Charlestown Residents Continue Pursuing Their Lifelong Passions

The back cover of Dr. Stephen Schimpff’s latest book features a watercolor painted by his wife Carol. It depicts a stand of trees where the couple vacations with green foliage dissolving into hues of orange and yellow.

“Fall comes early here, so even in August there’s a change of color,” Dr. Schimpff said of the seasonal transition in the northeast corner of West Virginia where the Schimpffs spend time when not residing at Charlestown, a premiere retirement community in Catonsville, Md.

Schimpff’s most recent of six books is entitled Longevity Decoded.

The overarching message of the book, he said, is really about being in control of our lives.

“We each have the power to impact our own life,” he said, “and we can indeed slow the aging process.”

Steve and Carol Schimpff moved to Charlestown, an Erickson Living community, in 2015, right about the time he started working on Longevity Decoded.

Dr. Schimpff’s impressive resume makes him someone worth heeding on the subject. An oncologist and the head of infectious diseases and microbiology in the National Cancer Institute's Baltimore Cancer Research Center, he was the CEO of the University of Maryland Medical Center before retiring in 2003. Since then, the six books he has written range from up-to-the minute looks at medical advancements to a history of West Virginia’s Canaan Valley.

The Schimpffs previously lived in Columbia, Md., and their move to Charlestown has freed both of them to continue pursuing their passions -- his writing and her art.

The choice of Charlestown was made, Dr. Schimpff said, when his wife tripped one day during her daily walk. She broke her right kneecap and for six months she couldn’t drive. Her husband became her chauffeur. While he didn’t mind, Carol was frustrated by the loss of independence and isolation.

“If that had happened at Charlestown, you get the same cast but with a pair of crutches, she could still meet with friends because they’re right down the hall,” Dr. Schimpff said. “She can certainly still do her art because she has her studio here. But at Charlestown, she has the further advantage of being able to go to the dining room for meals – there are six restaurants -- and again, she could talk with people. She can exercise with upper-body work because there’s a full gym and also be around friends. All these opportunities that you can take advantage of because you’re here and not isolated in a house.”

Sherry Parrish, LCSW-C, Director of Resident Life at Charlestown, credits Dr. Schimpff and his wife for having the wisdom to take the important step to move there.

“Unlike some people who fear change and perceive the loss of things known, Dr. Schimpff and his wife, Carol, looked forward and saw the rich possibilities and stronger future that lay ahead for them,” Parrish said. “They travel, write, paint and enjoy this phase of their lives with a burst of creativity and freedom, made available to them by letting go of the burden of property maintenance.”

In his book, Dr. Schimpff outlines what he calls “seven keys” to staying as youthful as possible for as long as possible: exercise, diet, adequate sleep, no smoking, reducing stress, intellectual stimulation and social engagement.

Each one of those items is part and parcel of living at Charlestown, he said.

From the array of restaurants to a smoke-free environment to the fitness center with an enormous pool and personal trainers to the daily offerings of lectures, courses and activities that rival a cruise ship, the pace is as brisk as one chooses, he said.

And as far as stress is concerned?

“We had an HVAC problem on Super Bowl Sunday of all days,” he said. “There was someone here to fix it almost immediately. Imagine calling (the utility company). They’d tell you, ‘We might see you Tuesday.’”

If he has any frustration, he said, it’s when he talks with friends about Charlestown, shows them around and they’re reticent.

“The sooner you make the move, the better off you are because then you’re in a better position to develop friendships and learn about all the resources that are here,” he said.
Charlestown’s Parrish echoed the point and noted the asset he has been in the community.

“Dr. Schimpff believes that we can have our best years ahead of us when we focus on a lifestyle of wellness,” she said. “We are so fortunate to have Dr. Schimpff’s with us at Charlestown, his humility amplifies his brilliance.”

Seeing others procrastinate in making a lifestyle decision was part of the reason why Dr. Schimpff picked that watercolor by Carol that showed a late-summer change of color in nature for his book.

“Even though it’s only August, you can see that there are changes there,” Dr. Schimpff said. “And those changes are telling you that fall is coming.”

Photo: Dr. Stephen Schimpff