# Anyone beside me living in a Assisted Living Community?



## Lon (May 4, 2018)

If so, I think it would be interesting to compare notes, discuss likes and dislikes because it's a completely different environment than we have had in the past.


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## Lethe200 (May 5, 2018)

Lon, I'm surprised no one has spoken up - maybe they're all out for the weekend, LOL. Although we're not yet in an ALC, we're familiar with a couple of them here in the SF Bay Area since my MIL lived in one for the last 18 months of her life. She was extremely happy there. It was really the best decision we ever made for both her and us.

We did a lot of research to pick a place she would be happy. It was very interesting how different every single one of the facilities was, and we were restricting ourselves to full-care facilities within 15 min of our home for easy access. Each one had a very distinct "feel" to them. 

One was very quiet and almost aloof, where many UC Berkeley alumni and ex-staff lived. One was a converted apartment building with large units and views of Lake Merritt/Oakland. Another was a popular chain, very bright and sunny on the top of the Oakland hills. 

The one we picked for her is non-denominational but did have a high percentage of Catholics, so they held regular Mass every morning. Like many seniors she had gotten increasingly religious as she aged, so the ability to go to Mass without having to even leave the building was a huge plus in her eyes. 

The facility had a large fenced campus complete with on-site senior center. Lots of activities and regular excursions, although since we would come regularly to take her out to lunch she never took much advantage of the latter.

Food was excellent there, too. Important because she had mild/moderate dementia, and if left alone often neglected to eat or eat properly.

One of the facilities we investigated is one we would very much like to move into for ourselves. It has a very active senior community, located right downtown. However, we have a number of others to visit before we make a decision. We're in no hurry, since we have no immediate plans to sell. We just want to be ready, since we'll do the move within the next 3-5 yrs. It's getting to be too much to take care of both house and gardens.

I think the seniors who keep insisting "they'll live and die in their own home" and "those nursing homes are awful" are missing the point. Sometimes it's just not possible to remain at home. An AL facility can offer real advantages as one ages: no more housecleaning; a social community that's supportive at a time when one's own friends are passing or moving far away; staff to assist.

We were talking to one resident of the CCRC we prefer, and he told us, "I used to go on a lot of cruises when I first retired. But now I just stay here. It's like being on a cruise ship, without the hassle of travel."

I thought that was a great description!


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## Lon (May 5, 2018)

Lethe200 said:


> Lon, I'm surprised no one has spoken up - maybe they're all out for the weekend, LOL. Although we're not yet in an ALC, we're familiar with a couple of them here in the SF Bay Area since my MIL lived in one for the last 18 months of her life. She was extremely happy there. It was really the best decision we ever made for both her and us.
> 
> We did a lot of research to pick a place she would be happy. It was very interesting how different every single one of the facilities was, and we were restricting ourselves to full-care facilities within 15 min of our home for easy access. Each one had a very distinct "feel" to them.
> 
> ...


Excellent description and I agree.

It's a small world Lethe   I grew up in Oakland as a teen ager and lived in a apartment by Lake Merritt.


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