Focus on Happiness and Find Your Rhythm
Picture a place where life opens up rather than slows down, and your days unfold with friendship, freedom, and ease. A place surrounded by nature and just minutes from the waterfront village of Irvington. Here, neighbors meet over morning coffee, shared meals, walks around the lake, and the simple joy of creating lasting memories together.
This is Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury (RWC), a unique community where finding your rhythm goes beyond exploring our stunning surroundings. Here, you can settle in, feel at home, and focus on what matters most: your time, your relationships, and living the way you want.
After all, a lifetime of effort deserves a life of ease – naturally.
Beautifully Yours
We say, and our residents agree, that every day here is beautifully yours: yours to plan, yours to fill, and yours to savor. At RWC, you’ll find spacious homes, charming cottages, and cozy apartments set within a 165-acre natural setting, a tightly knit community of people, a strong connection to the local village, and opportunities galore to indulge the things that make you happy.
Go ahead, get excited. Then see what’s waiting for you.
What Living Free and Easy Looks Like
From the color of the leaves in a Virginia fall to the warm calm of a summer day on the lake, RWC is more like settling into a vibrant, welcoming small town.
A Community that Grows with You
You can’t predict the future. But you can plan for it. As a continuing care retirement community, RWC is designed for people who want the freedom of independent living, along with the reassurance of lifelong care that adapts to your needs. Rooted in familiar faces and trusted team members, RWC is a community that meets you where you are today and grows with you so you can focus on enjoying the present, knowing tomorrow is already taken care of.
RWC, According to Our Residents
“I caution friends considering RWC not to wait. Move here while you can both enjoy it.”
“Don’t put your kids in the position of having to help you with everything later.”
“Choose a community with a Type A contract, and don’t wait until you have health problems to make the move.”
“What does RWC really cost compared to your current home? Make sure you list everything you’re spending now.
You can drop your Wall Street Journal subscription and read it every day for free in the Atrium. There’s no need for a gym membership. The list goes on and on.
And a portion of your monthly fee is tax deductible.”
“The Type A contract provides peace of mind knowing that even if care needs change, the cost remains at the independent living rate.”
“Yes, it’s expensive—but when you factor in home maintenance, repairs, future care costs, and investment returns from selling a house, it’s much closer than it seems.”
“We couldn’t be happier. We’re doing things we never had time to do before because we were busy cutting grass, cleaning house, cooking, food shopping, and doing repairs.
Here, everything is taken care of.
The residents are an outstanding group of people with many different backgrounds and life experiences. Friendships come easy.
Our 165-acre campus is park-like, with walking trails, a lake for fishing, and abundant wildlife. Unlike many CCRCs that consist of high-rise apartments, here you can choose a standalone home, a cottage, or an apartment of various sizes.
When you become a resident, your long-term healthcare is assured.”
“I love that the community feels open, with lots of trees and space between buildings—it reminds me of the State and National Parks we visited in our RV.”
“A memorable experience for me was when several residents in my block welcomed me with flowers and offered to share their knowledge and experiences on my very first day. Even after four years, the ‘block spirit’ still thrives.”
We moved from a big farmhouse on seven acres at the mouth of the Rappahannock River that became too much to take care of.
Now we have everything we need at RWC, and our grandsons still get to fish—it’s just on our lake here instead of the river.
I could go on and on about my 14 years but I will try to be brief. I first moved into a cottage in 2011 after my first husband died. I already had a few friends here and soon made many more. I loved the activities, exercise and care from everyone on the staff. I did not come looking for love but I found it with a retired army officer who lived in a large free standing house here. We married on Oct.1, 2016 and had seven wonderful years together. When he died in 2024 I realized it was time for me to declutter and move into the apartments. Passing on the many things I had collected through many years was freeing and I do not miss anything. My 360 square foot studio is on the 3rd floor with large windows looking out over the trees and lake. I am 90 years old and feel blessed.
In my 22nd year as resident of this vibrant campus, I reflect on the innumerable instances when I was helped, inspired, and uplifted in my independent daily life at RWC. Residents and staff alike will stop and listen to us as we feel a need to be heard, and offer a hug if we would welcome it. Natural trails throughout the campus energize with their serene beauty. And who said mature people don’t like to party? I have felt welcome from the very first day. My children have peace of mind knowing I am safe and cared for. RWC has become my forever home.
“There are so many wonderful things about RWC that it is hard for me to encapsulate how I feel, but one would be the wonderful friendships I have made. Also, there is always something to do. The Life Enrichment Center offers many ways to keep in shape, along with many diverse activities, art classes and field trips.”
What is it like living at RWC?
“In a word, BUSY! That is, if you want it to be. You can sit around all day and do nothing. OR you can take advantage of the many possibilities offered.”
“Soon after we moved to RWC, we described it as like being a small cruise ship where you had numerous daily activities, facilities for almost anything and dining options. After seven years here, we are still on the cruise, but we know most of the other passengers and crew. This shift in focus is the joy and richness of living here. The people!”
“We love that RWC’s Foundation not only provides fellowships to current RWC residents who need financial support, but also supports programs addressing dementia and Parkinson’s and makes them available to the larger community.”
“We looked at other retirement communities and chose RWC because it is a smaller community on a larger campus in a rural setting. The pace of life in this rural setting can be defined as ‘a large county with a total of eight traffic lights, six of which are on Main Street in Kilmarnock.”
“These are our 5 favorite things about RWC not in any particular order: our residence and neighbors, the friendly staff, an excellent library, the facilities at the Life Enrichment Center, and especially all who cook, prepare, and serve our food.”
“The freedom of being able to choose just how much, or how little we do, as a couple, or individually each day is a gift. The spontaneity of the RWC lifestyle is an elixir.”
“I am very happy every morning when I get out of bed and say a prayer thanking God that I am well and can live at RWC where I have so many good friends and am well cared for.”
“RWC’s intimate community has many more ‘ups’ than ‘downs.’ Knowing lots of residents by first name, getting to know someone new at the dinner table or sharing a funny story over a croquet match is a wonderful way to get acquainted.”
“I congratulate the staff for their creativity and willingness to adapt to new situations as they come up! I believe RWC will out on the other side of this even better than before, which is a real challenge since I have always held RWC in my highest regard.”
“What I see as the most positive aspects of RWC are the friendliness of staff, the generous layout of buildings and landscaping; close proximity to Kilmarnock; indoor pool, fitness center, lake, trails and continuing care facilities (no extra charge!).”
“What I love about RWC is the loving and happy family atmosphere among and between residents and staff and the security of know that I will be surrounded by these special people for the rest of my life.”
“It’s like summer camp all year ‘round — activities indoors and out, learning things, making friends and eating dinner together.”
“RWC is a wonderful place to live. The homes are beautifully laid out for convenience and comfort, the people are friendly and interesting to be with and the staff are absolutely the best of the best. Life is good here.”
Inner Happiness Meets the Great Outdoors
Why not have it all? A beautiful residence. Walking trails and a private lake. A state-of-the-art Life Enrichment Center. A pool. A personal Health Clinic. Indoor dining. Classes, dances, and events. An on-site woodworking shop and library. And abundant opportunities to take day trips or get involved with committees and resident-led activities. RWC is where you can fully be you: inside and out.
The Personal Way to Put More Life in Your Day
At RWC, getting a little support in your life is all about being able to do more. Our professional, nurturing staff are here to do as little or as much as you need. From meal preparation and medication assistance to household tasks and personal care, our helping hands can open the doors to more freedom and more “let’s do it” in your day.
Peace of Mind that Expands Possibilities
When a person is experiencing mild to moderate cognitive impairment or memory challenges, dedicated and compassionate care makes all the difference. RWC’s Birdsong House expands its possibilities while giving peace of mind so that the one you love can keep writing new chapters in their life story.
A Healthy Environment for Healthy Living
From our Resident Clinic, where registered and licensed practical nurses are on hand to treat minor ailments and injuries, to recovery and rehabilitation services at our Westbury Health Center, RWC provides attentive, around-the-clock support in a health environment that promotes healthy living for all our community members.
Care that Greets You Where You Are
Naturally, some people want to maintain their current home as long as possible. At Home with RWC brings personal, companion, and nursing care right to your doorstep. It’s a professional, loving service backed by more than 40 years of RWC’s history and experience. It’s exceptional care that meets you wherever you are.
Plan for the Next Chapter
Our blog is a place to learn more about retirement living and discover the many ways residents thrive at RWC. Browse articles covering lifestyle topics, wellness, planning for the future, and stories that highlight the vibrant experiences that naturally happen here every day.
June 1, 2026
Find Belonging and Connection in Senior Living in Irvington
Meaningful connections with friends and fellow neighbors bring joy to your routine at any stage of life. Moving to a new environment, especially a senior living community, feels like a…
May 15, 2026
Tips for Selling Your Home and Moving to Senior Living in Irvington
Moving to a new senior living community marks the beginning of an exciting life journey. You get to trade the time-consuming duties of home maintenance and yard work for a…
May 7, 2026
Lost and Found: A Cruise With a Hitch
By Bill Cole It was summer in the late 1970s and a group of six was aboard a 40-foot sailboat for a six-day cruise of the Chesapeake organized by my…