Children are always asked what they want to be when they grow up, but at the age of 7, Barbara Williams had in fact discovered her true life passion.  It was during a parade in her hometown of Detroit, Mich., where everyone was celebrating Charles Lindbergh’s first trip across the Atlantic.

“My family was there watching and I told my father, ‘I want to be the first woman to do that,’” she said.

Although Amelia Earhart ultimately paved the way for female pilots as the first woman to cross the Atlantic, Barbara never strayed from accomplishing her lifetime goals. Today, she happily shares her stories and memorabilia with the friends she has made at Paul Spring Retirement Community located in Alexandria, Va.

After spending her early childhood in Detroit, Barbara primarily grew up in Chicago, Ill. and eventually attended college in Minnesota.  It was there she met Jim, her future husband. 

The road to getting married was not an easy one for the two.  Jim had been drafted the summer before the war and was only supposed to be gone a year, but his plans were halted by the attack on Pearl Harbor.  Barbara was also still in school, but when Jim had gone to Officer Candidate School and could afford to be married, she talked to her professors on how to finish her credits.  It was during his first leave as an officer when the two finally wed.

Meanwhile Barbara had been taking flying courses through college before the war.  Having earned her wings, she tried to pursue her dream after the war, but was not accepted because she was a married woman.  “I’ve never outgrown the dislike for that,” she said.

As a result, she started to rent planes, despite the expenses, until the couple had their three children.  While she took them out flying on occasion, the family moved a great deal across the country through Jim’s job and eventually ended up living in Washington, D.C.

Following his retirement, the couple decided to travel to different parts of the world.  “We went in the Peace Corps for two years and were in the Philippines which was wonderful,” said Barbara.  “We worked for the Farmer’s Core and learned the Ilocano language.”

With their home at the time located in Lynchburg, Va., the couple knew they wanted to make a transition and live near one of their sons in the D.C. Metro area.  In 2003, they researched different senior housing options, and knew Paul Spring was the best place for them to settle for their future years.

“It was small and private and that is what we wanted,” said Barbara.

The Williams immediately found a sense of camaraderie at the community, especially Jim, despite his declining health.  “He would go downstairs to dinner and he would just sit in the chair and people would talk to him,” said Barbara.  “Everyone liked him, it was amazing.”

The couple had spent over two years at Paul Spring before Jim passed away. “People here were very kind,” she said.  “I couldn’t tell you how many people would meet me in the hall and just give me a hug.”

In addition to the support system she found at the community, she has taken advantage of the numerous activities and amenities Paul Spring has to offer.  From Wii bowling and yoga to weekly movie nights and socials, there is always something going on for Barbara and her peers.  Among her favorite activities, however, is Bingo.    “It’s fun because anyone can pick it up in a hurry and you get to know people,” she said.

Aside from the many friends she has made while participating in activities and socializing at dinner, Barbara said it is also the staff that highly contributes to the community’s welcoming and caring atmosphere. “The help here is wonderful and the staff just makes it a warm environment,” she said. 

This help ranges in a variety of services such as housekeeping, laundry, transportation, daily meal plans, emergency call systems and professional management and maintenance services.  Those in assisted living receive personal care services from assistance with activities of daily living to being escorted to and from meals and in-house activities. Although Paul Spring offers residential and assisted living, individuals also have the unique option of customizing their daily care, including nursing assistance, based on their particular needs. 

With the peace of mind knowing healthcare and an accommodating staff are available, Barbara, who is also the secretary of the Resident Council, continues to enjoy the luxuries of her home that is conveniently located to the offerings of Old Town Alexandria.  No matter where the day takes her, however, she loves coming back to her apartment which is adorned with documents detailing her flying days as one of ‘Macalester’s Ladybirds.’ 

Especially important to her are the newspaper clippings Jim had framed for her one Christmas.  “He was one of the first I took up in the air when we were still in college.  He always accepted it,” she said.

Today, she can happily say that she has found a similar sense of support and a feeling of family at Paul Spring, a place she has proudly recommended to other friends considering a transition in their lives.

“The people here are just friendly,” she said.  “You smile, and they smile back.”

SourceBook publisher, Steve Gurney conducted the interview with Barbara Williams in her apartment at Paul Spring.  Steve has very close ties to Paul Spring and its residents.  The community was the first stop on his journey to better understand the transition that the readers of the publication he founded make.  At age 43, Steve lived as a resident and documented his insights and thoughts at www.everyoneisaging.com.  He says, “Although I had visited over 500 senior communities in my 20-year career when I moved to Paul Spring, I realized how much I had missed by not trying to experience these settings through the eyes of the residence.  These communities are the best neighborhoods I have ever lived in, where neighbors truly care about and care for each other.”

One of Sandy’s favorite memories growing up in Minneapolis, Minn. was seeing Roosevelt when he campaigned in her hometown and St. Paul in the 1930s.  “He was in an open car with his wife and we just thought it was so exciting,” she said.

After graduating high school, she worked for the Dayton Company for over two years, a job she was thankful to have as Americans were overcoming the Depression.  When WWII started, however, she enlisted in the Navy at age 20 with the help of her father and left her hometown for boot camp.

“Here I was this little girl getting out of Minnesota for the first time and I was in New York City,” Sandy said with a smile.  Through the Navy, she was able to attend college in Millersville, Ga. and was eventually assigned to the Patuxent River Naval Air Station where she handled payroll for all of the sailors and seamen. 

There, she met Donald, an accountant who was also in the Navy.  They married in her hometown and had two daughters.  Over the years, he worked for the Internal Revenue Service and later started his own business. Sandy enjoyed working for him while the couple frequently made trips to their house in Ocean City, NJ.

It was almost overnight that Sandy said she noticed a change in Donald.  “One time he got lost driving somewhere he’d been hundreds of times,” she said.  In addition to showing signs of dementia, he had experienced falling incidents, for which he had to receive minor surgery. 

When Donald passed away, Sandy stayed at their home for a year and half before deciding to make a transition.  With the help of her daughters who visited often, she found The Maples of Towson, an assisted living community that could offer her a maintenance-free lifestyle and a more active environment. 

“Fortunately, even in this bad market, our house sold right away,” said Sandy.  “When I arrived here, it was so much better than being alone in a big house.”

It was especially important for Sandy to meet other people, since at the age of 88, she said she is now either too far away from her friends or has outlived most of them.  With a smaller size of 70 to 80 residents at The Maples, she has found it that much easier getting to know her peers.

“Some of them are absolutely fascinating. We have someone here that was captured in WWII and was a prisoner in one of Hitler’s concentration camps,” she said.  “We’re all from different parts of the Union and have somehow come to The Maples.”

As she enjoys interacting with her fellow residents, she also takes advantage of seeing her family, who will come and stay with her, or take her to Ocean City for a few days. The opportunity to venture off-campus is something she especially appreciates, since the community’s convenient location to Towson Plaza and the library was among the perks that appealed to Sandy and her family.

When she is not venturing out to the local restaurants and shops, Sandy, who enjoys sewing and playing the piano, has the flexibility of being as active at The Maples as she chooses.  “I have so much to do writing letters, but I’m getting into the activities more and I’ve watched a few performances,” she said.   

Most importantly, she can participate in the variety of stimulating activities knowing she has access to a full range of care options.  At The Maples, the team of care providers works closely with residents, families and health care professionals to develop personalized service plans based on an individual’s needs, desires and abilities.  Residents can also receive assistance with activities of daily living or take advantage of other onsite medical services such as diagnostic services and physical therapies.

In addition to comprehensive care, Sandy enjoys numerous amenities which include three daily meals, housekeeping, laundry services and a state-of-the-art emergency call system.  She can also be seen utilizing the beauty shop or reading in the small library where people have contributed various books. 

“You don’t have to cook or clean, and after cooking so long, I don’t miss it at all,” she said.  “I’ve heard about other people not as happy with how the staff takes care of them in other retirement homes; I’m very satisfied here.”

From seeing a future president to her service in the Navy, there is no question Sandy has led an eventful life.  Among those experiences she can look back fondly on is her decision to take the next step and look into a new housing option.  While this is a transition others often find difficult, Sandy can say that with the supportive and stimulating environment she has found at The Maples, life continues to be fascinating.

“So far, I’m very happy,” she said. 

Over the years, the Wyatt-Browns traveled a great deal teaching at different institutions. After beginning their careers at Colorado State in Fort Collins, Colo., they later went to University of Colorado in Boulder and spent 17 years at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Oh. They eventually transferred to the University of Florida, where they taught for 21 years. In addition, the couple also spent part of their careers in Princeton, University of Wisconsin, University of Richmond and William & Mary. Anne and Bertram also had a daughter, who now lives in St. Paul, Minn., along with two grandchildren.

Despite their many moves, it was never a question for the couple as to where they would spend their future. They left Florida to return home to Baltimore, where they had their sights set on eventually moving to Roland Park Place based on its convenient location and the positive experiences of Anne’s parents there.

Although Anne was initially hesitant about the physical aspects of the move, health issues and the difficulty of navigating and maintaining their three-level house had prompted the couple to seriously think about the transition to maintain their busy lifestyle.

“Baltimore is home for me; my family is here,” said Anne. “The reason we ended up at Roland Park Place is my parents lived here and I had no intention of going to the county. As far as I was concerned it was the city or forget it, and it had to be the neighborhood.”

Having several friends and relatives needing care in a variety of elder care settings over the years had made the couple see the value of a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC). They appreciated the fact that they would be able to remain connected to their friends on the campus even if their health needs were to change.

Anne also liked the improvements she had seen at Roland Park Place since her parents were living there. Among those big differences was a list of resources compiled by the staff to help ease the transition and a complimentary floor plan design consultation for future residents.

To further ensure a stress-free move, Anne and Bertram decided to hire a firm that could provide senior move management services. They selected Senior Transitions, Inc., an organization owned and operated by Charna Kinneberg. Senior Transitions, Inc. is a well established company. Charna is one of the founding members of the National Association of Senior Move Managers (NASMM).

With so many decisions to make about what to take, the couple really appreciated a software program that Senior Transitions, Inc. used that mapped out their new floor plan with their existing furniture and possessions. According to Charna, the program allows clients to immediately see their plans and what will or will not work in their new space.

“You could really see what it was going to look like,” said Anne.

Charna then provided her guidance to assist the couple in sorting through their belongings and getting rid of or donating different pieces of furniture.

“I coach my clients to focus on what we want to keep, not what they are getting rid of. It really helps with the decision making process,” she said.

Understanding just how important their tremendous book collection and academic libraries were to the Wyatt-Browns, Charna made certain to identify appropriate space for as many bookcases as possible. The couple was pleasantly surprised at how many bookcases could actually fit. Also realizing that Anne and Bertram needed space for their own computers, she incorporated a desk for each of them in the design.

“My goal is to keep as many of the most treasured items as possible while maintaining a safe environment,” said Charna.

Although Anne is often questioned how she could give up so many pieces of furniture, she said, “A lot of our furniture was handed down to us, and to be able to give it to people who want it and who will someday give it to somebody else I think is wonderful.”

For the official moving day, Senior Transitions, Inc. brought in a crew to manage and facilitate the move. “They were very efficient and fun to be around,” said Bertram. “They made it a pleasure . . . they were just great.”

Anne continued, “They had terrific ideas for pictures, and once they put the pictures up, it made it ours and just transformed the place. They are really gifted in figuring out where to put things and I am in awe of their skill.”

With the move behind them, the Wyatt-Browns are eager to get involved with programs at their new home as they continue the activities they are most passionate about.

One of these lifelong pursuits for the couple is writing. While Anne is an author as well as the co-editor of a gerontological-style journal, Bertram has written twelve books and is a visiting scholar at Johns Hopkins. “I go to seminars sometimes and get revved up about that,” he said.

Music is another passion they have shared. Anne, who started in the Glee Club at Bryn Mawr when she was 14, had dreamed of attending Radcliffe College and joining its Chorale Society after hearing them in concert. Not only did she accomplish this goal, but she also became the group’s manager and has since continued to sing in different chorales and churches.

“Everywhere we have gone, I have sung in a group,” she said. “We had 10 moves, and every time, we would join a church and join the choir.” That carries through today as the couple sings in the choir at the Cathedral of the Incarnation which is right down the street from their home.

Most importantly, Anne and Bertram have enjoyed getting to know the individuals at the community. They have been very impressed with how outgoing the staff and residents are and are pleased that there are other “academics” living at Roland Park Place.

“The facilities are great and we plan to make good use of them, but it’s the kindness of people that really makes a difference,” said Anne.

As they meet new individuals, however, they will never forget the people who played a pivotal role in helping them get settled into their new home. No matter their daily pursuits, the Wyatt-Browns know they have beautiful and comfortable surroundings to return to thanks to Senior Transitions, Inc.

“They were terrific, we have nothing but praise for Charna and her group,” said Bertram.

Dr. Bill Thomas argues that this archetype is severely flawed. Joining a strong support network and becoming interdependent, he says, will help seniors live longer, healthier lives and is the answer to the impending eldercare crisis.

“We all have to accept the idea that aging is developmental. We have to understand that people grow old-and that growth is an important part of the process,” says Thomas. An international authority on geriatric medicine and eldercare, Dr. Thomas founded The Eden Alternative, a non-profit organization committed to improving the care received in institutional facilities. The Eden Alternative was born of necessity.

Thomas recalls, “My wife, Jude, and I were working in a nursing home in the early 1990s. Our first-hand experience led to the reform strategy that is the heart of the Eden Alternative.” Years later, Thomas took the strategy one step further. He explains, “We thought, ‘what if we could build a facility from the ground up, instead of trying to work with what was in place?’”

Dr. Thomas started over. He created a new model for nursing homes, and with a team of experts, prepared to build his village. Their efforts resulted in the Green House Project, a philosophy for designing, constructing, and operating long-term care facilities that is a dramatic departure from current standards.

Facility size, interior design and layout, staffing patterns, and the methods for delivering skilled services were all altered in the Green House plans. Homes will be much smaller than the average nursing home, housing only 15-20 residents, and will be more user friendly for both residents and staff members. Green Houses will be licensed as nursing homes, so that residents can receive care regardless of their physical condition, and services will be covered by Medicare.

The Green House Project even redefined staffing procedures for long-term care facilities. Green House staff members are trained shabazi, professionals who work to enhance the lives of the elders they serve. Thomas points out, “Our Shabazim are unique. They are trained in nursing, housekeeping, culinary arts, shared decision making, and teamwork.”

Dr. Thomas goes on to explain how the Green House Project did away with the departmental model so prevalent in nursing homes, in favor of an environment that fosters team work. “There is no boss or administrator in a Green House. R.N.s visit with patients on a regular basis to meet their medical needs, but the Shabazim take care of creating and maintaining a healthy ‘rhythm of daily life.’ They work as a team, and they feel like a team, and they really know the residents,” he says.

The pilot Green House was opened in Tupelo, MS in 2003. The home, called Green Houses at Traceway, has been deemed a success by its residents, staff members, and by industry professionals. Rosalie Kane, of the University of Minnesota, did a two year study on the Green House. Thomas notes, “Her evaluation showed better clinical outcomes, better staff and elder satisfaction, and proved that the Green Houses were financially viable, that they can be operated with the same amount it takes to run a nursing home in Mississippi.”

The positive outcome of the study led to the decision of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to provide an endowment for the program. The ten million dollar grant will result in the creation of Green Houses in all fifty states.

“America is loaded with nursing homes that are aging faster than the people in them. We have to decide whether or not we are going to rebuild them-or if we are going to choose to build something different in their place,” Thomas says. He feels confident that America is prepared for a change. He states, “I’ll make a bold prediction: Someday America will have 100,000 Green Houses, and there will be one million Shabazim.”

Not satisfied to focus only on seniors in need of high levels of assistance, Dr. Thomas has recently shifted his attention to active adults and independent seniors. He is attempting to create the interdependent environment fostered in Green Houses in communities that are mixed-use and made up of mixed-age residents. He calls these communities EldershiresT. EldershireT communities promote the idea that health and well-being are tied closely to the nature and quality of the community that surrounds us. Better communities are the surest path to a better quality of life.

EldershireT is based loosely on the Danish concept of co-housing. In the 1950s, the Danish government began to construct co-housing communities, developments of small homes built close together with several common areas among them. These planned communities foster connections among neighbors and offer distinct environmental and social benefits. In recent years, co-housing developments have begun to catch on in America.

Playing off the uniqueness and success of co-housing communities, Dr. Thomas and his team began planning EldershireT communities. EldershiresT are unique in their “focus on the value and worth of aging citizens as an important building block of a healthy community,” according to Thomas. He continues, “So much of what we hear about aging revolves around how awful it is and how terribly expensive it can be. We are saying that aging is an importation cornerstone of any community and that elders are a vital resource.” Dr. Thomas and his wife are in the process of planning the pilot community in Upstate New York.

The inspiration for EldershireT was to create a viable alternative to what Dr. Thomas terms the “aging in place paradigm.” He explains, “Today, aging in place is the Holy Grail; it is perfection. Seniors strive to remain independent in their own homes even if it means being lonely, isolated, or possibly in danger.”

Anything less than living independently, he says, “is seen as a defeat.” While remaining in a long-time home or a familiar environment is the first choice for most seniors, it may be a choice that is detrimental to their health-and the health of their communities. “Where do you think the term ‘shut-in’ came from?,” asks Thomas.

Isolated seniors are robbed of the opportunity to contribute to their community, and their communities, likewise, are denied their knowledge and expertise. EldershireT communities will tap into this resource by allowing seniors to “age in community,” instead of aging in place.

Dr. Thomas firmly believes that living in a supportive community can give individuals the opportunity to remain involved, engaged, and most importantly, interdependent. He concludes, “The number one reason people end up in long-term care facilities is social, not medical. I would argue that every nursing home resident in America has an exact clinical double living at home. It is the social network they have in place, whether that is children, friends, or an entire community, that allows them to live at home.”

If Dr. Thomas’s EldershiresT come to fruition individuals will age in communities and receive necessary support from their friends and neighbors. If care needs become great, residents will turn to home health providers, but until then, they will take care of their own-regardless of their age. They will be caregivers, and they will receive care. They will be comfortable in their dependence on each other. They will grow old, and they will continue to grow. They will be a village.

Dr. Thomas is the author of two books, the critically-acclaimed, What are Old People For? How Elders Will Save the World, and the soon to be released, In the Arms of Elders.