February 28, 2022 —When she realized she could no longer take care of her home the way she wanted to, Pat Jones started searching for someplace new. A Washington, D.C. native who lived in Maryland for more than 40 years, she looked carefully at quite a few senior living communities around the metro area. She attended many on-campus events and told herself she was just taking a look. The first time she visited Collington, she fell in love with all the green space and the feeling of being close to nature.
A tailored home in a peaceful environment was a nice reward for Pat. Pat was thrilled that Collington gave her the option to customize it by choosing the paint colors and flooring. “I made it my home.”
After graduating from Howard University with a major in microbiology, she began her career as a medical technologist at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, a part of the D.C. government, and later transitioned to the federal government. For more than 20 years, she worked at the FDA in the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. As a regulator and inspector, Pat traveled to many parts of the U.S. to monitor what was happening in the pharmaceuticals industry. She found her work very rewarding and loved interacting with staff in the field.
In addition to having a busy professional life, Pat had always been very involved in her church and participated in many concerts throughout the year as a singer in the National Christian Choir. She knew having opportunities to be engaged and meet new people would be important in a new community. Life at Collington has allowed her to continue to be active and meet many interesting people. Pat is a member of the Collington Foundation Master Planning Committee, the Residents Association Marketing Committee, and the Interfaith Council. She even volunteers at the library for two hours every week. “It’s a joy, it’s what I want to do,” she explained. “Collington has allowed me to do many more things. There are so many opportunities to be involved. I can be useful because I desire to do that.”
Her favorite amenity at Collington is the walking paths through the woods. She loves to stop to enjoy the geese on the little lake. On rainy days, she is grateful for the lighted covered walkways where she can still take a stroll. Pat says she hasn’t felt cooped up during the pandemic because she could easily leave her cottage and walk around the grounds whenever she felt the need.
Pat particularly loves the feeling of community at Collington. She describes a real warmth; people have had such fascinating lives and they willingly share their expertise with each other. Some of them have fruit trees or grow flowers in their gardens. At harvest time, they enjoy sharing the bounty with neighbors. Many of them even teach classes because others want to learn something new like pottery or yoga. “We are not stagnant. We are in this world and we are forward-looking.”