The Active Retiree | Arlene’s Story
Published August 12, 2025
After 15 years of performing packing and light assembly tasks for Merrick’s onsite production facility, Arlene retired in December of 2023. Instead of retirement marking the end of her journey with Merrick, Arlene transferred to our Life Enrichment Program on Willow Lake Boulevard just a mile down the street.
At Willow Lake Boulevard (WLB), she was introduced to a whole new aspect of Merrick which prioritized leisure and community over hard work and productivity. Being a person of routine who prefers to keep busy, it proved quite the challenge for Arlene to adjust to retired life.
In her early days at WLB, she missed her old job of packing x-ray cassette covers for hospitals; she missed the feeling of accomplishment that came after a hard day’s work; and she missed her former co-workers. However, given time and the encouragement of Merrick support staff, Arlene slowly discovered new passions and new friends to help fill her days.
Though Arlene still reminisces about her old job from time to time, she also finds herself looking forward to many of the weekly activities at WLB. Given her impeccable fashion sense, it should have come as no surprise that she would gravitate toward the arts. In particular, she enjoys spending time in the Pottery and Painting Studio, where she creates visually stunning art pieces to bring home. Similarly, Arlene has proven herself to be a natural seamstress enjoying her time behind the sewing machine and brimming with pride over her finished creations.
Additionally, Arlene takes pride in acting as a maternal figure to other clients at WLB. Being an ardent rule-follower, she is quick to take note of and point out when a peer deviates from protocol. However, she is equally inclined to offer comfort to a friend experiencing a bad day.
After initially facing challenges, Arlene has embraced a slower lifestyle and adjusted well to WLB; however, she continues to value staying active. To keep track of her daily activities, Arlene even has a special notebook. At the end of each day, a Merrick staff member writes a journal entry summarizing the day’s events. This practice allows Arlene, even in retirement, to experience a sense of fulfillment as she reflects on her daily accomplishments: completing a puzzle, playing drums during music therapy, reaching her step goal, and more.
Though Arlene remains active readily participating in WLB activities, she has begun to experience age-related memory issues that will create additional challenges for her in the future. To support her continued well-being, Arlene was one of the first ten clients in Merrick’s Memory Care Program, which opened in March of 2025. Having been a source of joy at Merrick for so many years, we are pleased to continue offering her support as she embarks on this next stage of life.