“You’ll love it like I do.” - A Park Place of St. John Testimonial

Carolyn Clousing had thought about moving to a retirement community a few times over the years, but she didn’t see much of a need for it. Even after her husband passed away, Carolyn was doing fine on her own. She lived independently and had an active lifestyle, very involved with her family and her church. But when she had a stroke, her perspective changed. Without the full use of her left arm and a change of mobility to her left leg, her family was concerned about how she’d cope.

“My daughter said, ‘Mom, I don’t want you to spend another winter in this house by yourself,’” Carolyn remembers. “I was familiar with Park Place, so we decided to take a tour.”

Carolyn says that as soon as she walked into her apartment, she knew it was where she wanted to be. “I loved it right away,” she says. “And my townhome sold quickly as well. Everything just fell into place.” St. John was the perfect location for Carolyn, but what really drew her to Park Place was the faith-based foundation of the organization.

“I like that it’s a Christian place, and the attitude of everyone here is so friendly,” she says. “Everyone is so kind and nice. Even the fellows that do maintenance know your name and care about you. There’s nothing like it.”

Carolyn has made many new friends and enjoys the convenience of taking the Park Place bus on shopping trips. She goes to exercise class, where she can use the specially-designed chair exercises to maintain her fitness and mobility. And she enjoys going to bingo and Hymn Sing as well. She says there are plenty of opportunities for people to do whatever they want to do to meet people and enjoy their retirement. Mealtime is fun as well, especially when they’re serving Carolyn’s favorite Park Place dish: coconut shrimp.

Her four children helped her move in and decorate her apartment, which has so many special touches, including her piano. “I like that when I want to spend time with people, I can,” she says. “But when I want to stay in my apartment and read, I can do that also.” When her family comes from out of town, they can stay in her second bedroom, making visits convenient and a little more fun.

“My family is happy,” she says. “They don’t have to worry about me.”

Carolyn encourages anyone thinking about moving to check out Park Place. “If you’re lonely in your house, you’ve got so many people here,” she says. “Just come for a visit, and I think you’ll love it like I do.”