Getting old demands a plan. If you’re waiting to get old, then it is already too late. The time to begin thinking about what may lie ahead is when you are young and clear of mind. If the train has passed through your station, you are already old, and your plan is long overdue.
About six years ago, Lenette and I began discussing “senior living.” We loved our home on the river, and yet we still had to start the process of arranging for our older years. Not our kind of dialogue, but necessary.
We found a place, much like a resort, and moved in. That was nearly four years ago, and now we are moving to a 24-7 care facility. This is what happens if you live long enough. If one lives too long, you must be cared for because caring for yourself becomes more and more difficult.
We were happy at the place we first moved into. We met wonderful people our age and enjoyed sharing bits of our lives with each other over meals. Also, the management and staff there are wonderful people absolutely dedicated to servicing their 150 residents. It is a full house with a deservedly long waiting list.
Now, we are doing what life dictates. The place we are moving to has become necessary because Lenette may require care that is unavailable here, care that I am becoming incapable of giving. Again, if you are long-lived, this becomes essential. Your children, try as they might, are ill-suited for what caregiving actually entails.
Thankfully, a friend stepped into the breach and took charge of our move. When I called and asked them to assist us, they responded immediately. “We’ll drive tonight and do everything we can.”
We are blessed to have such remarkable people by our side to help in any way possible.
Sy