After more than two years at The Village of Erin Meadows in Mississauga, Chuck Marino made the move to Riverside Glen in Guelph, eager to be closer to his daughter. “I had a very good experience at Erin Meadows,” he says. “I loved it. I knew a million people there.”
He’s only been at Riverside Glen a short time as he sits upon the patio outside his Williamsburg suite and discusses the move; he mentions that his neighbours at Erin Meadows have been kind enough to look after his cat through the transition.
Though he was active at Erin Meadows and counted many residents and team members among his friends, family ties drew him to Guelph, where his daughter is a chief psychologist. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, as the saying goes.
Chuck was a professor of psychology for much of his professional life, and his experience offers insights in the man he is today. He says he was “kind of an unusual professor,” avoiding the large lecture halls in favour of smaller graduate classes. He valued close interaction, mentorship, and bringing students along on real-world projects.
Research was also important, but he chose a different path when he walked away from Canada’s largest social science grant after objecting to what he saw as unethical research practices. Over time, he moved away from formal research to focus on creativity training, consulting, and problem-solving work with Ontario government managers.
He’s a man of many interests and he loves to share the stories of his experiences. After only a short time at the Village, it’s clear he fits right in.
Chuck’s daughter “knew it was going to be friendly here,” he says of his new home. She also thought Riverside Glen would offer rich opportunities for conversation and connection, suggesting a strong likelihood that there are other professors among the residents and educated people throughout the Village community. Some team members are pursuing their own studies while working, he notes, and he loves nothing more than connecting with students in pursuit of higher education.
Moving closer to his daughter also offers peace of mind after a recent health scare. She’s now only minutes away, and they both appreciate that luxury.
When Chuck arrived at Riverside Glen, the welcome was immediate and genuine, he says. “The first day… at least 11 people came here, told me what they did and introduced themselves. It was overwhelming, in a good way. I was wiped out.”
A naturally social man, Chuck has always found ways to connect with others and at Riverside Glen, he’s finding new connections once again, one conversation at a time.
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