39 | durhamregion.com | This Week | Thursday, October 20, 2022 | There is LIFE in Retirement Living. Hi there! We are the Ellers'! I'm Bruno (86) and this is my wife Bebe (71).We have 3 sons and 6 grandchildren. Here's a snippet of our background, I immigrated to Canada from Germany when I was 20 years old and did not speak English or French. My wife is of Polish origin, and she came to Canada from Sweden when she was a baby. After we married, we lived for 38 years in Hudson/St. Lazare then upon retiring we decided to move to Ontario as most medical services are in French, it was hard for us to communicate to medical staff….so off we went! Hawkesbury, Ontario was our first location where we lived for 6 years until our youngest son, who lives in Toronto, told us that he and his wife were expecting! What grandparents don't want to be close to their grandchildren! From Hawkesbury, we found a very nice Condo in Cobourg and were there 3 years until we were advised that our lease would not be extended. Where do we go now?! Some friends and family suggested we look into retirement living, so we did. Bebe and I visited a number of homes in the area surrounding Toronto and we were not impressed with any of them……. but then I noticed an ad on the internet for a brand-new home that was not officially opened at the time I was looking - it was called Winchester Glen Retirement. So, we decided to make an appointment and visit.Winchester is a multi-level "U" shape building with the north wing for supported living and the south wing for independent living.All amenities are located on the 1st and 2nd floor in the middle of the "U" to make it nice and easy for all residents to find the fun! Bebe and I were impressed with the suite that we were shown which was a 2 bedroom/2-bathroom unit that also had a nice large balcony! We had looked at a few more places but nothing compared to Winchester, so we placed a fully refundable deposit and in July of this year, we moved to Winchester Glen Retirement Community, and we are VERY happy that we did. Our suite has large rooms, vaulted ceilings, a beautiful kitchen, and the hallways are extremely wide and well lit. 2501 Thoroughbred Street, Oshawa Call to book a tour: 905.410.2501 W e Wa n t yo u t o e x p e r i e n c e l i f e at t h e G l e n a DV e r t o r i a l AND, we have moved into a brand-new living arrangement which nobody has lived before! Best of all, was our little dog "Peanut" was welcomed with open arms as well! The other benefits of living in a Retirement Community are the amenities on site, Bistro, Library Pub, Game's Room, Fitness Room, Theatre, Dining Room and more! Some of our activities include, bus trips, Karaoke, movie nights, Euchre, Wine and Paint night, live entertainment and my favorite, Happy Hour!! Of course, it is not an easy decision to move into a Retirement Community setting, since you feel like this is going to be your last place to live, but trust me - you do LIVE here! There are so many positive things to think about. For instance, the number of new friends you make is amazing! When I drive my wife crazy and she tells me to leave the suite, I can knock on Vince's door and have a beer with him! There are no maintenance fees or property taxes, everything is on one bill as your phone, cable, internet, and emergency pendant are all included. Appliances are supplied and if they break, the Maintenance Manager repairs or replaces them! Winchester is literally a 2-minute drive from a great plaza just north of the home and Costco is the same distance on the opposite side of Simcoe. Last, but not least, the staff are extraordinary and they go out of their way to make you feel comfortable and at home. Family and friends are welcome at any time! Come and join us, you won't be disappointed! Bruno and Bebe A New Chapter... Moving to Winchester Glen Retirement Community has opened a new chapter in my life. From the welcoming message on my door when I moved in, to the Grand Opening with the Mayor, Dan Carter in attendance, I knew I was going to be treated like royalty. There is something for everyone at Winchester Glen.Weekly trips to places such as the Great Blue Heron Casino, White Feather Farms, and the Enniskillen Ice Cream Store, these are just a few of the highly favoured off-site events. While back at our growing community, you can partake in wine, beer and cider tastings, concerts, watermelon socials, strawberry banana split bonanzas, and teatime. The second floor boasts pool and games tables, plenty of areas to socialize, lounge or curl up with a good book. I have particularly enjoyed the following events: High Tea, Wine and Watercolor Painting and blueberry picking at Wilmot Orchards. For those who love exercise, there are strength and balance classes. Ladies can get a manicure or hand massage too! Our voices are heard at our monthly Town Hall Meetings. We have an active role in making improvements, helping choose what activities are offered and celebrating with the team on their many successes. Lunch and dinner are served in our beautiful dining room and meals are wholesome and delicious.The maintenance and housekeeping staff make our lives more comfortable. Staff are always ready to please! For those who enjoy the quiet of their own space, the suites are beautifully designed, bright, and open up to patios and balconies.The pet friendly environment allows for residents to bring their pets with them, or for me, to have visits from my granddog. I am pleased to have made new friends and to create new moments in this chapter of my life. I am glad I chose Winchester Glen as my home. Karin Schilling t h i S c o n t e n t Wa S f u n D e D a n D a p p r o V e D B y t h e a D V e r t i S e r