“I’m surprised at how comfortable I am so quickly.”
That’s how Bob Meehan sums up his and his wife Susie’s first year and a half at Wyndemere. The couple moved to the community from Wheaton, where they’d spent the previous eight years after relocating to the area to help with their three grandchildren nearby in Glen Ellyn. What follows is the story of how that comfort came together, piece by piece.
Already Halfway Home
Susie’s path to Wyndemere started long before she and Bob ever considered moving in. As a member of P.E.O. International, a philanthropic education organization for women, she’d spent years attending a chapter book club at Wyndemere, surrounded by friends who already called it home. By the time the couple began seriously discussing the move, Susie already had an idea of what daily life there looked like.
Bob took a little longer to get there. A loose five-year plan turned into something far more immediate once the couple sat down with Heidi Davidson, newly moved from her role as move-in coordinator into sales. Her insider knowledge meant she had an answer for every question the Meehans raised, and the decision came together faster than either of them anticipated.
“I think probably it was more of a surprise that the move happened as quickly as it did,” Bob says. “But we’re really pleased that it did.”
Moving Day, Without the Weight
If there’s a moment that best captures what Wyndemere’s support and guidance look like in practice, it’s moving day itself. Downsizing from a 3,300-square-foot ranch home to a two-bedroom residence meant Susie spent months selling household items on market place and sorting through boxes of scrapbooks and photographs, deciding what to carry forward. But when it came time to actually move, a packing crew handled the home the day before, letting the Meehans sleep one last night in the house they were leaving. The next morning, everything was unpacked and in place at Wyndemere – including a meticulously made bed.
Bob still talks about it with a kind of quiet disbelief. “You’re paying for a service, and you don’t necessarily realize how much stress is removed,” he says. “Not only are they doing the actual moving, but you’re not having to worry and think about all the little details.”
From move-in day to now, Susie says her experience has been nothing but positive. “There isn’t anything that I miss about the old home. And since we’re in a smaller space now, I never lose my phone!”
Building a Life Beyond a Routine
The couple’s transition into community life started before they’d even finished unpacking. Wyndemere arranged for residents to join them for dinner during their first several nights. A small gesture, but one that gave them an immediate way into the community’s rhythm. From there, involvement came naturally. The past spring, Bob helped organize the bocce league, which brought out 84 residents this past season, and recently joined the Resident Council, describing his role as a chance “to put my finger on the pulse, find out what’s going on, and hopefully contribute to the continuing growth of the experience of living here.”
Susie took up something entirely new in the bell choir – something she never expected to take up. She’s also joined the welcome committee, where she now helps incoming residents work through the logistics of moving in and feeling at home.
Neither of them has slowed down outside of Wyndemere, either. They still attend their grandchildren’s school events and maintain a long-standing subscription to attend Broadway in Chicago, made simpler by the transportation the community provides directly to the city.
“When you move in, you don’t lose your independence or autonomy,” Susie says. “You could be as independent as you want while you’re here. We’re still driving and we’re still going to things in the community.”
The Wyndemere Hospitality Effect
When asked what’s stood out most, both Bob and Susie land on the same subject, almost simultaneously: dining.
Not just the food itself, but the people behind it. “One of the highlights that we have found with Wyndemere, particularly in the dining area … the leadership of that staff: They’re really engaging, and mealtimes are really important times out here for all the residents,” Bob says. “The staff here is just really kind, and they’re good with aging people.” In a community where residents shape most of their own days, mealtimes have become one of the few fixed points everyone shares.
A Decision Made on Their Own Terms
What surprised the Meehans most wasn’t a feature of the building or a line item in the fee schedule. It was how naturally the place fit. For Susie, that comfort is tied directly to timing. Having watched her own mother move into a retirement community years earlier, she’s clear about what mattered most in her and Bob’s own decision: “I think it’s really important that if families are encouraging a parent to move in, they need to make sure the parent is making the decision. We made the decision when we were healthy and wanted to do it.”
Bob’s advice to others considering a similar move echoes that same sense of agency. “Don’t be afraid of what you don’t know,” he says. “I think the community will embrace you and guide you through the process. Take the risk. It’s a calculated risk, so embrace the change.”
A Gift That Reaches Beyond Themselves
The peace of mind the Meehans have found isn’t only theirs. As Bob sees it, their decision has quietly lifted a weight off their family as well – their daughter and her family included. “They can fully live their lives and raise their kids,” he says, “and not have to worry about us.”
A year and a half into life at Wyndemere, Bob and Susie Meehan haven’t just settled in. They’ve built, deliberately and on their own timeline, exactly the life they came looking for.
If Bob and Susie’s story resonates with you, there’s no better way to understand life at Wyndemere than to experience it for yourself. Schedule a personal visit to explore the community, meet residents, and see what makes so many people feel at home from the very beginning.
