Ellie W. is the kind of woman who retired three times, because she
didn't like not working, so she kept taking new jobs. Whether working as a
radar operator during World War II or hosting her own local TV show about
older adults on a PBS station, she has always been on the go. She came to live
in the Chamberlin apartments several years ago to be near her daughter who
lives in the Concord area. She says: "I liked the feel of this place" when she and her
daughter visited. Two years ago, after falls in her apartment, repeated back surgeries
and difficulty preparing daily meals, she moved into the Rivercrest Skilled Nursing
Center. "It was clear at the time that I needed more care, and I did not know if I
would ever leave the nursing home. I can't say enough about the care and concern I
have received that enabled me to graduate to my own suite in the Deaconess House.
All of the staff worked to strengthen my capabilities to walk and live more independently
as I went through my own customized rehabilitation program. They encouraged me even
when I was discouraged, and pushed me to keep trying. Because I worked in the field of
aging, I know what I am talking about when I say that the most important thing here is
the quality of staff - they are amazing! I am now in my own Deaconess House suite with my
bridge playing friends just around the corner!"