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A Day in the Life of an Independent Living Resident: Part 2
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Comments (1)(This is the second half in a two-part series. Read A Day in the Life of an Independent Living Resident:Part 1.)
A weekend of senior living and hanging out with my Grandpa—not the normal itinerary for a single city girl, but terrific all the same. The time spent in Folsom with Grandpa at Creekside Oaks, the independent living facility in which he resides, was not without its many enlightening moments. Saturday night was spent in Grandpa’s room, a one-bedroom apartment with white walls and a kitchenette, with an emphasis on “ette.” A medicinal odor filled the space, which Grandpa had agreed to tidy up prior to housekeeping’s attempt to clean it. As he settled into his armchair, (I think it most prevalent of men from his generation to own an easy chair, much in line with Archie Bunker), I rearranged his furniture and various photographs. Grandpa’s room was startlingly short on tchotchkes. But his retirement benefits afforded him this: a space to call his own, with health care facilities close by and a retirement community in which he could remain an independent living resident for as long as possible. We reheated dinner from the previous night out and settled in to that evening’s World War II movie on the History Channel. I watched Grandpa doze off and on exactly as he’s done for the past twenty years. It was about time to call it a night.
Grandpa is fortunate to have his older sister, the spry and eternally positive—and chatty—Jewel, living just down the road in her own apartment. Spending time with this woman is a complete, and surprising, inspiration. In her late eighties, Jewel is as active as can be and creates beautiful ceramic dolls in her spare time. The pair make their mark on Folsom’s infinite eateries, knowing each and every bargain to be had on any given day. I soon realized the issue that seems to take precedence over everything else for this pair—money. The three of us soon launched into a conversation about Social Security. Both are members of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (NCPSSM), whose mission is “to protect, preserve, promote, and ensure the financial security, health, and well-being of current and future generations of maturing Americans.” In essence, NCPSSM works to secure social security for the elderly. “Bush and his crowd want to get rid of social security. I would lose about $90 a month,” said Grandpa, emphasizing how important that monthly check is to him and his fellow seniors. And I asked myself: why should the elderly in our country have to live this way, pinching pennies, after working and paying taxes their entire lives?
This aside, the visit was delightful, our hosts at Creekside Oaks polite and accommodating. Grandpa was to attend an exercise class listed on the facility’s activity schedule the following day, to help him remain limber and strong. He’s got about eight great-grandchildren, can still swing a golf club and, of course, me. Although his life has changed since Grandma’s death five years ago, life goes on. She’s in his thoughts every single day, but he’s learned how to live again. And I’ve learned to take each day as it comes and to cherish the ones I’m with now.
Posted in: Independent Living, Retirement & Life Care Communities, Senior Trends
Thanks for sharing your experience. My grandmother lived in an assisted living facility and loved the privacy of the space but also liked knowing there was someone there to help her out when needed.