Step through the doors of Clarendale Ann Arbor and “retirement community” may be the last thing that comes to mind. Light spills across richly decorated gathering spaces, where bold patterns, unexpected artwork and distinctly Michigan touches — from vintage memorabilia to a wolverine tucked among the décor — give each room a personality of its own. Beyond it all, a landscaped courtyard offers a quiet pocket at the center of the community. There is an elegance to the space that feels more akin to checking into a premium boutique hotel than moving into senior living — polished without feeling inaccessible, luxurious without losing its warmth.
Keep walking, and that first impression only expands. A restaurant-style dining room feels ready for an evening out without ever leaving home; elsewhere, residents linger over coffee, settle in for a movie in the Jockey Club or make their way toward the pool, fitness center or creative spaces. On another day, the destination may be farther afield — dinner downtown, a night at the theater, or an Ann Arbor outing — with transportation available to make getting there that much easier. Even the more practical comforts, from housekeeping and maintenance to concierge support, quietly remove some of the obligations that once filled a day.
What takes their place is possibility. A lecture might draw a crowd one morning, an art class or exercise session the next. Michigan game days bring their own traditions, while quieter afternoons leave room for a book, conversation or an impromptu gathering with friends. There is plenty to do, certainly, but life here feels less like a schedule to follow than a collection of choices.
“People still think of nursing homes,” says Joan Desjarlais, Clarendale’s director of sales and marketing. “And we are a community — a senior living community. It’s a huge difference.”
That difference reaches beyond the beauty of the building. The people who live here bring their own interests, routines and ideas with them, helping shape a place designed not simply around where they live, but how they want to continue living. Residents find one another through shared interests and gather beyond the formal calendar simply for time together. Beneath it all, Desjarlais sees something refreshingly simple at work: the value of having “something to do and someone to do it with.”
Clarendale may provide the setting and the opportunities, but the residents themselves give the community its personality. Longtime friends Judy and Mary Sue are two of them. Together, they reflect on their friendship, what brought them to Clarendale and the chapter they’re writing now.
You’ve been friends for more than 40 years and moved into Clarendale within days of one another. How did you end up together — and what does your friendship look like here?
Judy: I’d moved in, and Maura, who takes care of membership, said, “You need to go down the hall and knock on the door on that side of the hallway.” I did, and Mary Sue was moving in. We had talked about it, but I wasn’t sure she would actually appear because she had a very nice home on the lake. I had moved from a lake too.
Mary Sue: I’d been telling my children, “I’m staying right where I am.” Then the next day, I called my daughter and said, “I’m going to move.” They were shocked — but very happy. I was by myself at the lake, and Judy was by herself, too.
Judy: People think we spend the whole day together, and we don’t. But quite often, we show up wearing the same colors without planning it. We’re often on the same wavelength. We might meet for a Coke, go out to dinner or join one of the trips. Just the other day, we went to Schuler’s, a place we both knew from years ago.
What made Clarendale feel like the right place for you?
Judy: Mine was initially more about security because I was very isolated. I lived on eight acres and came home one day to find strange men at my door. When I started asking questions, they ran, and I thought, “I don’t think I’m safe here.” That was when I knew I needed to begin exploring where I wanted to be.
Clarendale was the first place I looked. I liked that it was still part of the larger community. I had lived in Ann Arbor for many years before we built the cottage, so it was lovely to be back in town and know I could get downtown, to Briarwood or wherever I needed to go. We both brought our cars, so we still felt independent.
Mary Sue: I looked at one other community, but when I walked into Clarendale, I thought it was one of the prettiest places I had ever seen. So fancy! It was also so accessible with a lot to do.
What’s made Clarendale feel like home rather than simply the place where you live?
Judy: The people and the staff have really made the difference. Everyone knows your first name — the people in housekeeping, the dining room and at the front desk. It means a lot when people ask you questions and you realize they know you as an individual. That really is important.
Mary Sue: And we call them by their first names too. We couldn’t ask for much more. We only had to learn our way around, and then we felt at home.
What’s this move allowed you to gain?
Mary Sue: I do a lot more here than I did at the cottage. I used to go out simply to get out of the house, although I was never lonesome. Here, there is always something happening. I try to miss nothing.
Judy: I wasn’t lonesome either, but I gained a greater sense of security. Clarendale also makes it easier to remain independent. My car battery recently died when I had an appointment on Main Street, so I went to the front desk and asked for a ride. They took me there and brought me home, and there was no charge for the service.
There are usually multiple things happening at once too. This morning, I attended a lecture while an exercise class was beginning in the next room. We’ve made glass jewelry, taken dinner trips and gone to the theater. You can choose how much you want to do.
What do you think people misunderstand about what life looks like in this chapter?
Mary Sue: I think people imagine it almost like a prison — that it isn’t going to be fun. But it really is. There is so much to do.
Judy: When I first saw Clarendale’s activity calendar, I thought, “This isn’t at all what I expected.” We joke about old people sitting in rocking chairs on the porch. Yet, on football days, we sit outside and watch the traffic go by — and then we come inside and watch the game on television as a group.
My mother lived in Chelsea, and I have pictures of her riding a horse, going fishing and sitting downtown watching a parade. It made me realize that it doesn’t necessarily need to be a quiet life. It is about what you are able to do and what you choose to do.
To learn more, visit clarendaleannarbor.com.
"Here, there is always something happening. I try to miss nothing."