Culpepper Garden low-income retirement community
Culpepper Garden residents are excited, exercising, and out of their units as they explore the possibilities brought about through the new partnership with Goodwin Living.
“We already have about 50 residents participating in the free exercise classes now offered by Goodwin Living several times a week,” Marta Hall Gray, executive director of Culpepper Garden says. “I have never seen so many residents energized.”
She said the exercise classes also allow the Goodwin Living professionals to get to know the residents and observe their needs for the other services available like physical therapy and occupational therapy.
Andy Siegel, Goodwin Living Chief Business Development Officer says, “We have learned in the case of health how important trust is.”
This partnership offers services for the independent living residents that were previously only available to them through their outside providers. Now there is a full time PT on site at Culpepper which allows the residents to stop down and make an appointment without having to leave Culpepper. Occupational Therapy is also available through the professionals at the wider Goodwin Living services and can be called in when needed.
So far about 20 people have taken advantage of these new services.
“As with anything new, it grows over time,” Siegel says. “But this participation after three weeks is pretty fast.”
Gray says Goodwin Living gets a lot of credit for their outreach and information provided to the residents.
Gray explains providing on site services limits the seniors previous problem of coordinating their outside appointments with available transportation. “It can be a challenge for them remembering to go and keep track of when our bus is running. They may not focus.” But now Gray says this new opportunity makes everything accessible to them. She says 25 percent of the residents are Hispanic and another 25 percent follow the diverse demographics of Arlington County “and they are afraid to go out right now.”
According to Paul Timpane, Culpepper Garden Director of Property Operations, the timing was perfect since Independent Living residents no longer have the option of moving to Assisted Living when it becomes needed. “So we wanted to be sure they have PT, OT and mental health services available in a format we aren’t providing now to help keep them healthy.”
Gray says, “This is critical. “The most frequent issue is balance and falls. All studies show when a resident falls and breaks a hip they don’t come back. For a high percent it is the last straw. “
Siegel explains, “With our wonderful rich history with Culpepper we thought it would be a good time to put a clinic in there.” This will be the first clinic of this kind established by Goodwin Living, “and we hope to replicate this model for future efforts.”
Gray adds, “Goodwin Living is mission-oriented which really suits our mission-oriented approach; it’s really about service. They are second to none. We are really proud and honored to be associated.”
The process began last January when Assisted Living was winding down at Culpepper, and negotiations took place over the summer. The contract between Culpepper Garden and Goodwin Living was signed in October.
Siegel says they identified the space for the new program that made the most sense, identified what the needs would be, and what would be the most impactful using the health system. They needed to make sure there was good access and added equipment like a PT bed and other age-appropriate equipment. Siegel said they made sure they had a team ready to go, and got to know the residents so they could be sure they put all the proper procedures in place.
The exercise program began in January 2026, and Feb. 1 they began to treat residents. Siegel says he hopes this is just the beginning. “We would like to deepen the services.”
Goodwin Living is a not-for-profit faith-based senior living and health care organization. It is well known in the region for its Goodwin House senior living facilities in Alexandria and Falls Church as well as its hospice and home health care.
Culpepper Garden is an award winning low-income retirement community in Arlington.