Dorothy and Her Little Dog Toto Find New Opportunities at Claremont Manor

After her husband died, Dorothy Goodman found her home was
quite lonely.  Plus, yard work,
cleaning  and home maintenance were more
than just chores, they became burdens.

“Coming home to an empty house was not pleasant,” Dorothy remembers. “But now, I look forward to coming home to Claremont Manor. It’s just lovely pulling into the driveway. I see the beautiful grounds and it makes me smile.”

First impressions are important to Dorothy and when she first visited Claremont Manor more than three years ago, she found what she was looking for. “I felt a good ambiance here,” she said. “The residents were friendly and the accommodations I looked at were very nice. After I moved in, I found the food to be excellent. And the best thing was there were no buy in.”

Along with her terrier mix Toto, Dorothy soon found herself fitting in with her new friends. She enjoys cards, gardening and most of all being part of the Resident Association. She wanted others to feel as welcome as she was, so she became president of the Association. The Association sponsors the Claremont Manor Welcoming Committee, the Newcomers Table in the dining room. It also fundraises for the employee appreciation fund, suggests life enrichment programs that residents would like to experience and sponsors guest speakers at the community, among other responsibilities.

Dorothy is also a volunteer with the American Cancer Society Discovery Shop, a quality thrift store that supports the Cancer Society through gently used donations. Because of her passion, many Claremont Manor residents have joined Dorothy with their support.

“I like to be involved either inside or outside of Claremont Manor,” Dorothy said. “I enjoy walking in the village and I seem to be the first up on Saturday mornings for the weekly dog walk around campus and the neighborhood. Each evening when I see the day staff leaving for the day, I realize how lucky I am that I get to stay and live here. I never dreamed how happy I could be.”

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