New Perspectives
“Just like living in paradise!” is how Jim George, a Plantation Village resident describes his life in our community. Then COVID-19 arrived, and things began to change.
Personally, this experience has forced me to look at my life in a new light. The things that I have taken for granted have become the things I treasure most; family, the freedom to come and go as I please, small things that now seem so important. I have experienced some anxiety from all the uncertainty and the challenge of coping with the world as it is today. Since the pandemic started, I have noticed small ripples of anxiety in the lives of our residents as well. What are they feeling? How has their perspective changed?
Sandy Rohwer and her husband Herb have lived at Plantation Village for over four years and they are grateful they chose to move to a Life Plan Community. “Our world will never be the same as before, but we have developed relationships in this community that feel like family. Combine that with staying safe and healthy – we are very appreciative. It hasn’t been easy, and some weeks have been rougher than others, but we can’t imagine ourselves at any other place.”
Rae Gosewisch, who has been a resident for less than a year, has learned to really appreciate her good health. While wearing a mask isn’t that enjoyable, she realizes that it works and has not even had a cold in the last six months. “I feel a responsibility to wear the mask to protect myself, but I see that what I am doing protects the people around me as well. I feel very positive about being here at Plantation Village, especially during this very trying time.”
Myrna Wiese like many of our residents enjoys traveling. She and her husband take several big trips a year, but this year things have been different. Trips abroad and to other parts of the country were put on hold. “Not being able to see our family members who live out of state has been frustrating. We have missed a lot of special occasions and we can’t get that back. Zoom is great and it has helped a lot, but it can’t replace a personal visit. We can’t wait to share laughter and hugs again with our loved ones.”
Consensus among the residents is that the associates have played a tremendous role in keeping everyone’s spirits up. “The lengths that the staff have gone to are just amazing! They have truly shown us how much they care for every resident who lives at Plantation Village. The compassion and caring shown by everyone at this community has been extraordinary and has lifted me up with hope.” said resident Glen Pettygrove.
Even though things are unpredictable right now, we are finding ways to adjust to this new climate that we live in. Together we are learning to communicate and stay connected. Our community is growing and changing. There may never be a time when things go back to the way they used to be, but we can be grateful for the lessons we have learned during this pandemic. Stan Nawrocki summed it up best, “The last few months were not what we expected, but we are so grateful to be living here.” We look forward to our future with one another. Together is better.
Becky Grogan, Marketing Coordinator at Plantation Village, a non-profit continuing care retirement community that offers independent living on a 56-acre campus in Porters Neck, minutes from downtown Wilmington and area beaches. Residents enjoy first-class services in a wide variety of home styles, from one- and two-bedroom apartments to cottage homes and two-bedroom villas. Plantation Village is managed by Life Care Services™, the nation’s second-largest senior care management company.
