Moving Closer to Retirement

Suzi Gerber is a warm, vibrant, happy woman who can somehow pull your entire life story out of you within the first 15 minutes of meeting her. So it’s not surprising to learn that she has spent the last 30 years living and working as a real estate agent on the Main Line. She’s built a successful career with Berkshire-Hathaway in Rosemont and continues to work even though she’s recently moved across the river to The Hill at Whitemarsh.

“I’m a people person and very nosy,” laughs Suzi. “I just love getting involved in people’s lives! There’s something so rewarding about helping people plan and build their future through buying or selling a house. I really just love it!”

At 76, Suzi is dynamic and full of energy. Although she’s been living alone since losing her husband 12 years ago, she was in a very comfortable and manageable condo in Haverford, and the thought of moving or retiring never really crossed her mind. Even still, her children started to bring up the idea of a retirement community about two years ago, and she kept dragging her feet, not feeling ready to make the move. When her son unexpectedly became ill, however, she began to reconsider.

“It was important to my son that I moved while I was still healthy and could get the most out of the experience,” says Suzi. “When someone you love gets sick, you realize how quickly life can change and how unexpected life can be, and the last thing I want is to burden my kids or have them worry about me.”

So at the age of 74, long before she had anticipated even having the conversation, Suzi promised her children that she would look into moving to a retirement community. She scheduled visits with several communities in the area before finding herself at The Hill, which she immediately felt connected to.

“I really love the sense of community,” says Suzi. “The whole concept of this place is just fabulous. There are so many residents who are totally committed to making this community the best that it can be, creating a wonderful experience for everyone involved. That’s something I can really get behind!”

Moving In and Making It Her Own

The apartment that Suzi lives in has great exposure, filling the space with light. When she first saw it, she loved the location and the layout and decided to add her personal touch to showcase her unique style. Her home is truly a reflection of Suzi – it is fun, bright and quite stylish. The final results are nothing short of spectacular.

“The whole experience was just so easy and seamless,” says Suzi. “I felt like I was in really good hands with the marketing team, and instead of being stressed out about my move, I was really excited.”

Almost Ready for Retirement

It’s now been about eight months since her move, and Suzi has no regrets. While her office is on the Main Line, on the days she is not working, she takes advantage of the myriad activities and lectures at The Hill. As a result, she is starting to look forward to her eventual retirement so that she can participate more fully in everything The Hill has to offer.

“I can’t sit still; I get involved with everything! So even though I can’t really imagine not working, I also would love to be able to get more involved with all the amazing programs and committees here. The residents are so involved in making the community better every day, and I love it,” says Suzi.

Living at The Hill has also helped Suzi move closer to retirement. She thinks about making the leap within the next year or so, so that she can give herself time to enjoy everything The Hill has to offer.

“I’ve met some really brilliant and talented people here,” Suzi says. “The social component is wonderful, but I also would love to be able to take art lessons and do more volunteer work with some of the local schools in the area. I also love playing bridge and canasta, and there are plenty of groups I can play with here!”