Working and Thriving at Hillside: Erin, a Second Generation Resident

Myths about aging and retirement often color people’s perceptions of Life Plan Communities. Erin, a thriving Hillside resident, never paid attention to these misconceptions. She watched her mother build a life at Hillside and knew the community had the power to enrich lives. 

“Our mother lived at Hillside, so we were very familiar with the community and over the years, really fell in love with everything it had to offer,” Erin says. 

Erin and her sister now are a part of the second generation of Hillside residents. 

“[My mother would] be thrilled to know that my sister and I are living together after all these years,” she says. “It’s been nice to reconnect with her and share this part of our lives together.”

Erin’s curious mind served her well in her career as a research librarian at a law firm. When she made the move to Hillside, she knew she wanted to leave the chaos of the law behind. But she wasn’t ready to retire, and her thirst for knowledge needed quenching. She ultimately chose a remote job as a digital researcher for the New York branch of ABC News. 

It’s the best of both worlds: the security that comes from continuing to work but with fewer responsibilities, thanks to it being part-time work. Plus, it offers Erin a chance to continue learning.

“Going part time and doing research remotely for a national news outlet is a dream come true for me,” Erin says. “It frees me up to get involved at Hillside and also have some time to do what I love to do, which is read historical fiction novels, walk the nearby trails and spend time with family and friends.”

Erin quickly chose to volunteer for the Hillside Residents Association, which represents and advocates for residents as well as Hillside’s various clubs and committees. Residents now enjoy her expertise and advocacy as the organization’s president. 

At Hillside, every voice counts, and Erin is an important part of that mission. She’s enjoying the opportunity to grow, learn and challenge herself. 

“It’s important to me that residents have a voice at Hillside, so we serve as the liaison between the residents and the community management,” Erin says. “I would never have thought that I would be leading the Residents Association, but I have learned to never say never at Hillside. Moving here has given me the opportunity to experience new things that have pushed me out of my comfort zone and have given me great joy.”

It’s just one of many ways Erin is expanding her talents. She recently participated in a paint and sip at the community. She never saw herself as an artist and felt nervous. By the end of the class, though, she had produced a painting she loved. But, of course, art isn’t about the product. The process, Erin says, was tons of fun. 

Hillside residents enjoy a myriad of opportunities to nurture old hobbies and cultivate new ones. The welcoming community is a strong point of inspiration that can lure even the shyest residents out of their comfort zones and into something new. 

For Erin, Hillside is offering a second act — life in a welcoming home in a community that gives her the chance to learn more, do more and be more. She hopes to become even more involved at Hillside. But the news is always calling — and Erin is there to answer it. 

“The news never sleeps!”

Discover more resident stories here.