One day, while Dick Ziegler mowed the grass of his 1.5-acre yard in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, it dawned on him. As he sat atop his riding mower, he thought to himself, “I don’t enjoy this anymore.” That revelation was just one of the reasons he and his wife, Gail, began to explore retirement living, and ultimately ended up at The Overlook in Charlton.
“We had grown tired of the lawn mowing, snow shoveling and snow removal, home repairs and housekeeping,” Dick said. “So, we were looking for what to do next. Even moving to a smaller house would have maintenance, and a condo or townhome didn’t appeal to us, so we did some looking at retirement communities in central Massachusetts and came for a visit here at The Overlook.”
After they visited and found a new residence that perfectly fits their current lifestyle, the Zieglers made The Overlook their home.
Choosing Charlton
Dick and Gail had lived in nearby Sturbridge for the previous 25 years, and their family ties to the central Massachusetts area (two children and two grandchildren) meant that they did not want to move too far. Plus, Dick and Gail chose Charlton over places like Worcester due to its abundance of parks, lakes and recreation areas.
“There are better parks and lakes here in Charlton,” Dick said. “We like to take our dogs to the park to walk with them and we kayak when the weather is nice, so living in this area enables us to do the activities we enjoy, even beyond all that’s available on campus.”
Plus, like Dick and so many others have noted, Charlton is an ideal New English hamlet with a unique charm; and it keeps you in reach of three major cities (Boston, Providence and Hartford) and major international airports, all within about an hour’s drive.
Activities and amenities galore, right outside your door
Not to be overlooked, of course, is the abundance of all the life-enhancing amenities, activities and features right here on The Overlook’s hilltop campus.
“When you move here, you have a variety of things available to you that lead to a high quality of life,” Dick said. “There are opportunities for socialization that you don’t get in a single-family house. You make friends easily; it’s a very welcoming community and everyone has brought with them the activities and hobbies they’ve enjoyed throughout life, which they can continue here.”
If there is a hobby or activity you enjoy—on the outside chance that a group for it doesn’t yet exist here—residents are encouraged to start their own clubs and committees. Take our beautification committee, for example.
Dick also mentioned that he and Gail like making the most of The Overlook’s natural setting and on-site amenities, as they have enjoyed cross-country skiing on the campus trail system, playing tennis and regularly using the fitness center and indoor heated pool.
After all that activity, they like to enjoy delicious meals in our Acacia dining room. It’s one part of our top-notch culinary program that Dick specifically mentioned as one of his favorite benefits of living here. Dick and Gail have also made use of our private dining room for special and memorable experiences with visiting family members.
A decision with their family and future in mind
Speaking of family, Dick and Gail made their decision to move to The Overlook largely in part because of what it would mean for their loved ones.
“A significant part of our decision was going to a place that offers a continuum of care if we need it,” Dick said. “Gail took care of her mother for the three years before she passed, which included an hour-long trip each way. We don’t want our kids to have to do that for us. With The Overlook being a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), we see it as an insurance policy that will give us and our kids peace of mind.”
Dick and Gail also enjoy the predictability and stability that come with choosing the available LifeCare contract at The Overlook.
“With LifeCare, the five-star-rated care we may eventually need is available right here and for essentially no charge. Our monthly fee will stay basically the same, and that predictability in future healthcare costs is significant for us.”
For now, Dick and Gail keep a bright outlook and are really enjoying the possibilities to grow, contribute and enrich their lives in multiple ways. They’ve embraced this new chapter for them at The Overlook.
“We’ve moved four times in our life and each time there has been a reason and one chapter that was closed and another opened,” Dick explained. “We opened a new chapter here. We loved our old house but don’t miss it. The Overlook was the right choice for us.”
We’re sure Dick has enjoyed closing the book on mowing the grass, too.
To learn more about The Overlook and to discover a new perspective on what retirement living can be, we invite you to download our brand-new brochure. Click here or call 508-202-4090 to request your copy.
It started with two new friends taking regular walks around The Overlook’s scenic park-like grounds, and it quickly blossomed into one of the most vibrant resident-led committees at our Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Charlton, Massachusetts. This is the story of the beautification committee at The Overlook, which was founded by enthusiastic residents Burt …
The Overlook is a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Charlton, MA, known for its spacious 450-acre campus and top-tier active lifestyle. People choose The Overlook for a wide variety of reasons, from its masonic roots to its delicious, farm-to-table dining. To get more insight, we spoke with Bob and Tina Burnham about what …
When is it “too early” to move to a retirement community? Is it too early when you’re healthy, active and can enjoy all of the lifestyle perks and amenities that come with living at a CCRC like The Overlook in scenic Charlton, Massachusetts? Of course not! We think it’s never really too early, especially because …
Meet Dick Ziegler and Learn Why The Overlook in Charlton Was the Right Choice
One day, while Dick Ziegler mowed the grass of his 1.5-acre yard in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, it dawned on him. As he sat atop his riding mower, he thought to himself, “I don’t enjoy this anymore.” That revelation was just one of the reasons he and his wife, Gail, began to explore retirement living, and ultimately ended up at The Overlook in Charlton.
“We had grown tired of the lawn mowing, snow shoveling and snow removal, home repairs and housekeeping,” Dick said. “So, we were looking for what to do next. Even moving to a smaller house would have maintenance, and a condo or townhome didn’t appeal to us, so we did some looking at retirement communities in central Massachusetts and came for a visit here at The Overlook.”
After they visited and found a new residence that perfectly fits their current lifestyle, the Zieglers made The Overlook their home.
Choosing Charlton
Dick and Gail had lived in nearby Sturbridge for the previous 25 years, and their family ties to the central Massachusetts area (two children and two grandchildren) meant that they did not want to move too far. Plus, Dick and Gail chose Charlton over places like Worcester due to its abundance of parks, lakes and recreation areas.
“There are better parks and lakes here in Charlton,” Dick said. “We like to take our dogs to the park to walk with them and we kayak when the weather is nice, so living in this area enables us to do the activities we enjoy, even beyond all that’s available on campus.”
Plus, like Dick and so many others have noted, Charlton is an ideal New English hamlet with a unique charm; and it keeps you in reach of three major cities (Boston, Providence and Hartford) and major international airports, all within about an hour’s drive.
Activities and amenities galore, right outside your door
Not to be overlooked, of course, is the abundance of all the life-enhancing amenities, activities and features right here on The Overlook’s hilltop campus.
“When you move here, you have a variety of things available to you that lead to a high quality of life,” Dick said. “There are opportunities for socialization that you don’t get in a single-family house. You make friends easily; it’s a very welcoming community and everyone has brought with them the activities and hobbies they’ve enjoyed throughout life, which they can continue here.”
If there is a hobby or activity you enjoy—on the outside chance that a group for it doesn’t yet exist here—residents are encouraged to start their own clubs and committees. Take our beautification committee, for example.
Dick also mentioned that he and Gail like making the most of The Overlook’s natural setting and on-site amenities, as they have enjoyed cross-country skiing on the campus trail system, playing tennis and regularly using the fitness center and indoor heated pool.
After all that activity, they like to enjoy delicious meals in our Acacia dining room. It’s one part of our top-notch culinary program that Dick specifically mentioned as one of his favorite benefits of living here. Dick and Gail have also made use of our private dining room for special and memorable experiences with visiting family members.
A decision with their family and future in mind
Speaking of family, Dick and Gail made their decision to move to The Overlook largely in part because of what it would mean for their loved ones.
“A significant part of our decision was going to a place that offers a continuum of care if we need it,” Dick said. “Gail took care of her mother for the three years before she passed, which included an hour-long trip each way. We don’t want our kids to have to do that for us. With The Overlook being a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), we see it as an insurance policy that will give us and our kids peace of mind.”
Dick and Gail also enjoy the predictability and stability that come with choosing the available LifeCare contract at The Overlook.
“With LifeCare, the five-star-rated care we may eventually need is available right here and for essentially no charge. Our monthly fee will stay basically the same, and that predictability in future healthcare costs is significant for us.”
For now, Dick and Gail keep a bright outlook and are really enjoying the possibilities to grow, contribute and enrich their lives in multiple ways. They’ve embraced this new chapter for them at The Overlook.
“We’ve moved four times in our life and each time there has been a reason and one chapter that was closed and another opened,” Dick explained. “We opened a new chapter here. We loved our old house but don’t miss it. The Overlook was the right choice for us.”
We’re sure Dick has enjoyed closing the book on mowing the grass, too.
To learn more about The Overlook and to discover a new perspective on what retirement living can be, we invite you to download our brand-new brochure. Click here or call 508-202-4090 to request your copy.
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Meet Burt and Dana: Two Friends at The Overlook Who Have Taken Charge of Making This CCRC in Charlton, MA Even More Beautiful!
It started with two new friends taking regular walks around The Overlook’s scenic park-like grounds, and it quickly blossomed into one of the most vibrant resident-led committees at our Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Charlton, Massachusetts. This is the story of the beautification committee at The Overlook, which was founded by enthusiastic residents Burt …
Why Bob and Tina Chose The Overlook
The Overlook is a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Charlton, MA, known for its spacious 450-acre campus and top-tier active lifestyle. People choose The Overlook for a wide variety of reasons, from its masonic roots to its delicious, farm-to-table dining. To get more insight, we spoke with Bob and Tina Burnham about what …
Hear From Residents of The Overlook: Why Move Early? 3 Reasons to Consider a Fresh Perspective
When is it “too early” to move to a retirement community? Is it too early when you’re healthy, active and can enjoy all of the lifestyle perks and amenities that come with living at a CCRC like The Overlook in scenic Charlton, Massachusetts? Of course not! We think it’s never really too early, especially because …