Couple is ready to start new chapter at Jubilation

They said Fredericksburg is the perfect place with children and grandchildren close by. Their search for a senior living community they could call “home” took a few years. They did their research. They visited other communities and had friends who lived at various ones in Virginia and elsewhere. D.J., a published author, retired Navy senior chief and retired senior analyst, knows research. D.J. credits Gwen with doing the math and making sure the move to Jubilation made sense. Their longtime home started to require a lot of upkeep and the Mallmanns wanted to simplify their lives.
Jubilation became their top pick, especially after they visited and were able to choose their new residence after what they described as a phenomenal tour by a Jubilation team member who also answered all their questions.
“We heard about Jubilation when we received a postcard in the mail. We went to Fredericksburg and met a very exuberant young man. R.J. took us into an apartment that was just a shell at the time. It made the sale. The view was incredible.

We pretty much came down and made a deposit,” they said. The lure to Jubilation also was made more attractive because of its location and the fact that they have two grandchildren in the area.
“We needed to be closer,” Gwen said. She explained that she and D.J. travel a lot in their RV and wanted the flexibility that living at Jubilation provides.
“We were on a mission trip in Fairmont, North Carolina, and our daughter called: The school has closed because of COVID,” she said. Gwen said they ended up being homeschoolers and babysitters. The grandchildren stayed with them during the week and this arrangement lasted for about six months.

“We consider ourselves very blessed because we were able to see our grandchildren. A lot of our friends did not get to see some of theirs,” Gwen said.
They also both have dealt with Alzheimer’s in their families and learned a lot along with their siblings about not waiting too long to search for a retirement location. “We were looking at long-term possibilities for us,” Gwen said.
They said their goal was not to own a home again. They want to be able to pick up and go in the RV and do mission work. They recalled a couple of years ago when on a trip out West that a storm blew part of their roof off and they were not close by. D.J. said this was a pretty defining moment in their search.
“Do we want to do this? We were on a mission trip and did not want to worry about what was going on back home. You hate to put that on other people,” he said.
They both agree the move to Jubilation is bittersweet. “We are saying goodbye to one chapter and starting a new one.”
A smooth transition and no maintenance, wonderful food—including breakfast seven days a week—are just some of the reasons they are looking forward to their new home.
“The chef [Duane Keller] is amazing. The tapas-style dinners are way more like a meal,” D.J. said. “We have been at the community for events, meals and met a lot of the residents.”
Gwen is excited to meet other people, be part of the community and have a structured fitness program.

“I need a class. I am very excited about this. Wherever we moved, I wanted it to be a place that would promote community. Between the activities and the fact that you eat together, the conversations come naturally,” she said. “I don’t want to go sit in an apartment and look at the walls.”
W i t h t w o p o o l s , a 20,000-square-foot clubhouse and a fitness center, Gwen won’t have that concern as there is a plethora of activities and amenities at Jubilation.
Residents enjoy concierge services in a five-star resort environment. Jubilation consists of 207 maintenance-free one or two-bedroom luxury apartments. Residents have access to the clubhouse, an ideal place for socializing with friends and neighbors. Jubilation has a variety of recreational activities, from daily breakfast and weeknight tapas-style dinner to yoga and spinning classes, all organized by an on-site entertainment director.
In addition to the pools and a state-of-the-art fitness center, other spa facilities include a sauna, steam and massage rooms. Jubilation is partner¬ing with Mary Washington Healthcare to provide an on-site medical concierge to assist in arranging VIP medical services and ongoing educational seminars.
“We have been extremely pleased with the management and Shane Gabis [general manager] in particular. Larry Silver [owner of Silver Companies] happened to be at the community one day. You would say he is like a neighbor to you. He is really proud of this community,” said Gwen.