VILLAGE MEMBER STORIES

Nancy Euchner, New Castle

How long have you lived on the Seacoast?

I moved to New Castle from Germany in 1997, after my husband retired from the Army. I was born in New Jersey, but my family moved around a lot (TN, PA, IA, NY). New Hampshire is where I’ve now lived the longest.

What do you do professionally?

My professional life has been centered in the field of aging for 45 years. I’ve done clinical work and consulting in a wide variety of settings. In 2000, I founded AgeQuest, a private care management practice in Portsmouth. I still serve clients part-time in addition to my work as board chair for Seacoast Village Project. In 2000, I also retired from the US Army Reserve (Nurse Corps) after 22 years.

What are some of your other interests? 

I love to travel and have been enjoying “catching up” on trips after the pandemic. Most recently, I’ve been to Mongolia, Turkey, Portugal and Italy. I also enjoy hiking, herding sports with my first (and last) puppy, and exploring the many cultural and natural resources the Seacoast has to offer.

How did you come to co-found Seacoast Village Project?

Over my many years as a care manager, I came to recognize that the gaps in care that people encounter as older adults are not medical – they are very practical.  Individual networks change with retirement, moves, and health challenges. It’s more difficult than ever to navigate our system and connect with the resources and people that we need to support us as we age. As a caregiver for my late husband and now my mother, I know firsthand how important a reliable support system is to being able to stay in your home and community.

I strongly believe that the Village model fills an important niche in the aging landscape and I wanted to be part of the effort to bring this concept to New Hampshire.

What keeps you so deeply involved?

We’ve come so far since our inception in 2018. Every day, we gain more traction towards achieving our mission to build a community of seniors who can support one another as they age in their homes. Seeing the progress we’ve made, but also the work still to be done, is what keeps me involved.  

How does the Village fit into your personal long-term plans?

As both a senior and a caregiver, I am looking to the Village as a source of added practical support when I need it.  It’s also helped me expand my network of friends beyond colleagues. As a volunteer, helping to build our vendor service resource list keeps me in touch with the changing practices and providers that my mother or I may need in the future. 

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