50+ Lifestyles

Aging and You

Ladies of Eastridge

By Julie Arndt
Marketing Director at Ridgecrest Village

Community is defined in many ways. I have written about the benefits of community and was delighted to see community personified last month when a group of ladies and one gentleman threw a party helping a fellow resident move to a new apartment across campus at Ridgecrest Village.

Meet Irene Lang, an 89-year-old bundle of positive energy who moved to Ridgecrest last year. A few months back, she decided to move across campus to Terrace, another independent building at Ridgecrest that better met her needs. She chose a smaller unit on the uppermost floor, one that was full of light with a beautiful view. I was initially surprised that she chose that particular floor as it is a little farther away from the action and getting around is sometimes difficult for her. But I should not have been surprised as Irene is routinely seen all over campus milling about, self-propelling in a wheelchair using her feet, grinning from ear to ear.

For weeks leading up to her move she would seek us out to peek at her future apartment. As the day approached there were whispers about a “moving party at Irene’s” being planned. On the day of the big move, I had a chance to sit down with Irene and asked her about this moving party. What she shared was simply the most heartwarming story that speaks to the heart of community and special souls who live at Ridgecrest.

Irene is no stranger to moving. She has moved five times since her husband passed away twenty-two years ago, including some out of state living. Before moving to the Ridgecrest, she had been living in a large six room home in Bettendorf with her son. She said that after he died, her granddaughter who is a take charge sort of person, just said to her, “Grandma, you are not going to live in this big house all by yourself.”

Pictured are some of those who helped move Irene. Left to right: Anne Bluth, Barb Hansen, Irene Lang, Cris Fister, Pat Ciccarone.

Fast forward from a year ago to now. Irene was a little worried how she was going to get everything all packed up to move to her new apartment, even if it was all part of the same community. She happened to oversleep one Sunday missing her normal church service across town, prompting her to attend Chapel Service at Ridgecrest where, a fellow resident, Maryann Gillespie, approached about her upcoming move. Irene told her that she did not have any boxes. Maryann responded immediately, “Well, we’ll take care of that for you!”  The next thing she knew, a party was being planned to pack her all up. She said, “They showed up with boxes. Set up a little table with goodies outside my door in the hall and would not even let me help.” She claims, “It was such great fun…I just love it here and do not plan to ever leave. This is it.”

Pat Ciccarone, one of the ladies of Eastridge who helped summed it up saying, “It was just so fun. Of course, I dropped a glass right off that shattered on the floor and we all laughed…we had it done in no time at all. It is just what we do here, and she is such a neat lady.”

This joy-filled little story speaks of community, older adults helping other older adults, and neighbors helping neighbors. This is an awesome group of people who did a thoughtful charitable act, while having a bit of fun and
laughter thrown in for good measure. If we all could be so lucky to have neighbors just like this!

Julie Arndt, is a licensed social worker and Director of Marketing at Ridgecrest Village with over 35 years’ experience working in the field of geriatrics and senior advocacy. She can be reached at jarndt@ridgecrestvillage.org.