"No, I don't belong to a retirement community"

Sally Kellerman, with her distinctive wit and unyielding sense of self, offers a statement that speaks to more than just the literal question of residence. "No, I don't belong to a retirement community" is a declaration of independence and resistance to societal labels or timelines. For many, the idea of a retirement community conjures images not just of a specific living arrangement, but of a stage of life marked by retreat from ambition, activity, and perhaps relevance. Kellerman’s words refuse this narrative.

Her proclamation is not an outright dismissal of retirement communities themselves but rather a statement about personal identity and the refusal to be stereotyped by age or societal expectation. By stating she does not "belong", Kellerman emphasizes agency: the act of choosing how and where to live, instead of fitting into a prescribed mold. It suggests the ongoing pursuit of personal passions, creativity, and individuality, regardless of chronological age.

This statement can also be understood as a subtle critique of cultural assumptions regarding aging, particularly in fields like entertainment, which often valorize youth and marginalize older individuals. Kellerman’s career, marked by reinvention and risk-taking, underscores her words; she is positioning herself as someone who continues to break boundaries, unwilling to be confined by a narrative that says life—or creativity—has a finish line.

Her words serve as encouragement for others approaching traditional ‘retirement’ age. They affirm that engagement with life, culture, and creativity need not slow due to societal expectations. Instead, older adults can choose their own trajectories, stay active, and reject limiting definitions. Kellerman's remark, then, is not just about a physical place, but a metaphor for a state of mind: one of ongoing participation, relevance, and independence.