Nancy Drourr lived in Newton her whole life. Her grandparents moved to the city long ago, and her family has stayed in the city, where she raised her own kids.
After she retired and expenses increased and had to sell her home, Drourr said she and her husband sold their house and moved into an apartment, but money was still tight and even their apartment was unsustainable.
Aging is hard, but aging with fear of economic uncertainty, it was terrifying,” Drourr said.
But then a room opened at Golda Meir House, a senior adult living community in Auburndale, now that the facility has expanded with 68 new units, and Drourr’s name came up on an affordable unit lottery. That changed everything.
“Here, aging in community is not just a marketing tagline,” Drourr continued. speaking to the audience gathered at Golda Meir House for the expansion ribbon-cutting ceremony. “It’s a reality and a lifeline. Look at me today. I’m not crying, am I?”
The expansion at Gold Meir House brings the total number of units up to 267.
Golda Meir is part of 2Life, an organization that specializes in creating innovative senior living communities that allow residents to remain part of the community.
“2Life Communities is exceptional in making sure that everything is centered around people,” Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said, noting that she went to camp with Drourr’s daughter. “Where else have you seen ‘Defiantly joyous living’ as a motto but here?”
U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-Newton, was at the ribbon cutting event as well, and he told a story about his kids being in a school Halloween parade in Lower Falls and visiting with residents of a senior living community there.
“As I watched the older residents and the preschoolers together, it really brought home to me that aging in community is not just beneficial for those who are aging” Auchincloss said. “It’s beneficial to the community. And we really need more of these wrap-around services, more opportunities to age in community and more opportunities for intergenerational community as well, because it is so good for the soul of the city and of the country.”