What does retirement mean for you ?

For RiverWoods Exeter resident, Pat Wall, it means researching, writing, and promoting her third book. LIVES OF CONSEQUENCES: Blacks in Early Kittery and Berwick in the Massachusetts Province of Maine is being published by the Portsmouth Marine Society Press under the auspices of the Portsmouth Historical Society and the New Hampshire Black Heritage Trail. This book’s premier and meet-the-author will take place at the Discover Portsmouth Center, 10 Middle Street, on Friday, August 4 from 5:30 to 8:00 pm.

About the Author:

For the past forty-eight years, Patricia Quigley Wall has been involved with New England’s colonial history through professional museum work, research, teaching, and writing.

Group of residents and staff walking in the parade to promote inclusivity

An Inclusivity Goal Group was created in September 2015 by the RiverWoods Exeter Resident Council to understand how we can promote and encourage inclusivity among RiverWoods Exeter Residents, Staff and Board. The group decided that "inclusivity" was a better word choice than "diversity" when talking about being a community that accepts and welcomes a wide variety of people.

As part of their two years of work, the Inclusivity Goal Group drafted a philosophy of Inclusivity, which was reviewed, adjusted and approved by both the Resident Council, as well as the Board of Trustees (click here to read the philosophy).

Residents and staff are participating in the Portsmouth PRIDE parade as one way to demonstrate that we are an open and accepting community - the Inclusivity Goal Group has also hosted a number of other lectures and educational opportunities as part of their work

Celebrate Neighboring presented by PEA's Lamont Gallery on Thursday, June 22 from 4-6 pm and meet artists from Rockingham county. Swing by after you visit the Exeter Farmers’ Market! The event is free and open to everyone. It will be featuring several RiverWoods Exeter artists including: Ellen Spector Platt, Andrea Williams, Doug Danforth, Roy Alonzo and Jackie Linder. The full exhibition runs from June 20 - July 14, 2017.

By Ana Toomey, Intern at RiverWoods Exeter

To say RiverWoods is a community based on the high quality of relationships is an understatement. My first few weeks at RiverWoods has been an experience unlike any other. Everyone is so friendly and genuinely interested in getting to know you. For example, one of my first few days here I had to take off because I was sick, the next day when I came back in I had employees who I had never even met before asking me how I was doing. Word travels fast here across our 200 acres!

RiverWoods Business Management Program

Awarded 2017 Innovation of the year Award

Congratulation to the RiverWoods residents and staff who were recently presented with the 2017 Innovation of the Year Award from Leading Age Maine and New Hampshire! RiverWoods Awarded Innovation of the Year Award!

ABOUT THE PROGRAM: One challenge facing the RiverWoods senior management team is how to provide opportunities and training for RiverWoods employees, especially front-line leadership, so they can grow professionally in their careers here. Although RiverWoods has created our own host of learning programs, Justine Vogel, CEO, hit upon a radical idea; Create our own version of a business school geared toward new front-line leaders, developed and taught by RiverWoods’ residents. Not every RiverWoods’ employee has had an opportunity to take basic business management classes such as critical thinking and written communications. But the one thing that RiverWoods does have is a wealth of smart, interested adults who have an interest in giving back. 

What do you envision your life after retirement?

By Cathleen Toomey, RiverWoods

Now that we have survived the holiday season, ‘tis the season for weight loss, fitness club incentives, new gym clothes and promises to work off the extra calories. The new year is a fresh start, a clean slate, so many of us resolve to do a better job at losing the holiday pounds.