Age Is More Than a Number… It’s Cause to Celebrate!

By Michael E. McRae
President & CEO, St. Ann’s Community
July 2019

Vibrant. Passionate. Fun-loving. Youthful.

Words used to describe people who are 100 years old? They certainly are when it comes to the residents of St. Ann’s Community!

We recently held our annual Centenarian Celebration recognizing residents turning 100 or more this year. Our guests of honor (24 of them!) gathered with friends, family, and staff to look back on “a century of progress” and share highlights from their lives. From serving in the military to raising families, from shaping our local community to traveling the world, our seniors have done it all. The stories they can tell about overcoming adversity and living life to the fullest are something we can all learn from.

Take Lorraine, for example. At 102, she maintains a busy lifestyle, is an avid reader (a book per week), and continues to make new friends. Like many of our residents, she lived through the Great Depression and World War II and went on to raise a family. Lorraine also survived a major health issue, a further testament to the way she lives life on her own terms. A devout Catholic, she says the rosary daily and finds great joy in the accomplishments of her children and grandchildren.

Like Lorraine, all of us at St. Ann’s Community know that “old age” just isn’t what it used to be. More and more people are living longer, healthier lives and continuing to enjoy the pleasures of life regardless of what it says on their birth certificate. (For our two oldest residents, it says “104”.)

We are honored that these amazing individuals call St. Ann’s Community home. And we are proud to help them continue living their lives with passion, joy, and the wisdom that comes only with age.