations. They suggest a care plan personalized for the client’s needs, inform the client of all available options, and help to implement the client’s choices.

“I knew I needed help, but I didn’t know where to turn before I heard about their services,” says Mrs. Russell. Since that time, which was over 10 years ago, Mrs. Russell has received on-going assistance from the firm. Jeanette Mastroieni-Cave, the President and founder of the company, has become a personal friend.

After her husband’s passing, Jeanette and her staff helped Mrs. Russell get her affairs in order. Mrs. Russell recalls, “She made suggestions as to what I should do next. At that point in my life, I was so mixed up that I didn’t know what to do. She helped me sort everything out and move forward.”

Once they had assessed her financial situation, Senior Supportive Services helped Mrs. Russell select an appropriate independent living community. They arranged for the sale of her family home and provided comprehensive assistance to ensure a good transition to her new home.

Just four years ago, because of her changing health care needs, Mrs. Russell decided to move again. Jeanette helped her select an assisted living community that could meet her needs and then worked with her to make another seamless move.

Last year, nursing home care was suggested by the community where she had lived. Recognizing Mrs. Russell’s strong resistance to this change, Jeanette suggested moving to an apartment and arranged for a live-in caregiver. With all her care needs met, Mrs. Russell’s new living environment has allowed her to live her life to the fullest.

Of Senior Supportive Services, Mrs. Russell says, “They have been helping me for so long now, and we really have a wonderful relationship. Jeanette is an extraordinarily kind person, and she really knows her business very well.”

Mrs. Russell feels lucky to have found such caring and talented people to help her during several major transitions. Now settled into her new apartment, she concludes, “I’m good. I’m really very lucky and life is good.”

Her children live all across the country now, and although Mrs. Barrett moved to a smaller home, she recently decided that it was time to get rid of her house and start a new life. While looking for an independent living community, she considered communities that were further out because her friends had moved there. She ultimately decided that she wanted to remain close to the city and avoid long commutes back and forth to her doctor’s offices. Classic Residence by Hyatt, an independent living community in Chevy Chase, MD, has proven to be a great choice for Mrs. Barrett.

While touring a model apartment at Classic Residence, Mrs. Barrett commented on the resident’s attractive d�cor. The resident responded, “I owe it all to Susie; don’t move without her.” Mrs. Barrett found out that “Susie” was Susie Danick, the owner of Transitional Assistance & Design. Transitional Assistance & Design is a member of the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM). She took the resident’s advice and would now make the same suggestion to anyone facing the challenge of downsizing and moving to a retirement community.

Before the move, Transitional Assistance & Design came in and took pictures of Mrs. Barrett’s belongings in order to duplicate the set-up of her house in her new apartment. Next, Susie helped Mrs. Barrett prepare lists of things to take with her to the new apartment, to give away, to sell, and to throw away. These steps prepared Mrs. Barrett for moving day, which, for her, was effortless.

“I never even saw a box,” she exclaims. “I left my house at 8:30 AM, and when I came to the new apartment the next day at 3:30 PM, everything was finished. All my furniture was in its place; the kitchen utensils were in the drawers; the pictures were on the walls; the plants were placed all around. It was really incredible to walk in and see all that she had accomplished so quickly.” Mrs. Barrett goes on to say that she never saw or dealt with the movers. Susie handled all the details for her, allowing her to spend time with her children and enjoy going out to dinner on her first night in her new apartment.

With all of her belongings in their proper place, Mrs. Barrett was able to transition smoothly to her new community. She laughs as she says, “My apartment really looks today just like it did the day I walked in. Susie’s taste is so exquisite, and she had such wonderful decorating suggestions that I haven’t changed a thing.” Mrs. Barrett concludes, “I really couldn’t have done it without her.”

As she describes the art work that covers the walls of their new apartment at Mays Chapel Ridge, an independent and assisted living community in Timonium, MD, Lloyd points out his favorites. While he inspects the community garden where his flowers will soon flourish, Rose comments on how much work he has done. Having quickly settled in, the couple is busy adding a little more color to their new community.

Mr. and Mrs. Rains met shortly after Lloyd, who was in the Navy Air Corp., and Rose, a “government girl,” moved to Washington, D.C. Lloyd remembers, “I had just been transferred to the Naval Air Station in Anacostia. I went out for a walk one evening and stopped at the WCA where there was a dance going on. I saw two girls standing on the mezzanine; one was wearing a red dress. I was somewhat bashful, but I gradually inched my way up to her and made a date. You see how that ended up!”

Rose quickly adds, “We were looking down at all the dancers, and I kept saying to myself, ‘now why doesn’t he ask me to dance?’ Finally, he admitted that he couldn’t dance. We learned how later though.”

After a brief courtship, Rose and Lloyd were married in Washington. When Lloyd was discharged from the Navy, the Rains settled in New York where Lloyd worked for the Railroad Inspection Agency, a job that opened the door for his career with the Department of Agriculture. Lloyd’s new job would take the couple around the country before landing them back in the D.C. metro area. Because of her experience as a “government girl,” Rose always found employment wherever they lived. During this time, the couple raised their two children-Doug and Linda.

They moved to Maryland when their daughter, Linda, attended the University of Maryland. When Linda graduated, the Rainses settled in Virginia but decided that the next time they moved it would be to Florida. Rose explains, “Lloyd was always traveling for work, and he loved Florida. We knew that when we retired, we were moving there.”

Rose and Lloyd bought a house in Tarpon Springs, and Lloyd began to explore what had always been a passion for him-gardening. “I always said when I moved to Florida I was going to grow every fruit tree I could find, and I did,” he says. From orange trees to fig trees, the Rainses had a veritable grove in their yard. While the fruit was delicious, it proved to be a lot of work.

Lloyd laughs, “I was always fighting with the birds over my trees.” Rose adds, “We made preserves; we pruned; we did so much work.” Between keeping up with their fruit trees, their garden, and doing normal home maintenance, the Rainses felt like they still had full-time jobs. After deciding that it was time to relax, have more fun, and do some traveling, the couple moved to an active adult community in Sun City Center, FL.

Their move to Sun City Center proved to be a time of rediscovery for the Rainses, who learned how to dance. “We learned all the dance steps, and we had a great time doing it,” says Rose. After finally getting Lloyd out on the dance floor, Rose fulfilled another life-long dream: she learned to paint. She took classes to learn to draw and taught herself how to do watercolors. With less than a year of experience as a painter, Rose won a Blue Ribbon for one of her paintings at the Kings Point Art Show at Sun City Center.

After 18 years at the active adult community, Lloyd and Rose began to consider a move to an independent living community in order to avoid the continuing burden of caring for their large duplex. They also liked the idea of knowing that assisted living would be available should they need it in the future. After touring communities in Florida and Maryland, they found themselves more impressed by the quality of care offered in Maryland. Moving to Maryland provided the added benefit of allowing them to be close to their daughter and their grandchildren.

Rose explains, “Before we moved, my daughter was coming to Florida every time anything happened to either one of us, and we didn’t think that was fair to her. We were already considering a move when I fell and broke my rotator cuff and my hip at the same time. The recovery was very difficult, and it made us realize that it was time to make a move.” When their daughter saw a billboard for nearby Mays Chapel Ridge, she convinced her parents to visit the community.

During their visit to Mays Chapel, the Rainses first noted the smaller size of the community. “We didn’t want to live in one of those huge places,” says Rose. “Another thing that was immediately apparent was that the staff was all very friendly” she continues. The couple was pleasantly surprised to learn that there was no large entrance fee for the community, only a small application fee. This meant that they were able to pay the application fee without worrying about selling their house in Florida first.

Returning to a seasonal climate proved to be a welcome change for both of them; Lloyd gets some time off from gardening, and Rose has found new inspiration from the changing colors of the seasons. “I didn’t realize it until we moved back, but I did really miss the change of the seasons. I had actually gotten a little bit tired of all that steamy hot weather in Florida, and I had forgotten how beautiful and dramatic the colors are when the seasons change. That first year back, I spent hours collecting, drawing, and painting leaves,” relates Rose.

The move has added color to the Rainses landscape and their lives, in the form of new friends and exciting activities. Since moving a little over a year ago, the couple has quickly become involved in their new community. For the first time, Lloyd is tuning up his singing voice as a budding member of The Ridge Boys Choir, a mix of 20 gentlemen from independent and assisted living who provide musical entertainment throughout Maryland. Rose volunteers as an office assistant and in the community gift shop. Rose says, “We have gotten to know almost all of our fellow residents, and they are really wonderful people.”

Mays Chapel Ridge’s Executive Director, Amanda O’Neill, adds, “Mr. and Mrs. Rains are incredibly vibrant and active. They are very involved in the community and are so happy here. The great thing about our community is that it is only three years old, so we are able to develop targeted programs to meet our residents’ needs, and that really works well for residents like the Rainses, who take full advantage of our wonderful activities staff.”

Rose sums up their experience, saying, “We are just so happy here; it has all worked out so well.” Comfortable in their new home, the Rainses have once again made a fresh start. Adding a touch of fertilizer here and a splash of magenta there, they are now busy framing the perfect retirement.

During the early days of her career, Ms. Brown became involved with a group known as the Weusi Artists. Their artistic focus was identifying with their African Ancestry and the socio-political issues of the time. Ms. Brown became the only female member of this illustrious group.

She then co-founded the “Where We At” Black Women Artists collective that incorporated the artistic philosophy she’d experienced as a member of the Weusi. Ms. Brown also has two published novels, including Willy’s Summer Dream, which is based on her youngest son’s experiences.

Ms. Brown eventually purchased a row house in Northeast D.C. Although she loved the home, when her friend passed away there was no one to help her with the necessary maintenance. The dynamic of the neighborhood had also changed dramatically. Many of her old friends had moved away.

Mrs. Brown relates, “Everyone in the neighborhood was moving, and it really changed my spirit. A friend suggested that that I consider selling my house and moving to a retirement community. She even suggested Friendship Terrace, so I looked into it.”

Since moving to Friendship Terrace, an independent living community in Northwest D.C., Ms. Brown says she is much more comfortable. “I feel very safe here. I didn’t know this area very well before, but it is a very nice neighborhood. We are one block from a drugstore, four blocks from the grocery store, and two-and-a-half blocks from the Metro.”

In addition to taking advantage of the convenient location, Ms. Brown is also pleased with the community grounds and the interior of her apartment. “The entire front wall of my apartment is a window, and there are trees right outside the window. I love waking up and seeing the sunlight coming through the branches. The property is very well kept.”

Becoming involved in her new community has really helped Ms. Brown to adjust to the move. She did a presentation on Martin Luther King for her fellow residents for Black History Month. She also organized a trip to the Smithsonian to show and explain her artwork to the other residents. “I’ve always wanted to do everything I can to improve my community, and people always need more activities to inspire them,” attests Mrs. Brown, a woman whose life continues to be inspirational.