Meet Betty
Addington Place of Brunswick · Senior Lifestyle
Some people take to a place right away. Betty is one of those people. A Brunswick native who has lived in the same Georgia city her entire life, she arrived at Addington Place of Brunswick two and a half years ago and made it her own almost immediately. She knows everyone by name, sits at the biggest table at lunch and has become so central to daily life at the community that when she is not in her usual spot in the lobby, residents go looking for her.
Her story is not just about one woman finding her footing in a new chapter of life. It is about what a senior living community can feel like when it gets everything right.
A Life Well Lived
Betty grew up in Brunswick and never left – a point she makes with pride. She raised four children, was a stay-at-home mom and became something of a neighborhood institution, a mom figure for kids up and down the street. She went to cosmetology school, inspired by a woman from her church, because of the flexibility that allowed her to be more present in her children’s lives. She later earned a master’s degree in psychology and sociology and another in library science. Her husband, an Air Force man, was by her side for 59 years.
She is, as she puts it herself, someone who has kissed the blarney stone, she says cheerfully as she proclaims that she’s likely to talk a lot in any conversation. She also makes friends without trying. It is just who she is.
The Move
The decision to move to Addington Place of Brunswick came from her daughter. Betty had been staying at her daughter’s home, and living alone was no longer the best fit. Before agreeing to anything, Betty was clear about one thing. She did not want a place that felt clinical or institutional.
When her daughter brought her to visit Addington Place of Brunswick, something clicked. Betty noticed that the community was clean, welcoming and friendly. She also noticed something small but important. It smelled fresh. For Betty, that first impression mattered. She moved in that January and has not looked back since.
“My apartment is perfect for me. It is the right size; it is convenient and there is a whole little neighborhood out here. I love it.”
– Betty, Resident Ambassador
Life at Addington Place of Brunswick
Betty is a six o’clock riser, up early and eager to start the day with her first greeting of the day. Each morning, someone comes to her door to check on her, a simple gesture that helped her feel cared for from the beginning.
Most mornings, you will find her in the lobby greeting everyone who walks through the door. She helps when she can, welcomes newcomers and keeps things lively. If she is not in her usual spot, residents notice. Before long, someone is asking where Betty is and heading off to find her.
Betty is a shining example of why our dining program is named Enjoy, there is no denying Betty enjoys her lunch time – especially if it’s baked spaghetti. She looks forward to the perfect table with the perfect portions and appreciates that the dining team knows those details. She plays seated volleyball in the afternoons and is, by her own account, competitive. “I said I am going to beat her next time, and sure enough, I beat her.” She grins. “I can do it in a wheelchair. You can do anything in a wheelchair.”
Last year, Betty was crowned prom queen. She was genuinely surprised. “I really was shocked.” The community started calling her Queenie.
“Laid-back, happy-go-lucky. It is really a great place.”
– Betty, describing Addington Place of Brunswick
An Ambassador by Nature
When asked how she became a Resident Ambassador, Betty laughs because the role seemed to find her. One day, someone handed her a name tag, and she realized she had officially become part of the program. The truth is, she had been doing the job all along without the title.
She is a naturally friendly person, she says, and that is all an ambassador really needs to be. She describes the role this way: “Putting everyone that comes through that door first.” Her advice to a fellow resident who was hesitant about joining the program was simple. She asked her, “What do you see when you see me?” The resident said she saw smiles, laughter and someone talking to people. Betty said: If I can do it, so can you.
To families beginning the search for the right community, Betty’s advice is “If you are looking for someplace to be protected and taken care of, go and spend time at Addington Place of Brunswick. Walk around, talk to people, go eat lunch with your resident ambassador and get yourself involved.”
“They took care of all my needs, made me feel comfortable, protected and taken care of.”
– Betty, Resident Ambassador
The Feeling of Home
Betty does not overthink what Addington Place of Brunswick means to her. It is the place where her days feel easier, her routines feel supported and her personality has plenty of room to shine. Someone checks on her in the morning. Friends save her a seat at lunch. The team knows the little details that matter to her. She has been crowned prom queen, helps edit the weekly newsletter and has become one of those residents everyone seems to know.
“We are like a family,” she says. Then, with a smile you can hear in her voice: “Completely happy.”
That is what Senior Lifestyle set out to build at Addington Place of Brunswick. In Betty, they found someone who lives it every single day.
Every Senior Lifestyle community has its own people, stories and sense of belonging. Find a community near you and discover what home can feel like in your style.
