“Retirement” is a Misnomer for Resident of Shipley Living

May 11, 2023 | News | Reading Time 3:00 Minutes

Resident Continues Working In His 90s

For him, the term ‘retirement community is a bit of a misnomer. William (Bill) Strum, a resident of Shipley Living, is still employed, gainfully and very happily. And the fact that the 91-year-old still puts three or four days a week into his career is largely made possible by the senior living community in which he’s lived for four years.

Strum and his wife originally lived in Newark, where he enjoyed 25+ years in management at AVON. He took an early, albeit temporary retirement, moving to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. 

The couple enjoyed their life there, golfing, playing tennis and loving the beach. But Strum decided he wanted to go back to work, so he joined a Wilmington-based insurance and estate planning firm. He’d come into the office from Rehoboth Beach as needed but worked primarily remotely. His wife passed away, and a year and a half later, Strum decided to stop driving, move closer to his office, and look into senior living communities.

Shipley Helps with the Commute…And Lunch

“A friend recommended I check out Shipley Living. I talked to Kathy Scott, who was the director of marketing at Shipley. I was interested in the move but wanted to continue to work at my office, which is only a few minutes away. I worried about how I would make the commute three or four days each week. Kathy told me that Shipley would make sure that they would take me to the office and pick me up whenever I worked. That was a big reason I came to Shipley,” he said.

Not only have they taken him to work, but they also pack a lunch to take with him. “This sold me on this place,” he said.

Strum loves working and plans to continue to do so. He also still owns the house on Rehoboth Beach, where he sometimes spends a month or two during the summer.

Shipley Living’s Cottage

Strum enjoys living in one of Shipley’s cottages, where he said he has a lot of space including a second bedroom for guests. Because he’s still working, he said, he doesn’t participate in many programs but has made good friends and enjoys happy hours, Bridge games, and nice meals. The staff, he added, is great. “They made it easy for me to move here. Not only did they agree to take me to work, but they take care of everything; meals, weekly housekeeping, fixing anything that needs fixing. They take care of everything,” he said.

Shipley Living

Nestled in a vibrant neighborhood in Wilmington, Delaware, Shipley Living is a full-service, rental, continuing care retirement community offering carefree independent living, the helping hand of assisted living, and comprehensive skilled nursing. Shipley Living is managed by Life Care Services®. For additional information, visit ShipleyLiving.com or call 302/387-4832.