“It’s a new world for a lot of older people. I was married twice, have owned two homes, and raised three adult children that are all giving back to society – all college graduates with honors. I am very proud of them. But I never expected this. I figured I would still be with my husband. Sometimes it just happens that it’s over. My last divorce was in 2011 and that’s when it began,”  says Barbara, a new resident of A link to: Victory Village in Fairfax.

Less than 6 months later, she seriously injured herself at work. She wound up losing her job and unfortunately had to wait a long time for her workers compensation claim to resolve so she could get the surgery needed to repair it.

Over the past several years, she’s found a variety of work and living situations – including doing home renovations and in-home elder care, but none of them lasted more than a year or so. In between, she’d stay at a motel. She receives social security but found it incredibly challenging to find a stable place to live on her very limited income.

“I was living day to day. I really was. And I was so ashamed about the way it had fallen,” Barbara says. “It was really hard to be proud of who I want to be as a mom.”

Then earlier this year, she got the call she’d been waiting three years for – an apartment at Victory Village was available! She moved in on April 4th and settled in quickly. You’ll often find her busy in the community garden or volunteering to co-host the resident gatherings in the community room. She has a part-time job at Costco that she enjoys and her smile radiates joy. After struggling for over a decade, Barbara has truly found a new home and community.  

“Shaun, our Resident Services Coordinator, has really been a godsend. When I first moved in, she helped me get furniture. She is incredibly patient, and really goes above and beyond to foster connections among residents and support everyone who lives here,”  Barbara adds.