When Hurricane Ian hit the East Coast of Florida in 2022, I was renting a floor-level condo in New Smyrna Beach. Even though I was six blocks from the beach, the flooding – which nobody expected! – produced five feet of water, for a week(!), in my apartment. All my possessions in both the condo and the storage room were destroyed. I couldn’t even provide “before and after” photos to get FEMA aid! In fact, all my family photos and records were ruined. I learned some hard lessons about becoming too attached to material things!
With Ian, housing in Florida immediately became a crisis. Many people had to live in their cars, but I was lucky, a friend invited me to stay. I spent about a month there, assessing my options and coming to terms with my losses.
My son lives in Silver Spring. Eventually he was able to fly down, pack my car (blessedly saved from the flood) with my few clothes, and drive me north for Thanksgiving in Maryland. I’m still sad to have left close friends behind, but I never want to live in Florida again!
Our hunt for affordable senior housing in Montgomery County was depressing! We visited lots of life plan communities, but they all seemed boring, just places to go downhill as an anxious, old lady. When we found Friends House, I felt I had entered a different world. The active community life of Friends House impressed us as soon as we walked in the door at Homes on Quaker Lane. We decided right away, and with my family’s help and the cooperation of the Elephant Shop, I was moved in and settled by early January 2023!
Life is so stimulating here. Every day is interesting in its own way. Our resident community is very diverse, with different backgrounds, educations, life experiences, and personalities; there are lots of opportunities to volunteer time and energy and to help out with challenging needs; it’s easy to keep fit with several exercise classes and a great fitness room; and many programs and entertainments invite us to gather in the Miller Center for fun and learning.
Liz Withington, Homes on Quaker Lane
