A day in the life of a senior living community resident

This article was written for our sponsor, Liberty Senior Living.

If you're considering a senior living community for yourself or a loved one, you may wonder what a typical day is like in the life of a resident. Liberty Senior Living communities are a great place to call home, as we offer a wide range of activities and accommodations to meet each resident's needs. Recently, we sat down with a current resident in one of our Wilmington communities to learn what her typical day is like. Pat Brandt is a native of Pittsburgh and attended Penn State University. In addition to raising two children and traveling the world with her Navy husband, Brandt obtained a master's degree in reading education and was a reading specialist in Virginia Beach for over 20 years. Brandt has lived at Carolina Bay since 2018 and has found the daily activities and social interaction to be very beneficial to her overall health and happiness.

Brandt wakes up at 6:30 a.m. to walk her dog, Gigi, around the Autumn Hall neighborhood. She then goes to her choice of Wellness opportunities offered by Carolina Bay, including Water Aerobics, TRX Circuit and Balance classes. Brandt views wellness as "a way to keep myself whole." She tries to incorporate physical movement into every day, and her dog Gigi helps with this goal. After her morning workout, she has breakfast with friends in the Carolina Bay dining room. For lunch, she usually enjoys the soup of the day. At dinner, one of Brandt’s favorite meals is the honey Dijon glazed grilled salmon with Caesar salad.

In her spare time, Brandt likes to read or work on needlepoint. With Carolina Bay being located directly in Wilmington, she also takes advantage of the city's cultural offerings and recently saw a play at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center and The Wilson Center.

"My interactions with staff and fellow residents are very positive. I think the staff is absolutely wonderful – so friendly and accommodating,” Brandt said. “I serve on two Resident Council committees (the Wellness and Maintenance committees), so I work with other residents who are also interested in helping to bring enhancements to Carolina Bay. I enjoy attending my floor's weekly happy hour, where we gather to socialize and share updates. It's a good way to get to know new residents or those who aren't on my end of the second floor.”

In the afternoon, Brandt has a glass of wine with friends on her porch. She loves to entertain and have people over, and at the time of our interview, she was having a group over later that evening for cocktails. Carolina Bay gives her the independence to spend the day as she chooses, while also offering things to do in her spare time. For dinner, she meets friends at the Carolina Bay Grill, one of the on-site restaurants at Carolina Bay. She often enjoys the “build your own burger” and live music. Then, once a week, she usually plans to go to her daughter’s house for dinner.

After dinner, Brandt goes for a walk around the neighborhood with Gigi before heading home for the night. She likes to read before bed and is currently reading "The Girl on the Train." Brandt enjoys her life at Carolina Bay and loves the independence it provides her. "I have as much independence as I want. One could never be bored at Carolina Bay; there is so much to do. The bottom line is I love it here!" said Brandt.

Because of the many activities and social events available, as well as the proximity to Wilmington, Brandt has found Carolina Bay to be the perfect place to retire. If you are looking to spend your days being active, social and enjoying all that Wilmington has to offer, Carolina Bay could be the right retirement community for you. Schedule a visit today.

This article was written for our sponsor, Liberty Senior Living.