Assisted Living Resident Renews an Old Interest

Claire Proctor, 96, a resident at the Jewish Home Assisted Living in River Vale, used to paint earlier in her life. She put it aside years ago to help her husband run a mail order business for the U.S. government.

When she moved to the JHAL, she spoke to Lorraine Ten Eyck, programming director, about her interests. Her family, who Lorraine describes as very loving and supportive, thought she might enjoy going back to painting. They bought painting supplies, along with a cart to hold them, and asked Lorraine to find a nearby artist to work with Claire. A volunteer at the Home suggested a local artist, Joyce Levine, who is currently having a show of her own at the River Vale Library.

Today, Claire takes lessons once a week with Joyce. She has done a couple of paintings of a clown, including one she’s working on presently of Joyce’s granddaughter in a clown costume. “I do this for my own enjoyment and to give to my family,” said Claire, who has four grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Prior to moving to JHAL, Claire lived in Connecticut. A graduate of an art school in Boston, Claire lived in Chelsea, a Boston suburb, as a young woman where she worked for a plumbing and heating supply company. She decided to make a change after about a year and jumped at the chance for a job that her aunt recommended with a company in Connecticut. “Within a year, I married the boss,” she said. “He’s gone since ’93. He was nine years older than I am.”

She likes her new home in River Vale very much. “I have a lot more time than I had in Connecticut. There are so many things going on here that it’s difficult to get to my painting.” And busy she is—“just had my hair done at the beauty salon and I’m on way to an arts and crafts program,” she said.

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