By:Louise Di Dia
EAST WINDSOR — Think you are too
old to start over? Then meet Anna Bucher,
formerly a resident of Hightstown, now liv
ing in East Windsor’s newest seniors apart
ments, Wheaton Pointe.
Ms. Bucher just celebrated her 82nd birth
day on March 31 and is out on her own after 17
years of shared living at Holly House on Dey
Street in Hightstown.
This story really begins in Kearny, where
she lived for 49 years. After the death of her
husband, Ms. Bucher obtained employment as
a live-in caretaker for an elderly woman living
in Trenton. She also worked at the Trenton
Psychiatric Hospital in a special shop called
The Clothes Hanger.
At the shop, Ms. Bucher was in charge of
accepting clothing donations from stores and
individuals to be given to the residents at the
hospital. She saw to it that the clothes were in
good condition, taking care of repairs if needed,
and distributing the clothing. Items not used
were given to the Rescue Mission in Trenton.
But when the elderly woman she was caring
for died, Ms. Bucher had nowhere affordable to
live since she had already made the decision not
to live with either of her children.
Through the help of a social worker, Ms.
Bucher found out about Holly House, a group
residence then located in a farm house on Old
Trenton Road in West Windsor.
After her interview with Ed Chamberlin, di
rector of the home, Ms. Bucher became a resi
dent in 1984.
According to Mr. Chamberlin, she became a
useful and reliable member of the group; help
ing with laundry, cooking, and many times ac
companying other residents to their doctor ap
pointments when they did not want to go alone.
Mr. Chamberlin remarked that Anna has a
“take-charge personality” and she does it well.
û û When asked why she never applied to other
developments for seniors over the years, she
just says she doesn’t like “the location” or calls
it “too isolated.” Since she has never driven due
to a sight impairment, location was important to
her. She wanted to be near places she could
walk to, and at the old Holly House.
When Holly House moved into Hightstown,
residents even could walk to some local stores
and shops.
This past year when the an
nouncement was made about the
new senior housing Wheaton
Pointe on Lanning Boulevard in
East Windsor, Ms. Bucher spoke
to her children about putting her
name into the lottery drawing.
They told her to “go for it.” With
Mr. Chamberlin’s help, all of the
proper forms were filled out and
her name was chosen — soon, she
received a notice to come to
Wheaton Pointe, sign the lease and
make preparations to move in at
the end of March.
According to Ms. Bucher,
“Then the fun began.” Since she
had lived for so long in a group
residence, she did not have a thing
to furnish an apartment. “I felt like
a new bride starting from scratch.”
û û Thanks to family members,
friends and acquaintances, furni
ture, dishes, pots and pans, towels,
sheets, even a mop and broom
started to fill up the apartment.
Now, Ms. Bucher says “I can’t be
lieve it all looks so wonderful.”
û û Her first night being complete
ly alone made her a little nervous,
but she said having the privacy
was worth it.
