Pictured: Dudley Square resident Suzanne Padgett. 

Retiring is a goal for so many people, but it can seem like they’ve lost a part of themselves for some people. We can tie so much of our purpose into what we do throughout our lives, like working, volunteering, raising a family, and taking care of a home. When that particular purpose ends, it may feel jarring. 

Many of our residents here at Episcopal Church Home (ECH) have found ways to live well into the future and find a new purpose in retirement. In February, we introduced you to some of these residents. Today we’d like you to meet a few more. Perhaps their stories will help inspire you as you create your own plan for purposeful, independent living.

Suzanne Padgett

Suzanne (pictured above), who lives in the Dudley Square community of the ECH network, has been spending much of the pandemic learning to use her computer even more. She meets with various groups a couple of times each month on Zoom, such as her bridge group and Church congregation. Suzanne and her bridge groups have found an online bridge site. They can sit around a virtual table and play as though they were sitting with each other in person. Like many seniors, she also enjoys getting outside to both enjoy the weather and interact with her neighbors while practicing social distancing.

Weezie Walker

If you’re looking for a senior who has found a way to live well into the future and make the most of her retirement time, look no farther than Weezie. She enjoys participating in our writing group, the Women’s Board, the gift shop, and Bible studies that happen around campus. Weezie loves reading and has even set up a virtual book club with her children so they can all stay connected, even when they need to be physically distant from one another.

Emily Willingham

Emily is another of the residents at Dudley Square in Louisville, KY. She loves spending time at the pool, as she enjoys her water exercises each morning. Emily is also part of an active book club currently meeting via Zoom. Her club reads and discusses New York Times bestsellers, so she’s always full of great book recommendations. Emily is a member of PEO, which is a sisterhood focused on providing college scholarships for young girls. Her position is recruiting young ladies for the college the sisterhood owns. Emily is a great example of someone who has found a way to live well into the future, even after her husband passed five years ago.

These three residents are always active and enjoying each of their days to the fullest. That’s the key to great senior living. When you’re in an independent living retirement community, you can fill your days with things that really matter to you, which means each day has a sense of purpose. That might just be the best gift of all.

For more resident stories like these, make sure you check out the ERS Linkage Podcast!