Here in the place where I live, the population is old. That’s the nature of life in a retirement village. But none of us were always old. We have been places and done things. We have stories to tell. Lately I have been asked by several different groups to talk about what is happening in […]
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In another country I visited a home for the sick and elderly, just a few days before Christmas. In the lobby where I got permission to go into the ward there was Christmas music, familiar carols. Then in the large room where more than a dozen women lay in hospital beds, there was no sound […]
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The hurricane that devastated Florida has made me think. There are too many things to be afraid of. It is easier to be afraid when we are old, with declining strength. And it is harder to act on our fears. For example, living in an area of drought, subject to wildfires, is stressful for everyone, […]
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The decision to leave home and move into any kind of adult-care community is a heavy decision. People considering it ask endless questions about accommodations, costs, medical care, social and educational opportunities, staff, policies, food. When we think we have all the practical answers, we still wonder: What if I am unhappy there? Can I […]
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A new year is upon us, while I am still looking back. Just a few months ago, in the laundry room, I met a new resident of the assisted care community. She was beautiful, her eyes such a friendly blue, her gray hair lying in soft waves, her smile lighting up that drab little room. […]
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It was a Tuesday, pile-on Tuesday for me here in the retirement home. The day the cleaning woman works on this hall. The day I have PT and my book club meets. Normally I am slow in the mornings, just because I like it that way (I think), but if the cleaning woman is […]
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The siren of an emergency vehicle is a common phenomena in a large elder care community. It means that someone has fallen or fainted or might be dangerously sick. An ambulance or the fire department EMTs have arrived. This is not surprising, since the organization has gathered into a small space a crowd of […]
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