Beryl Reeve has spent her life caring for others. Eight years at a seniors’ retirement home, time at a hospital, a stretch at her local library, even a family fish and chip shop. But it was the years spent with seniors that shaped her most. She made a difference every day, and that feeling never left her.
When it came time to find her own home, Beryl knew what she was looking for. She visited other retirement residences first, but none felt right. Then she came to White Cliffe Terrace. “I immediately felt warmth,” she says. “The warmth came from the staff and the residents alike.” That feeling has only grown since, built on the relationships and sense of belonging she’s found here.
The clearest proof came during the hardest moment of her life. Before she had even officially moved in, her husband Malcolm passed away. The team at White Cliffe Terrace stepped in without hesitation, treating her with kindness, compassion, and respect. “That experience confirmed for me that White Cliffe Terrace was the right place to call home,” Beryl says.
She didn’t stop at feeling supported. She started giving it back. As a Resident Ambassador, Beryl helped grow the residence garden, started the Knitters and Natters group, and organizes baking days that end in tea, coffee, and conversation. She greets residents by name in the reception area, morning, afternoon, and evening, and those small hellos have grown into real friendships. “I want people to feel included, have fun, and realize that life can still be joyful,” she says.
Her advice for anyone starting a new chapter is simple, and it’s the line she lives by:
“You still have a life to live – don’t let it pass you by.”
Whether it’s knitting, dancing, gardening, or making a new friend, Beryl believes people just need a little encouragement to try again. Moving into a retirement residence isn’t an ending. For Beryl, it’s proof that purpose, connection, and joy are still very much ahead.
