Marti Moraga-Doherty Always Finds Ways To Help Others

One day, Marti Moraga-Doherty was on her rooftop cleaning the gutters, and that was the moment she knew it was time to stop considering a Life Plan Community (also known as a continuing care retirement community or CCRC) and just make the move. She came across The Terraces of Phoenix, and between the culture, the warmth of the residents and team members, and the fitness center, plenty of opportunities were available for her and her first husband.

Marti’s husband had been living with dementia, and Marti was his caregiver. Before moving to The Terraces of Phoenix, she relied on her close friends to provide support as her husband’s health deteriorated. Once she and her husband moved to The Terraces, she found a supportive community of residents and team members who were ready and more than willing to help her and provide the care and support she and her husband needed. This community way of life has been good for Marti’s soul, and, of course, she’s found ways to pay it forward.

While the community provides plenty of support for Marti, she’s also there for them. She says, “We were all put on this earth to help each other,” and anyone who knows Marti sees her living this belief every day. For those who can’t make it to the community’s religious services, Marti comes to them to give Communion. She also delivers food to people within the community, and she frequently checks in on her fellow residents to socialize and see how they’re doing.

At The Terraces of Phoenix, Marti found a variety of wellness resources that she could take advantage of, including fitness classes and line-dancing lessons. If someone can’t find Marti, she’s more than likely lifting weights in an exercise class or doing the “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” or “West Coast Shuffle” in a line-dancing session. 

Marti believes in doing everything she can to take care of her body, and she found the resources and services she needed all under one roof. From fitness classes to massage therapists and healthy — yet delicious! — meals, there are many options available to her to take care of herself. 

“You feel so good. It makes a world of difference!” Marti says.

She’s even known to find ways to help others while working out, showing that helping others doesn’t have to occur during specific times or activities. For example, she regularly helps a visually impaired resident through exercise classes. 

Her belief in doing what she can to help others also helped her find a community with like-minded folks where she could continue to do good and also be around others who feel the same. 

When asked what the best thing about living at The Terraces of Phoenix is, Marti says, “The people. They’re good human beings who like to help others rather than thinking of it as a job. The people make this place special.”

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