A 78-year-old newlywed, Martha
Moore Wooldridge recently celebrated her second wedding anniversary.

A native of Pennsylvania, Martha attended college in Vermont before marrying and moving to the Philadelphia suburbs. An English major, Martha worked at several nearby college libraries before leaving work to raise her two children.When her children were older, Martha returned to the workforce and discovered a passion for desktop publishing. “I was working at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, and I learned desktop publishing, and I really loved the computer; I love what the computer can do,” recalled Martha.

Martha’s passion for computers continued after retirement, and she found a new outlet for it when she moved to Ginger Cove. She is now editor-in-chief of the residents’ monthly newsletter. In addition to editing and laying out the articles submitted by her fellow residents, Martha also contributes original articles about her peers. “The people here are just really interesting, so I try to interview them and share their stories,” she said.

One of the many interesting stories at Ginger Cove belongs to Martha herself. A second-generation CCRC resident, she knew early that she wanted to plan ahead for retirement. Martha’s mother was living in a CCRC in Western Pennsylvania when she suffered a stroke. “We were 300 miles away and so relieved that we didn’t have to find nursing care when she got sick because the health center was part of her community. We decided then that we would move to a CCRC too,” Martha remembered.

Martha may have decided to move to a retirement community early, but she found her ideal community quite unexpectedly. “We looked at lots of communities around Philadelphia,” Martha said. “They were O.K., but none of them seemed exactly right.”

Martha and her husband Ken were visiting a nearby family cottage when they decided on a whim to check out Ginger Cove. Martha recalled, “They invited us to visit. It didn’t matter that we only had shorts to wear.” After their initial visit, they returned to the community for dinner and quickly decided they had found their new home.

Shortly thereafter, Martha and Ken made the move to a spacious apartment at Ginger Cove overlooking pretty Gingerville Creek. Unfortunately, they were just beginning to settle in when tragedy struck. “Six weeks after we moved in, my husband died,” Martha recalled. “We knew he was sick, but we thought it was going to work out, but it just didn’t.”

In addition to writing and outdoor activities, Martha’s busy
schedule also includes water aerobics.

After Ken’s sudden passing, Martha found support in her new community. “Even though I didn‘t really know anybody here, they all rallied around, and I got to know so many people so quickly,” she said. With the help of her new friends at Ginger Cove and at the nearby First Presbyterian Church in Annapolis, Martha began to heal. “I cannot imagine what it would have been like if I had been alone in that big house. It would have been so lonely,” she said.

Just over a year later, Martha and her family suffered another tragedy when she lost her daughter. “Again, these two new families — my Ginger Cove family and my church family — were there for me,” Martha remembered. “I didn’t have to be alone with my grief, so that part was wonderful.”

One of the friends who offered support to Martha was Tim Wooldridge. Much like Martha, Tim lost his wife just a few months after moving to Ginger Cove. The two became friends, and a relationship grew out of their friendship. “I don’t know quite how it happened,” Martha smiled as she recalled. “It just sort of evolved very naturally.”

On March 24, 2012, Martha and Tim were married. Their reception was held at Ginger Cove and was truly a community affair. To celebrate their first milestone as a couple, Martha and Tim had the help of many of the community’s residents and staff. Martha laughs as she recalls all the friends who wanted to be her ‘flower girls.’ “In the end I had four ‘flower girls,’ and it was really hysterical, but I gave them all little duties and called them ‘flower girls,’” she said.Beyond the major milestones, moving to Ginger Cove has dramatically improved Martha’s everyday life. “They take such good care of us here, and I think that lengthens our lives,” she said. “I also think all the socialization this community provides helps us live longer and better.”

From carefree entertaining to the 35 resident committees and countless activities, Martha and her peers can always find something stimulating to do. Martha’s busy schedule includes water aerobics, kayaking on the nearby creek, and participating in the creative writing group, as well as her work on the community’s newsletter.

In addition to all her regular activities, Martha is also thrilled to be serving on the Planning Committee for Ginger Cove’s 25th anniversary celebration in August 2013. The group is already busy coordinating an old-fashioned picnic complete with a parade. “It will be a fun day, and a great chance to celebrate this wonderful community,” she said.

Martha is preparing to help Ginger Cove celebrate its 25th
anniversary in August. She is a part of the Planning Committee that is coordinating an old-fashioned picnic complete with a parade.

During the past 25 years, Ginger Cove has continually expanded and improved its facilities to serve its diverse and active group of residents. Most recently, the community completed a major renovation and construction project, which added a casual dining room with an outdoor deck, a large indoor aquatics center, a Wellness Center, a spa and a business center. The project also included total renovation of the 61-bed skilled nursing and rehab center to include all-private rooms, airy family rooms and a beautiful 5,000 square foot open-air garden.

Whether you are celebrating a second anniversary or a 25th anniversary, the occasion provides an opportunity to think back and to look forward — to appreciate where you have been and anticipate where you are going. As the residents of Ginger Cove plan for the community’s upcoming anniversary, they are grateful to have found a home that is adapting to meet their needs while maintaining its dedication to quality care and strong connections. Those connections are perhaps best exemplified by newlyweds Martha and Tim Wooldridge, who both suffered great losses, but who, with the help of their friends and neighbors, are making new memories and marking new milestones.

Father Manuel Roman

Manuel Roman was born in the U.S. Virgin Islands and came to Baltimore to be a doctor. Halfway through his premed studies at Johns Hopkins University, he started to question if it was the career path for him. He developed an interest in becoming a language professor, so he changed his major to French and minored in German. While in graduate school, he became further perplexed about his future when he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Reserve at Ft. Meade.

At a crossroads between a career in medicine, teaching or the military, he went to see his pastor, who actually later became the Archbishop of Baltimore.  When Manuel presented his problem, his pastor asked if he had thought about becoming a priest.

“When I said no, he said add that to the list,” Manuel said with a laugh.  He then instructed Manuel to interview a physician, military officer, professor and priest having each explain the pros and cons of their careers.  He also instructed him to pray over it to get the answer. Then in January 1950, Manuel came across a publication titled “Questions About Vocations.”

“I read it in one reading and when I finished I wanted to be a parish priest,” he said. This started him on a rewarding path of advanced degrees and assignments in a variety of parishes and schools. His favorite assignment was spending his last 20 years as a pastor at Ascension Catholic Church of Halethorpe. “I loved the challenges that we had there,” he said.

Manuel retired at age 80 and moved to an apartment in Catonsville. When he started having problems with arthritis, he began searching for assisted living options, but found his choices limited by the fact that he was insulin-dependent.  Fortunately someone recommended Heartlands Senior Living Village, which provides independent and assisted living as well as rehabilitation services. “When I called here they said, ‘We will take you insulin and all!’” said Manuel.

After living in the Heartlands for over three years he said, “I don’t think I could find a better place than this one, I am not saying this because somebody’s telling me to; I’m saying it from my heart.”  He cited the friendly and supportive staff as well as the vast amount of activities and recreational offerings as some of his favorite aspects of the community.

In addition, he thoroughly enjoys the food at Heartlands. He said, “If you don’t like what’s on the regular menu, they have an alternate menu. If you don’t like what’s on the alternate menu, they will do everything they can to please you.  This is one excellent feature here that many other places don’t have.”

Edna Murray

The youngest of eight children, Edna was actually the first in her family to graduate from high school. “I graduated at the height of the Depression; the rest of my siblings had to go to work,” she said. After deferring an offer to attend Duke University, she started working at the C & P Telephone Company the day after she graduated.

There, she said she met a young man on loan from the Maryland office, and within six months they were married. “We had a delightful marriage for 61 years,” she said.

In that time, she continued working for C&P and moved to Hampstead, Md., the small country town where her husband was born and raised.  They had one child, whom Edna quipped, they “spoiled rotten.” Their family grew over the years with two granddaughters and four great grandchildren.

Edna said she enjoyed every minute of her career at C&P, earning her college degree and becoming one of the first women to rise to the executive level in her company.  When she and her husband retired at age 55, they bought a condo in Florida to spend part of the year.  Her husband was an avid golfer and they belonged to clubs in both states.

In 1992, the couple was among the first residents to move to Heartlands, which was a brand new independent living retirement community.  With Edna’s husband recuperating from a bout with cancer, they figured it would be a smart move and after researching the community, they settled on a cottage with a den and screened-in porch.  After her husband fully recovered, they moved back to Hampstead.  They agreed, however, if one of them passed away the surviving spouse would return to Heartlands.

When this became a reality for Edna, she lived alone for eight years, but decided it was best to move back to Heartlands.  Amazed at how much the community had expanded, she moved into an independent living apartment. 

“It’s just a place that has touched me as home,” she said.  The homelike atmosphere has meant a great deal to Edna who has since moved to an assisted living apartment due to the progression of vision and health problems. 

“That is one of the best features about Heartlands,” says Beth Sanchez, director of Marketing.  “We have been part of the Ellicott City culture for over 24 years, and we are ‘home’ to over 250 residents.  Our residents and their families enjoy-and rely on-the warmth and care that surround them here. We are proud and honored to serve the seniors in our community.”

And Edna has learned how that warmth and care extends to all facets of the community.  Since she now has to pay close attention to her diet due to a pancreas problem, she, like Manuel, enjoys the fact that she has three meals a day and the companionship of her friends at meals.

As a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Maryland Federation of Women’s Clubs for six decades, Edna also enjoys the vibrant atmosphere she has found at the Heartlands.  With a passion for hobbies, she has access to a range of amenities including the community center that hosts a variety of social functions along with a full-service library and indoor heated pool and spa.  She even maintains her outside relationships, particularly assisting her 97-year-old friend who lives in a nearby nursing home. 

For others considering a move, Edna offered some sage advice. “I think living at Heartlands is the way to go.  When you get here, it’s about how you are going to live your life.  There has never been a day I had any sorrow for coming here.”

And coming from either of these individuals, with not only their impressive educational backgrounds, but the choices they made to find a home that has met their individualized needs, these are certainly words of wisdom.

Alan and Katharine Jung are truly a model for ideal retirement living. Not only have their retirement living decisions been well thought-out and proactive, but they have also embraced the new opportunities that retirement offers and are fully enjoying what they refer to as a “new season in their life.” The couple can certainly offer helpful advice to others concerning retirement living decisions-right down to the downsizing checklist Katharine devised.

They did just that during a recent presentation for their fellow residents and prospective residents at Carroll Lutheran Village, a continuing care retirement community in Westminster, MD. Their presentation was part of a program about retirement living decisions, which included various senior -serving professionals.

Putting themselves in a position to fully enjoy their senior years has always been on the agenda for these two planners. As Alan relates, “We were kind of in a unique situation in that we always knew that our home-office combination would be the cornerstone of our retirement financially. We always had the mindset in place that is necessary to leave your home. Too many people are tied to their homes, but we really weren’t. We had plenty of time to prepare for the move.” After Alan retired from his dental practice in 1991, the couple began preparing for moving from their spacious home to a one-bedroom apartment, which necessitated a radical downsizing of their possessions.

“Downsizing can be a painful procedure for some people,” admits Katharine. However, Katharine and Alan helped ease the stress of downsizing by utilizing an ingenious inventory checklist. This gave all three of the Jung’s children an opportunity to discuss items with their spouses and decide what they wanted. It also allowed the Jungs to dispose of any unwanted items. Despite the hard work and difficulties involved in the moving process, the Jungs found it to be a rewarding experience: “The process was truly a liberating experience for us, because we came to the understanding of how relatively unimportant ‘things’ are in our life.”

Reducing their baggage allowed the couple to completely change their lifestyle. They moved to a waterfront apartment in Baltimore, which they speak of fondly as “a wonderful place, in a great, urban environment.” Unfortunately, though, the living arrangement wasn’t as secure as the Jungs would have liked. Alan explains, “The landlord and his wife were people that I knew, and we had grown up in the same neighborhood. We were happy living with them, but they were getting older, and I began to wonder from time to time what would happen to us if they died. I just didn’t feel secure for the long haul in that environment, so I began to think of other options. My primary motive was to get Katharine into a position so that I could feel secure that if something happened to me she would be set.”

Alan talked about his apprehensions with Katharine and discovered that she was concerned for his future as well. After discussing it, the couple decided that it was important to ensure that their children did not have to make any retirement-related decisions for them. “I knew what it was like to have to make decisions for aging parents, and I didn’t want our children to have to go through that. These are difficult decisions and can be heart-rending and often the right choice is not really clear. So we thought it was best to eliminate all their potential worries, take care of ourselves, and let them get on with their lives,” recalls Alan.

After some preliminary research, the couple realized that a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) could offer them “the best of all worlds, since it offered comfort, safety, security, and freedom of movement at the Residential Living level. A seamless transfer between various levels of health care would be there too, if the need ever arose.” They started investigating CCRCs on-line and visited several communities in the Baltimore area. When they went to visit Carroll Lutheran Village, they knew they had found their home amidst the beautiful grounds and welcoming residents.

“What’s not to like about this place?,” asks Alan. “We have lived here for two and a half years now, and we couldn’t be happier. Everything we could possibly need or want is right here.” In fact, the two are very involved in the community. Katharine serves on the Hospitality Committee, which is an integral part of the Resident Association. The committee helps new residents settle in by providing them with dinner arrangements and introductions. As Katharine points out, “We want to make sure that we acquaint new residents not only with the physical campus, but also with the people and our way of life here. It’s incredibly important to help people adjust to the move because it can be very traumatic for some people.”

Katharine will have the opportunity to welcome countless new residents once the Village’s new expansion, Wakefield Overlook, is completed. Wakefield Overlook is a premier, full-service community that will include 82 modern apartments, 60 Village homes, and a Mission Square featuring a Wellness Center and Hospitality Center. The expansion project began in the spring of 2004 and, once completed, will nearly double the size of the Village. The project will add countless amenities to the community, including a 25-meter pool, a whirlpool, a spa, an exercise room, and several common areas.

Although Katharine and Alan have no plans to move from their current apartment in the Village, they are looking forward to enjoying the new facilities and to meeting new neighbors. Katharine relates, “The new Overlook is going to be an entirely different complex, and it will have a great community feel. All of the amenities will be available to all of us, and I’m really looking forward to the swimming pool.”

To individuals who may be considering a move, Katharine and Alan suggest, “Don’t Wait!” Katharine advises, “You have no real picture of how wonderful the freedom of living in a retirement community is until you’ve moved. It’s like living in any place, except you have the freedom to come and go as you please. You have all types of amenities available to you and no responsibility for home or ground maintenance.”

With all their plans settled, this couple now spends most of their time volunteering to improve their community and spending time with their children and grandchildren. From the beginning, they had a plan for the future and seeing that plan come to fruition has been very rewarding. Of the completed moves and their new lifestyle, Alan concludes, “Katharine and I have been truly blessed in this new season of our lives.” Katharine adds, “It is very important that people try to look forward to what they have to enjoy later in life.” Katharine and Alan Jung continue to do just that-look forward to their future.