Gil and Barbara Stein know this simple fact well. Recently, the couple gave their children an incredible gift and quickly discovered the joy of giving. After carefully reviewing the nearby options, the Steins signed a contract on a new villa in Waverly Heights, a lifecare community in Gladwyne, Pa. Waverly Heights is a Main Line community located a mere 10 miles northwest of Philadelphia, Pa.

“We decided moving here would be a gift to our children, since they would never have to worry about taking care of their parents,” Barbara explained. “Since moving, we’ve discovered that it was really a gift for ourselves.”

While the Steins originally planned to move to Waverly Heights in 2012, they decided to relocate a year earlier based on the sage advice of current residents. “All the residents uniformly recommended that we come early and enjoy the lifestyle,” Barbara recalled.

Now that the transition is over, the couple enthusiastically seconds this advice. “To our peers who are on the fence, I would say, based on my own experience, it is better to move here five years early than one day late,” Gil said. “I couldn’t agree more,” Barbara added. “We are enjoying the wonderful lifestyle we have here, and we know that the care here is excellent if and when we need it.”

An alumna of Vassar College, Barbara married Gil on her graduation day. The couple eventually settled in Gladwyne, where they raised two sons and a daughter. While Barbara was a full-time wife and mother, she always made time to give back to her community.

For more than 40 years, Barbara worked on the Vassar Show House Scholarship program. The group partnered with interior designers and landscapers to redecorate estate homes and gardens for public tours. “It was a wonderful experience, and we all became very close friends,” Barbara said. “During our time together, we raised almost four million dollars for scholarships.”

As part of another unique partnership, Barbara became a founding board member of the first hospice program in the Philadelphia area. “Hospice really is a remarkable program,” she said, recalling as one of her most memorable experiences her direct volunteer work with a young family.

A native of Philadelphia and an avid sports fan, Gil’s career path has reflected his many passions. An Army Veteran who served during WW II, Gil graduated from Temple University and Boston University Law School. His varied and prestigious work history has included high-ranking positions in Philadelphia city government and positions as a law firm partner, a member of the U.S. Supreme Court Bar, and president and CEO of the National Hockey League (NHL) – just to name a few.

While he found all his various careers rewarding, his work with the NHL married his passion for law with his love for sports. “Whatever I was doing was my favorite at the time, but being involved with the NHL was probably the thing I most identified with,” Gil said.

While he was never a hockey player himself, Gil has always been a huge fan and getting the opportunity to serve as the president of the NHL was an enormous honor. Gil loved working with the players and coaches and advancing the game. After retiring, he wrote the book POWER PLAYS—An Inside Look at the Big Business of the National Hockey League.

As for their lifestyle today, the Steins are enjoying a mix of new and old interests with lots of new friends. Barbara, a self-proclaimed “professional volunteer,” is still pursuing her passion for giving back. She has joined Waverly’s marketing, special events and movie committees. She also participates in the daily physical activity options, ranging from aquatics to line dancing.

Gil continues to work part-time as an adjunct professor of sports law at Villanova University Law School. He is also using his newfound free time to pursue volunteer activities. In fact, he recently became the editor of the Waverly Heights monthly magazine, Waverly Window. He also participates in Waverly’s putting competition and is a member of the traveling putting team.

“The thing I like best about living here is that you can continue to live the life you were living before, or if you want to get involved, there are myriad activities available,” Gil said. “We’ve always had a nice social life,” Barbara added. “The difference is now it is all right here—right outside our door.”

In fact, the Steins knew almost immediately that they would be most comfortable at Waverly Heights. When considering a life care community, they looked at nearly all of the local options, but always felt at home at Waverly.

“Beauty is terribly important to me; I love green space, and this community is just outstanding in that area,” Barbara said. Gil concurred, “We were very attracted to the natural beauty and lovely living accommodations, and once we came here, we found the activities were just wonderful as well.”

The activities and the people have made what is undoubtedly a picturesque location a true home for the Steins. “The biggest thing we have here is a sense of community,” Barbara said. “The residents and staff are there for each other, and it is just a really warm environment.”

Having found that sense of community that is missing in so much of adult life, the Steins have never looked back. “So many people tell us that they are not ready to move, but I’m not really sure what that means,” Barbara said. As a trained social worker with a Master’s in Social Services from Bryn Mawr College, Barbara saw firsthand the importance of planning for one’s later years. She had been an advocate of lifecare communities long before considering their own move; however, she could have never dreamt how much moving would enrich their quality of life.

From pursuing beloved activities to hosting new friends, the Steins are fully enjoying everything that Waverly Heights has to offer. When they were researching life care communities, they thought they were giving a gift to their children. When they moved, they realized that the gift was really for them—and that it just keeps giving. Today, the Steins are thrilled to be literally living in the present.

For the last few years, many homeowners have been keeping an eye on the real estate market and waiting for signs of improvement before considering a move. Newspaper headlines and TV reports scream doom and gloom but that data is generally compiled from broad regional and national markets and doesn’t always consider your local real estate market. There are many areas in which homes that are priced right and show well are selling quickly! However, there is no clear picture as to when there will be an overall upturn in the real estate and financial markets. This uncertainty has caused many to delay downsizing to a smaller home or settling into a retirement community. Often, ‘quality of life’ circumstances may dictate that your need to make a lifestyle change now may be of greater importance than the current real estate climate.

Selling Your Home: Is Waiting the Right Choice?

You may still be living in the home you purchased years ago to be in a particular school district or close to your employment. Ask yourself if the lifestyle you seek includes the burden of homeownership such as maintenance plus paying for ever-increasing taxes. What about transportation, food shopping and preparation? Snow! Healthcare?

Health is a major consideration. If you are considering a move to a CCRC and you qualify for independent living now, will you qualify in a few years? You may not feel “ready” but life changes can occur suddenly. How do you value the security of being settled and having the sale of your house behind you?

If it’s time for you or an aging loved one to move don’t compromise your safety and security. Selling your home may not be as hard as you think.

Determine your next steps

Meet with your family and other trusted sources to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of moving now. Remember, waiting for next spring does not guarantee a better market; it simply means you’re waiting. No one knows what the future holds. If the information on the table indicates it’s time to move, then don’t hesitate. Sit down with a senior real estate specialist, develop a plan and get moving.

Hire a Realtor that Specializes in Working with Seniors

The Senior Real Estate Specialist, SRES®, designation is offered to Realtors through the National Association of Realtors. SRES designees are real estate agents that specialize in senior needs and can ease the transition by having years of experience in helping seniors downsize. They can help you explore your housing options, use their expertise and industry knowledge to provide an honest assessment of your property and make suggestions for improving its saleability. They will develop a pricing and marketing strategy and use their team of resources to sell your home for the most money and get you moved with the least stress. www.sres.org

The Society of Certified Senior Advisors offers the Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) designation. This designation is available to anyone who offers professional services to seniors. The CSA requirements are more comprehensive and rigorous than the SRES requirements. In addition the designee is required to undergo ongoing ethics education and must commit to ongoing volunteer hours working with seniors. www.society-csa.com

“I had three mothers all my life,” she said with a laugh. “I feel I’m blessed by having a good childhood.”

With this close relationship, it is no surprise that Lucille and her two sisters came full circle to live in cottages near one another at The Village at Kelly Drive, a continuing care community with the Lutheran Social Services of South Central Pennsylvania.

They had become familiar with the community prior to its opening having cleaned the buildings as part of their volunteer work through their church.

Over the years, Lucille became the first female county controller in York County. She had married and had a son, but was widowed at the age of 38. It was 10 years later when she remarried and eventually Lucille worked for the director of the Bureau of County Audits and became an administrator for the Department of Revenue in the York office.

When it came to her future, she knew that she would eventually return to The Village at Kelly Drive. Seeing firsthand how happy and secure her sister was had also inspired her to make the move.

“I knew when I volunteered here that this is where I wanted to be,” she said. “I wanted to be independent as long as I could and take advantage of all the activities they have.”

Lucille and her second husband moved into their cottage 15 years ago. His passing, however, prompted her to move into one of the independent apartments to be close to her sisters who were in the assisted living unit at the time.

Maintaining her volunteer efforts throughout the community and for the Salvation Army, Lucille felt a sense of pride recently as she was able to enjoy the celebrations of the Village’s 50th anniversary which she said included good entertainment and a wonderful worship service. Now, she looks forward to even more anniversaries at the home she has known most of her life.

“This place has just fit in with my lifestyle, I never want to be any place else,” she said.

A Harvard-trained physician specializing in neurosurgery, Dr. Simmons travels to Georgetown University Medical School three mornings a week, where he teaches neuroanatomy to first-year medical students. From there, he frequently continues on to the headquarters of So Others Might Eat, (SOME), a private, non-profit organization serving the poor and homeless in Washington.

Here, he provides treatment to patients in need at the organization’s free clinic. Other afternoons, Dr. Simmons volunteers as an instructor at Julius West Middle School, where he offers one-on-one mentoring to kids who can benefit from intensive guidance to reach higher scholastic levels.
Hebrew Home is a community that provides quality and compassionate rehabilitation and long-term nursing home services to those in need. The community is located in Rockville, Md., just outside the Washington DC Metropolitan area.

Thanks to his motorized wheelchair and Metro Access, a shared-ride, curb-to-curb transportation service for individuals with disabilities, the doctor enjoys the freedom and mobility to pursue his medical and social service commitments. Although he has been a resident at the Hebrew Home for the past five years, where he receives daily care and assistance as well as access to special therapeutic equipment, Dr. Simmons has been able to arrange and maintain an active schedule that defies belief.

Having graduated from high school at age 14, medical school at age 20, served in Viet Nam and survived POW captivity, earned one Ph.D. in American History and a second Ph.D. in Economics, taught high school, practiced neurosurgery at Georgetown University Hospital over a 20-year period, and, last but not least, attained the title of grandfather, Dr. Simmons has experienced enough victories and challenges, past and ongoing, to fill several lifetimes. And, he is certainly not done yet!

Jean graduated from the University of Delaware with a degree in Chemistry and spent several years working for the Hercules Chemical Company. After getting married, she moved with her husband to Philadelphia and spent the next twenty years raising their two daughters. When she was only 53, Jean was widowed.

It was then that she had a casual conversation at the beauty parlor that led to a second career as a volunteer. She recalls, “There was a woman there talking about her volunteer work at The Franklin Institute. I told her that I loved science. She told me they were always looking for more volunteers, and I decided to go and do it.”

At The Institute, Jean and her fellow exhibit interpreters do demonstrations, staff activity carts, and provide explanations for visitors. The museum hosts several permanent exhibits, as well as constantly changing traveling exhibits. Each time an exhibit changes or is updated, the interpreters receive new training. Exploring the exhibits and discussing them with guests provides new knowledge as well. Even after 30 years, Jean says, “I don’t think there has been a day that I haven’t learned something new at the museum.”

The non-traditional atmosphere of The Institute seems to add to the stimulation as well. “This is not a typical museum. It’s really lively, not a quiet place at all. There are lots of things for kids and adults alike to get their hands on, and everyone gets involved,” remarks Jean. Jean has befriended many of her fellow volunteers and says that her work at the museum has “kept her active.”

Jean’s active lifestyle extends beyond her work at The Franklin Institute. Five years ago, she moved to Gwynedd Estates, a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) in Montgomery County. She chose the community because of its “small, family-like” atmosphere. Of her move, she says, “I was ready. I lived in my home for over 30 years, and it was time to move.” Life, she says, has not changed too much since moving. She laughs as she notes, “I just don’t have to cook anymore.”

Always one to get involved, Jean has found that her new community provides even more opportunities to remain active. “There is so much to do here, and the people are really delightful,” she says.

During a visit to a local elementary school with some of her fellow residents, Jean spent her time telling the children about her work at The Franklin Institute. She explained how some of the exhibits are put together and discussed her experiences at the museum over the past three decades. “That was fun,” she says.

Fun is important to Jean. “I love science, and I’ve always loved learning, but The Franklin Institute makes it so much fun,” she says. She hopes to have fun with her fellow volunteers and the Institute’s thousands of visitors for years to come.

For information on volunteer opportunities, call The Franklin Institute Volunteer Office at 215-448-1163

Jean Blum and Barbara Wald know their way around a kitchen. Their distinctive creations regularly inspire their friends and neighbors. Their prosperous careers, beautiful families, and long marriages prove that their original recipes for a good life are masterpieces in the making as well.

Jean and Barbara are among a small group of residents who recently compiled recipes for a cookbook. The cookbook, entitled Recipes for a Good Life, was published at Martins Run, the Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Media, PA where both women live. The creation of the cookbook got all the residents, and their taste buds, involved.

Jean explains, “We distributed a flyer and had the residents submit recipes. Then we had a tasting contest.” She continues, “People loved it! We gave our recipes to the chef, and now they use our recipes for many of the meals. It’s wonderful.” Working on the cookbook gave residents a chance to share more than just their now famous recipes; they found themselves sharing many of the ingredients that made up their lives.

Jean Blum graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in education and promptly began her career with the Philadelphia public school system. Today, more than 50 years since her career began, Jean still has not completely retired. She continues to teach part-time at The Baldwin School. “They called me in to speak about artifacts and things I did while visiting the Soviet Union. After that, they said, ‘please stay, please teach,’ and I have been there for the past 20 years,” she says.

The nursing field always appealed to Jean as well, who has volunteered as a chaplain in various hospitals around the city. Her passion for nursing continues at Martins Run; she volunteers in the on-site care center.

Avid travelers, Jean and her husband, Jerry, have been to Israel on twelve separate occasions. “Our first trip was for our 25th wedding anniversary. We kept going back year after year because we enjoyed it so much,” says Jean. One of their visits was during the first Gulf War. Jean, also an arts and crafts enthusiast, served in a hospital helping to keep the patients and their families occupied.

Jean worked at a camp in the Poconos teaching arts and crafts for 34 years. Only having been at Martins Run for a little over a year, Jean remarks, “I still think I’m at camp. Everyone’s going back to their apartment, and I’m going back to my bunk!” Her youthful exuberance may be in part because Jean has taken such an active role in her new community. In addition to her chaplain work, she is a member of the book club. “There is still positively so much that I can do. You can be as active as you want,” says Jean.

When they are not busy on campus, Jean and Jerry are often visiting with their two sons, who live nearby. Jean says, “We decided to stay in the area partly because my son is a Rabbi right down the street, and he’s here very often. He used to do the Seders at Martins Run and he still does both nights of Passover.”

Like the Blums, Barbara Wald and her husband, Martin, decided to move to Martins Run largely because of family influence-but in a different way. Barbara’s parents were actually residents at Martins Run in the early ’90s. “We were really familiar with the property because my parents lived here, and our daughter worked here for many years,” she says. Their daughter, Leah, was the exclusive Rabbi at Martins Run for ten years and still lives nearby with her two sons.

Barbara and Martin met at the University of Chicago. While she was working toward degrees in both English and education, he was studying for his MBA. Several years after graduation, the couple returned to the University with their two year old daughter, so that Martin could study for his law degree. Barbara remembers, “We were house parents when we moved back. It was a very tough job being responsible for 180 freshman boys. I could write a book about that!”

The Walds moved to Philadelphia when Martin was offered a great job with his law firm. Over the years, Barbara held a wide array of positions, including mother, author, volunteer, teacher, and small business owner. The software consulting business she founded helped customers identify the best software for their needs. Her successful stint as a business owner ended because of a health scare.

In 1987, Barbara was suddenly diagnosed with breast cancer. She had two mastectomies six weeks apart and her “tolerance for stress went way down,” she recalls. She retired two years later. Barbara’s surgeries, as well as one that Martin had, precipitated the couple’s move to a life care community. Today, they take comfort in knowing that whatever path their lives take, they will not have to make a major move again.

Like Jean Blum, Barbara has become extremely involved in her new community. In addition to submitting recipes for the cookbook, she participates in chair yoga, serves on the residents’ board, and recently wrote a play adaptation of Cinderella to be performed at the community. Barbara says, “The list of available activities is impressive, and I’m busy everyday. Sometimes I have to force myself to take a day and just veg out!”

Perhaps her most time-consuming role is orchestrating the entirely resident-operated “I’m O.K.” program. Every morning, residents hang a sign outside their door that says, “I’m O.K.” Residents in each wing of the building check to make sure everyone has “checked in.” If anyone is found not to have placed their sign out, and does not respond to a knock, security is called. Barbara says, “There’s a real sense of community here. We really care about one another.”

The Walds are pleased with their decision to move to a retirement community and have enjoyed meeting new friends. Barbara says, “There is a real family feeling here. We are very fortunate to eat every evening with two other compatible couples, and we’ve become very close in less than a year.”

And moving to a CCRC certainly hasn’t slowed the Walds down. In this year’s annual Martins Run Fitness Walk competition, a “race” around the campus to promote healthy and active lifestyles for all ages, Barbara placed second. She jokes, “I was behind a man with very long legs!”

While working together to create Recipes for a Good Life, residents got the opportunity to share their favorite ingredients-for special dishes and good lives. Jean was one of the residents who helped compile the book, and Barbara contributed several delicious recipes. “We created Recipes for a Good Life, and now we are toasting to the good life we are living,” says Jean.

Using only the finest raw materials and following a clearly devised plan, Jean and Barbara have concocted a rare creation: a truly good life. Finding the right retirement community has added an extra zing to their already active lifestyles.

Any cook will tell you that a good recipe is one that adapts over time-one that grows, changes, and becomes richer with each new ingredient. If this holds true for life, Jean Blum and Barbara Wald’s recipes are nearing perfection.

Of the early days with the company, she recalls, “When I started tracking telephone records, it had always been done by men. The men were still getting paid a lot more for the same job at the time. I’m proud to say that over the 43 years I was with the company, and thanks to the efforts of a lot of the other girls in Maryland, we got a lot of those things remedied.”

After such a busy career, the prospect of facing endless, idle hours did not appeal to Gutberlet. “I didn’t just want to sit around and do nothing,” she says. She turned to Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland because she wanted to “do something worthwhile” with her retirement time; she has been volunteering with the program for 17 years now. “This is such a wonderful program that affords people the opportunity to stay at home,” she notes.

Through the years, she has seen the difference that visits by Meals on Wheels make-nutritionally and emotionally. Gutberlet and other volunteers deliver two nutritionally-balanced meals a day to individuals who are unable to prepare their own food or shop for their groceries. She points out that volunteers always make sure to see the individual and check in on them. Volunteers also provide referrals to other community services as needed.

One of Katherine’s most memorable experiences as a volunteer was the 100th birthday of one of the clients in Towson. She remembers, “All the drivers and visitors threw her a birthday party to celebrate her 100th year. We had a beautiful cake, and she just beamed. It really was wonderful.”

Katherine has also served on the Meals on Wheels’ Council of Site Representatives and was a member of the board of directors for some time. She continues to deliver meals to her standard route. “Every time I go, I feel like it was two hours well spent,” she says.

Besides volunteering, Katherine enjoys participating in many of the activities available at her retirement community. She has been a resident of Oak Crest, an Erickson Retirement Community in Parkville, MD for the past eight years. She also attends classes at the Baltimore Community College Lifelong Learning Program.

“I’m continually looking for something new to do,” says Katherine. That search for exciting, new activities leaves little time for work-and makes for a great retirement.

For the past two years, Miriam has faithfully visited Idella Nichols, a resident of Stella Maris, a nursing and rehabilitation center in Timonium, MD. Miriam visits Idella every Wednesday and offers assistance with various tasks. Idella has been a resident of the community for more than 10 years. Due to the debilitating effects of multiple sclerosis, she has lost the ability to walk and can no longer use her hands. Miriam’s help allows Idella to complete tasks that would otherwise be impossible.

They were paired together when Idella requested assistance in writing her Christmas cards. However, Miriam’s help did not end with the holiday season. During her weekly visits, she writes letters and cards and runs errands for Idella.

A former elementary school librarian of 33 years and a mother of one, Idella is not accustomed to being idle. Upon retirement from the Baltimore City School System, she became the assistant administrator of a senior citizen housing complex, a position that she held for 14 years. Despite her demanding careers, Idella has always kept a busy social calendar and maintained a wide circle of friends.

She remains a member of the Sharp Street Memorial United Methodist Church in Baltimore and is also in contact with many of her friends from the past. Idella’s correspondence is voluminous. She is in contact with numerous high school classmates, fellow church members, and friends. Today, Miriam is her link to her past life and a world beyond the walls of Stella Maris.

As the months passed and Miriam’s visits continued, the women’s relationship grew into a beautiful friendship. Now, in addition to writing correspondence, they reminisce and share stories about their families.

“This relationship means the world to me,” says Idella. “Miriam helps me keep in touch with my friends, family, and contemporaries who are my age and can’t drive anymore. Her visit is the highlight of my week”

The feeling is mutual. Miriam says, “Visiting Idella means a great deal to me. It’s much more meaningful to me to do something for her than for myself.”

Mrs. Sullivan not only travels in style, she does everything with grace and enthusiasm. At 89, she still travels to her condominium in Ocean City every weekend. For such an active woman, weekends by the ocean give her much pleasure and time to relax.

Born in Philadelphia in 1914, Grace attended Temple University until the depression. She studied education and worked briefly as a kindergarten teacher. However, once her family began to suffer the effects of the depression she, her mother, and her sister took jobs in a meat factory in order to help support the family. Although the experience was arduous, Mrs. Sullivan maintained a positive attitude: “My family lost everything. We lost our house and virtually everything else, but my father was able to keep his job, and with all of us working, there was always food on the table.” Her family weathered the depression, and a few years later, Grace was married.

The couple settled in Philadelphia to raise their family, three daughters and two sons. They were very involved with local politics and a wide variety of activities. Grace was a member of the Questers, a national group devoted to antique collecting. She enjoyed her involvement with the group because “everyone collected different things. We would take field trips to visit other people’s houses and view their collections, and I really loved doing that. It was so fascinating.” Her appreciation for diverse subjects served her well as a member of the Toast Mistresses, a group that helps individuals hone their public speaking skills.

Grace has also been working with the Miss America Pageant for over 30 years. She became involved with the pageant after forming a friendship with the Mayor of Brigantine. Her primary responsibility is to ensure that the contestants’ parents are entertained and supervised during their stay.

After Mr. Sullivan retired from his work as a commissioner, the couple decided to move to Cocoa Beach, FL. “When we moved to Cocoa Beach, we completely retired and left the city and that lifestyle behind us. We had a beautiful condo right on the beach, but we maintained our apartment in Ocean City and spent the summers there. It was wonderful because we got to enjoy beautiful weather throughout the year,” relates Mrs. Sullivan.

Fully satisfied with their current lifestyle, the Sullivans were not considering a move, but a casual mention of retirement living options by a close friend changed all that. Mrs. Sullivan recalls, “Some of our friends came to visit us in Florida, and they mentioned that they were going to move to a retirement community. I was shocked because this couple was 10 years younger than we were at the time. The man explained that his wife’s health was ailing, and that he was tired of maintaining their home and pool. He was thrilled to have found a nice place where they would be taken care of for the rest of their lives. After they left, my husband and I talked about their decision and decided it was something that we should consider as well.”

A few months later, the Sullivans visited their friends’ retirement community and decided they liked the lifestyle and security offered at a continuing care retirement community (CCRC). They began to look for a CCRC that would meet all of their needs, but their search did not take long.

During a visit with their daughter, they mentioned their search, and she was excited to show them Attleboro, a CCRC in Langhorne, PA that was only moments from her house. Grace and her husband toured the grounds at Attleboro and met the staff. Grace remembers her first visit fondly: “It was honestly love at first site. We just fell madly in love with everything at Attleboro. It’s so beautiful!”

Shortly thereafter, they moved into a spacious two-bedroom apartment and became involved in the community. Of the facility and the staff, Grace relates, “The grounds are beautiful, and everything you really need is right here. The staff is very good to me, and I use their services a lot.” It is the exemplary service of the Attleboro staff that helps Mrs. Sullivan remain independent and active even as she approaches her 90th birthday.

She acknowledges the importance of their support, “I depend on the drivers to take me everywhere. All of the services offered here are great, but the drivers are particularly helpful to me. They take me to the train station every weekend. When I return, the driver is there with a stool for me to step off the train, and then he takes my bags and helps me into the community van.” Without this type of assistance, the trips that are so important to her way of life might not be possible.

In addition to traveling, Mrs. Sullivan remains active in the community. She organizes and sponsors a group called the Attleboro Players, a group of nine men who do theatrical presentations for community residents. She also volunteers at other assisted living facilities; she teaches a ceramics class and truly enjoys sharing her talents. She enjoys volunteering because it offers her a chance to share her incredible zest for life with others.

“My lifestyle is so much better since moving to Attleboro. I have the benefit of all the services offered here, which allows me to spend my time doing things I enjoy. I’ve just never been one to sit around; I always have to be on the go,” admits Mrs. Sullivan. For these reasons, she often suggests to other seniors that they consider a move to a retirement community.

Much to her surprise, she often finds them resistant to her advice. She explains, “People don’t think they are old enough to move to a retirement community, but what they don’t realize is that this type of lifestyle isn’t just about every day living. They do not realize all the entertainment that is provided here, all the trips and all the friends. I know that in the ten years since I have lived here, I have felt younger. I sincerely believe that if you move into a place like this you will live longer and happier.”

Mrs. Sullivan’s lively nature certainly attests to what a difference an active lifestyle can make. In addition to her trips to Ocean City, she spends much of her time visiting her 5 children, 16 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren. Grace is planning trips to Florida this winter and Europe this summer. She continues to make the most of everyday and is a shining example of her own philosophy that “staying active keeps you young.” Watching her climb aboard her train shortly before it pulls away from the platform, there is no doubt that this vibrant senior will be making this trip and countless others for some time to come.