Ask Verena what has shaped her, and she points to what has lasted: a marriage, a career spent caring for others (40 years as a Registered Nurse), a family that keeps growing, and relationships that have stood the test of time. It is easy to see why someone who built a life on steady relationships would care so much about feeling supported in a new home.
For Verena, being supported is simple to describe. It means being surrounded by caring team members and fellow residents. Support is not one person or one gesture. It is the whole community around her.
She chose Port Credit Retirement Residence for the people and the setting. The caring team and residents stood out first. So did the location, with the lake close by, walking trails a block and a half away, and Kennedy Park, with its large outdoor pool, right behind the residence.
Since moving in, Verena has been pleasantly surprised by how full her days have become. There is a busy calendar of daily programs and activities. Movies play every evening. Art classes, which she loves, are now part of her regular routine.
When she talks about staying active and involved, two names come up right away: Justine and Emily. She calls them A++. They plan outings to parks, shopping centers, and plays in Niagara, and Friday afternoons are set aside for painting, one of her favourite ways to spend time. Beyond the activities, Verena points to how the team treat residents. Everyone is addressed by name.
One moment stands out as proof of the support she feels. After a fall, the nursing team responded quickly and with genuine care. For someone who spent four decades as a nurse herself, that response meant something. She recognized good care when she saw it, and she felt it directed toward her.
Support is not just something Verena receives. She offers it too. Asked how she helps others feel welcome, her answer is simple: she always smiles and acknowledges the people around her. Asked what wisdom she would share about embracing new chapters and finding connection at any age, her answer stayed the same. Smile. Acknowledge each other.
Verena Unger’s story is a reminder that support flows in more than one direction. She has spent her life caring for others, first as a nurse, then as a wife, mother, and friend. Now she receives that same care from team and neighbours, and she keeps giving it back with something as simple as a smile.
