Why I Decided, At My Age, To Move To Lenbrook
“Your husband has very serious heart disease and needs open heart surgery as soon as possible.” Referring to a man who never had a cardiac symptom, this doctor’s shocking statement inaugurated our six-month journey to Lenbrook. Suddenly Michael and I were aware that the future wasn’t as certain as we had imagined. Performed on Christmas Eve, the quintuple by-pass had excellent results, but the arduous recuperation gave us many opportunities to look squarely at the realities of aging. Our late night pillow talk focused on realistic expectations of our time together as a couple, the prospect of continued upkeep of our 80-year old house, and the kind of alternative lifestyle that could simplify but enhance our lives.
I am thirteen years younger than Michael, and the thought of moving had not occurred to me; however, about a year before the surgery we had attended a Lenbrook luncheon in order to gather information — just in case. We had been favorably impressed by Lenbrook’s warm grace and beauty, and we tucked away the information in a file marked “Some Day.”
When we decided to take the plunge and revisit the property during Michael’s recovery, our marketing counselor agreed that even though I was a bit young at age 68, several other residents around my age were living fulfilled and purposeful lives here. More conversations ensued, and Michael and I concluded that Lenbrook would be an ideal place to live and love as we grow older together.
Nearly two years since we moved in we are busily involved in the community, with new solid friendships and stimulating activities. Our lives have never been fuller. When asked if I am comfortable with the age disparity between myself and most other residents, I reply, “What age disparity? Lenbrook residents are ageless!”
Now we know that although the future isn’t as certain as we once thought, the Lenbrook life is certainly the best of all possible worlds for us.
Julie Witt and her husband, Michael Halpern, have been Lenbrook residents since 2014.