I have been out of touch during the past few weeks preparing to move headquarters (and myself) to a new location. My Parkinson's made me uncomfortable with the idea of living by myself in my small studio apartment I'd been in since 1972 (although I was getting along reasonably well), so I have moved to an assisted living facility. I currently don't require any actual "extra" assistance (dressing, showering, medication management, "memory care") aside from what every other tenant here receives. Some of the other residents are here just because they like the apartments and the services—three meals a day, housekeeping, laundry, endless planned activities (movies, concerts, games, exercise classes, and so on). It might sound like a dream come true . . . in some respects.
Most of the residents are Reform Jews, although there are enough Catholics for Mass to be said here on Sundays.
More later when I have settled in. At the moment I don't even have a computer desk or chair (or any chair—I'm sitting uncomfortably on my Rollator, which I don't yet use, but which over half of the others here need).
As someone who spent much of his life helping organizational headquarters plan, I am very glad to see that our organizational headquarters is in good hands.
ReplyDeleteOn both the organizational and personal level planning is really much better when it is proactive rather than reactive. Looks like you will have a lot of opportunities to get to know your new location before it needs to respond to your specific needs.
Rollators are great things. My father and his sister were both very resistant to using canes, walking sticks etc. However, when I brought home a Rollator for my dad, he really took to it and used it all the time.
His is really flexible. I kept it after he died and I now not only use it I have bought two more. I have another one like dads for my basement, and more recently bought one with inflatable tires for use outside. It can go on the grass, but I use it mostly on my long L shaped driveway. They are really great for getting my steps in. As one person pointed out, they may slow you down, but they enable you to get in more steps but going longer distances without tiring.
I am currently building sidewalks around my house so that I will be able to walk around the house and access all my garden areas in safety with it.
Sounds like you have made a smart move. Keep us informed about your new surroundings, and the advantages and disadvantages of assisted living.
Thanks for the update, David! I know it is a really hard decision to make when you need to move from a place where you have lived for a long time. Best of luck in your new living quarters. Keep us posted on how things are going.
ReplyDeleteDavid, that sounds like a really smart move. I am sure it is hard to leave a place where you have spent most of your life. I hope you have a bit more room in the new place, and hope your new neighbors are friendly.
ReplyDeleteAll the best, David.
ReplyDeleteDavid, you have lived in that apartment longer than I have lived full time in any particular dwelling.
ReplyDeleteMy longest time where I have lived full time is where I live now, almost 38 years.
The first six years of my childhood were spent in an apartment building followed by 12 years in my childhood home. Also, during those eighteen years I had access to my grandparent's farm for about eight years, and then their small home.
However, I did have quite a bit of access to my parent's house (a two room apartment upstairs) for a total of 66 years until I sold the house after dad's death.
I also had access to our cottage on the lake for 54 years, although I did not go there much in the last ten years. I remembered the role of the cabin in integrating my life with my parents in my post called a Cabin in the Woods:
https://newgathering.blogspot.com/2017/05/a-cabin-in-woods-its-all-relative_28.html
I lived in the novitiate for two years, one year at Wheeling College, three years at Saint John's
Each of my first two years of graduate school were spent in different places, followed by three years in one apartment. My first year as a post doc was spend in one apartment followed two years in another.
I had teaching appointments for one year in one place and two years in another. I had a postdoctoral in D.C. followed by less than a year at a Child and Family Service place in Hartford.
I did spend seven years in Toledo, the first four in an apartment followed by three years owning my own home. Then I moved here to Lake County.
I think I count about 14 locations where I lived from one to four years.
That does not include four summer school locations, and my many summers at Notre Dame, and a couple at U Michigan Ann Arbor.
At the end of "the cabin in the woods" post I muse upon what life might bring me as I have settled down to life without all those homes which tied together my family life, and all their travel to academic locations.
Of course, the answer is Betty. Totally unexpected, but totally welcome.
Gosh! Academia has certainly filled my life with many locations!
David, I hope this move works out for you. I will be back later with more comments. My husband is in the hospital with sepsis, but fortunately it seems to have been caught in time. They are still doing tests and cultures but the first set of antibiotics and extensive IV hydration have turned him around. Thanks be to God.
ReplyDeleteJim, I have added a couple of comments/observations to the thread on the new young male (especially young male) Catholics. I think that if they are the majority of this influx of new young adult converts, that the church might be in trouble. If they are simply lost, angry, confused the church can help them. But only if they aren't so desperate for new young converts who might make lots of babies for the church that they ignore the warnings.
Anne, I'm sorry to hear that your husband is in the hospital. Sending prayers.
DeleteThank you, Katherine. He’s in the hospital- getting better but we don’t know when he can come home. I have surgery tomorrow. Friends came down from Maine to stay with me and help out. Our sons are on vacation with their kids for Easter break and I had told them not to cancel and come here because our unofficial,”:daughter” and her husband were coming - this was before my husband got sepsis. Sigh. But he’s doing well so far.
DeleteAnne, also praying for you that your surgery goes well and isn't too painful. I guess at least your husband is being taken care of while he is in the hospital and you don't have to worry about that immediately. Please let us know how things go.
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