Read Jean's story

My husband and I lived in our home in Little Canada for 29 years, but three years after my husband died I decided it was time for me to move.  I spent months searching and visiting senior living sites and found a lovely unit for sale at a nearby Applewood Point residence. In March of 2019, with the help of my wonderful family, I moved into my new home.  As I walked in the front door that day to sign the paperwork, I met Janette. She greeted me with a smile on her face and a gift bag to welcome me.  I soon learned that she lived across the hallway.  She had been assigned to be my mentor. She had moved into the building three years earlier when it was first built.

At that time I wasn't clear about what “mentor” meant, but I soon learned that Janette was there to answer my questions, show me around, introduce me to other residents and more. As we worked together day by day, our friendship grew and thrived.  Janette has become a very close friend. I have grown to love and respect her along with her little dog Sunshine. Even though Sunshine is blind, she knows my voice and comes to me with tail wagging when I'm at the door. Janette and I care for each other and want to look out for each other's safety and health.

We have a “contact connection” phone call each morning at 7:55 to ensure each of us is well. We share our plans for the day and learn if there is anything we can help with.

It took a leap of faith to move in to a new community after living in the same place for nearly three decades. It is such a blessing to have such a wonderful friend living across the hall from me. We share our life stories, laugh a lot and support each other daily. Throughout the pandemic, we realize how important close friendships are and how necessary it is to have them.

Jean