Retirement Lessons Learned: A Former Retirement Community Chaplain Shares
Category: Retirement Planning
March 8, 2017 — In this article we hear from Bill Painter, who served for over 30 years as Chaplain/Spiritual Director at Judson Park, a Seattle area Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), before retiring. Bill is an ordained American Baptist minister, clinically trained for health care ministry. He offers valuable insights into retirement life and its challenges, gained from many years of experience. We particularly like his case studies, which bring the points alive. This article is a good recommendation for choosing a CCRC with a spiritual resource like him on staff.
Q 1 What was your role at Judson Park?
I served as Chaplain/Spiritual Director at Judson Park for over 30 years. A CCRC is a community for elders serving residents in independent residential, assisted living, 24 hour skilled nursing care and memory support.
My primary role was to provide spiritual support for residents, families and team
Comments on "Retirement Lessons Learned: A Former Retirement Community Chaplain Shares"
Myquest55 says:
Thank you for sharing that wonderful insight, especially the thought of how previous life goals can affect the "retired personality" (i.e. George). That actually helps explain a lot of what I have seen or experienced and, hopefully, will make me a better senior friend.
Not having, or no longer having, goals must be devastating! As a woman who put her career aside for her husband's more lucrative one, and after the children moved out, I spent a few years (in my 50s) floundering with that very issue. After many hours on the phone with a dear friend, we both, finally, came up with a project we could do over a long distance - we are writing a book together. Whether it ever gets published, or not, it doesn't matter, it is the process. As this progresses, we have both found other things to do along the way but the book keeps us going - research, history, imagination...and it has been great fun so far.
Husband and I are about a year away from full retirement and are planning a big move to a place we have finally agreed on over the last few years. THAT has also taken some purposeful planning and we have made lists of things we both want to investigate, participate in and just enjoy. I agree that talking ahead of all this is really helpful!
Trout Chaser says:
Thank you, Reverend Bill for sharing your wisdom. We have recently transitioned from Chicago to northern Michigan. One suggestion, find a non-profit that you agree with ( mission, values, etc.) and volunteer your time. You'll meet like minded people, make friends and have a lot of fun doing good.
says:
In the olden days parents use to send newspaper clipping to their children to help guide them (?), and I am guilty of that, but now our children send us websites to visit. Times have changed and tables have turned! Since the Christmas holidays much discussion with our family has centered on: should we start considering a CCRC, a 55+ independent living community, or a tiny house (heaven forbid) community. And so this Topretirements.com blog article was sent via my son today and this is so helpful, especially the answer to Q5. I think I know what our Easter dinner conversation will now be since we will all be together once again. Thank you.