Inspiring Stories: David and Robby Plan Their Move to College-Enriched Senior Living
The anticipation is palpable as Edenwald prepares to break ground on our INSPIRE expansion, which is destined to redefine the senior living lifestyle with enviable apartments, a bustling outdoor plaza, sought-after amenities, and innovative learning spaces conceived in partnership with Goucher College.
However, the people behind Edenwald’s expansion are what make it truly special. Meet David B. and Robby S., an active, accomplished couple who have secured their spot in INSPIRE’s Freshman Class by making their Reservation Deposit. We asked them to talk about their journey so far and how they envision their new chapter at a college-enriched senior living community like no other.
This place defies stereotypes.
David, a retired MD who has resided in Baltimore since the age of 30, has seen the advantages of Life Plan Communities firsthand. “My mother enjoyed some of her best years in a senior living community, so I decided I would follow suit when my time came,” he says. “There was also the consideration that our family members are spread across the country, and we can’t ask them to fly all those miles to take care of us.”
Robby needed a bit more convincing, since his idea of a senior living community was largely informed by movie stereotypes. He recalls his surprise when he attended his first luncheon at Edenwald. “As a 42-year veteran of the hospitality industry, I noticed right away how happy and energetic everybody was,” he explains. “The more we interacted with the residents, the more I realized this is not a place where you sit around and knit sweaters. It’s a place where you can have a vigorous next chapter.”
Both agree that Edenwald’s warm, inclusive atmosphere also played a key role in their final decision, and credit CEO Mark Beggs and Vice President of Sales and Marketing Diane Stinchcomb with keeping them abreast of every detail. “We’ve engaged with the folks at Edenwald so much, we consider them friends now,” Robby says. “I even passed along my recipe for Thai spring rolls.”
An apartment built for three (counting the fur baby).
The residential senior living towers slated for Edenwald’s INSPIRE expansion will each feature spacious apartments with open-concept floor plans, oversized windows, gourmet kitchens, balconies, and more. David and Robby are already making plans for their two-bedroom, two-bathroom home.
The pair chose a ground-level apartment, in part, because of their adopted rescue dog Liko (which means “sprout” in Hawaiian), who may or may not be taking over the spare bedroom. David also insisted on a patio, because he can’t wait to start a container garden filled with native flowers that he hopes will attract pollinators. “It will be like bringing the outside inside, and when it’s raining, we can still have a nice view of the garden,” he beams.
While they wait in anticipation for moving day, David and Robby are tackling the process of downsizing. “Before we got married, I was living in my house for three decades and accumulated more than my share of stuff,” David explains. “Now we’re going through the ‘heave-ho’ process—including some spirited negotiations concerning which pieces of artwork we’ll be bringing to Edenwald.”
“Just because a piece of furniture is worth a lot of money doesn’t mean it will fit in with the new life we’re creating,” Robby adds.
Cultivating a retirement filled with learning, gardening, and traveling.
As Edenwald broadens its longtime partnership with neighboring Goucher College to evolve into a college-enriched senior living community like no other, opportunities for intergenerational and lifelong learning will increase as well. David, an avid reader, is eager to jump in.
“I attended Brown University, which is a medium-sized university, and I’ve always been curious about what it would be like to take classes at a smaller, more intimate college like Goucher,” he explains. “As we get older, intellectual wellness becomes more important than ever.”
David is also looking forward to putting his enthusiasm for gardening and other environmental projects to work in the Goucher Community Garden, a shared resource for students and Edenwald residents. “I’ve learned a lot about native plants during retirement and I’m eager to contribute to this effort.”
Robby, a native of Maui who speaks French and Chinese, is making sure his passport is up to date so the pair can take advantage of the Edenwald/Goucher College study abroad program. “David and I both love to travel, especially to Hawaii, and we’re very excited about taking a semester abroad with the Goucher students,” he says. “It’s a great opportunity not just for intergenerational learning, but to learn from people with different backgrounds as well.”
Closer to home, Robby is eager to reignite his passion for building and flying kites at Oregon Ridge Park. “Some of our friends didn’t really plan for what they would do after retirement, so now they’re kind of walking around lost,” he observes. “We consider ourselves lucky, because we have a plan to live with purpose for years to come.”
Picture yourself at our innovative Life Plan Community.
David offers some advice to older adults who are on the fence about moving to a community like Edenwald: “Come visit. Go meet your potential new neighbors and experience the amazing cross-section of backgrounds here.”
“We’re both thinking about joining the welcoming committee,” Robby adds. “We want other people to feel what we’re feeling.”
Construction on INSPIRE at Edenwald, a college-enriched senior living community like no other, begins in September 2026—and the waiting list is filling up fast. To learn more or schedule your tour of the community that’s redefining retirement, contact our Residency Counselors at 410-339-6263.
Edenwald’s expansion project is subject to final approval by the Maryland Department of Aging.
