Jules Marquart is a 77-year-old American woman who moved into a senior retirement cmmunit October 2024. It is called a Coordinated Care Retirement Community (CCRC).

This is a popular option for middle-income adults over 65 years of age as it offers entry into independent living apartments, with higher levels of care (assisted living, memory care, long-term nursing care) available as needed as they age in place. Residents pay a substantial buy-in fee which is 90% refundable to their estate and a regular monthly fee to cover all maintenance, housekeeping and meal expenses.

Jules is a retired social science researcher whose husband died in 2012. She has no children or family available to care for her as she ages, so she wanted to move into a retirement community where care was available for her remaining years.


She chose to move to Ashby Ponds, which is 600 miles from her hometown, so she could be close to the cultural offerings of the larger Washington, DC area. Ashby Ponds has a campus-like environment with 18 multi-story residence buildings, eight restaurants, two exercise facilities with indoor swimming pools, a large auditorium for movies and programs, and numerous meeting rooms for a wide variety of social and cultural activities.

Jules and her husband, who had been a university professor, traveled extensively during their 32-year marriage.

Jules and Chizuko Ueno have been friends for more than 40 years, and have traveled together in Japan, the U.S., Mexico and Greece.


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"The Adventure of An Older Widowed Woman: Moving into a Coordinated Care Retirement Community"
Jules Marquart

No.1: Becoming a Virginian

I am now officially a Virginian--with a VA driver's license, license plates and voter registration card. I had to give up my KY plate with my two monarch butterflies; they are replaced with bumble and honey bees, a monarch and swallowtail butterfly, and a hummingbird on a colorful Protect Pollinators plate.

I live in a self-contained village of about 2000 people in Ashby Ponds. We are fairly homogeneous villagers; for the most part, we are of similar age, race and ethnicity, and SES. We experience diversity of age, ethnicity and race mainly in the daytime, through staff who work in sales, food service, housekeeping and general services, and caregiving. A clinic with 4 doctors, a CVS pharmacy and a bank are located on campus.

In this village, we live in 18 4- or 5-story buildings in three neighborhoods that have been built since 2008. The buildings are distinguishable by their names and siding color to accompany the brick facade. Neighborhood one residences are named after birds; my neighborhood two after trees (e.g. Magnolia Place, Cherry Blossom Square, my Willow Crossing is gray); and neighborhood three after VA landmarks. Each neighborhood's residences are centered around a clubhouse with restaurants, exercise facilities, and meeting and activity rooms. All our buildings are connected with glass-walled walkways to make possible indoor walking from one end to the other.

I attach photos of my apartment. From my desk and living room, I look out at what could be considered the village square--a hub of activity between neighborhoods two and three. This beautifully landscaped area is abundant with trees and stunning perennials and annuals much of the year. Now the bare branches are covered in white sparkling lights for the winter holidays.


Our village is located in the larger city of Ashburn in eastern Loudoun County. Surrounding our enclave are dozens of low-slung, nondescript buildings that look like warehouses but are the (in)famous data centers. We were told that 75% of the computing activity in the world goes through these centers! Is that possible? But 75% of U.S. computing activity might be?!

I've been asked by passersby in the hall whether I live here (minimum age is 65) or if I am a daughter visiting a parent on campus?! I am meeting people at activities; hopefully, some will become friends and I may even find a kindred spirit or two. A new couple from NC have the sweetest black lab named Summer, whom I get to walk (she carries her Lambie stuffed toy) when her parents are away for the day. I'm settling into a routine of morning water aerobics and land balance and strengthening classes, and interesting presentations by resident-organized groups (e.g., History, Science, former Peace Corps vols, Progressives, etc.). Some are on par with Osher Lifelong Learning classes. Last night I saw the internationally acclaimed Irish movie, A Quiet Girl, at our clubhouse auditorium. In January I begin a weekly Meditation and Journaling class, and I'm trying out bridge groups and book clubs to find a fit. Tomorrow I'll go by Metro into DC with another resident to view the Impressionist exhibition at the National Gallery, and in January, there'll be a group trip to Life of Pi at the Kennedy Center. Lots more excursions into DC to come, preferably through a group trip from here.

So I'm settling in...

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To be continued...
No.2: Snow Days in My Village (Ashby Ponds#1) ◆ Jules Marquart
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日本語訳：【特別寄稿エッセイ】「死別シングル女性の冒険：退職者用統合的なケアシステムを持つコミュニティへの引っ越しの記」　～No.1 ヴァージニア州民になる　◆ ジュルス・マークアート　（翻訳：河野 貴代美）