Commentary by Maggie Benz
Encore is the perfect place, at the perfect time for me!
For the past 20 years, my husband Ed and I lived in a lovely three-bedroom bungalow on a small pond in Fishers, until his untimely passing last year. After 55 years of marriage, six children, 12 grandchildren and five great grandchildren, moving to Encore 55+ Boutique Apartments was the best thing I could have done to get on the road to recovery and my “encore.” I’m never going to like that my sweet husband Ed is not sharing this with me, but my family, friends (old and new) and the wonderful staff here will help me make it.
Our property wasn’t large, but it was becoming too large for me to maintain by myself financially, physically, socially, and emotionally, so I knew it was time to move. There were many fine communities for the ever-growing number of us who are struggling to find suitable places to spend our extended life expectancies, however, Encore was a bit different from the others. And that difference made all the difference.
The Encore community is equipped for the needs of an active ager population; but they do not look old and depressing. In other words, residents are encouraged to continue living autonomous lives, knowing that every effort will be made to assist them as new or temporary needs arise. I can’t say enough positive things about the staff. They know our personalities, our needs, our joys, our downs, our pleasures, and, they try to put them together into a great life “ENCORE” so that we are not just marking time; but truly moving forward and enjoying life. They help us make an encore that is worthy of applause.
One of my greatest joys is the new friends I’m making at Encore. The community is a wonderful mix of human beings who would probably not have been neighbors in other circumstances. Those of us seeking an “encore” to life are a marvelous fusion of ages (all over 55 years of age; but still a broad range); races; religions; occupations; political parties; socio-economical backgrounds; interests; hopes; and dreams. The one common denominator seems to be a true desire to help each other get back up on life’s stage to play out that second, third, fourth, or even fifth act of life – whatever it may be.
Encore 55+ Boutique Apartments provides the “stage,” “script,” “costumes,” and “props” for the next act, whatever it may be. Sometimes, we don’t have any idea what that is, but at Encore, through a pleasant, but not fussy environment and low key opportunities, we are offered enough challenges to find out. The amenity I enjoyed most the first days was my balcony because it wasn’t filled with boxes to be emptied. That, of course, has changed and continues to change. What I enjoy most is probably the ever-changing opportunities. Our community events are wonderful and I feel very comfortable meeting new people in a “safe” environment. Little by little, because nothing is forced, Encore, the community, the staff and the environment, is becoming “home” — even without my sweet husband Ed.
