Yesterday I went to see my friend Louise who was in town visiting her mom. Her mom recently moved into a retirement place. It’s one of those places that once you are in, you are in for the rest of your life. So now, while she is mobile and still in good health, she has her own apartment and as her needs change, she’ll move into the appropriate place within the community for that care.

It’s actually quite a nice place and has lots of amenities. I’d move in. You get a nice apartment and before you move in, they gut the kitchen and change the flooring to your tastes. You have linen service that comes once a week to change your sheets and give you new towels. They also vacuum. There’s a gym and pool along with a library and art studio. They have a bus to take you places and outside of just going to the grocery store, they are off to the Kennedy Center, Nationals games, out to museums etc. Honestly, what’s not to like? Oh yeah, parties with booze too.

Louise’s mom is, at almost 80, still going strong. She’s still driving, socializing and painting. She’s been planning to go there for as along as I’ve known her. She’s still adjusting but she’s joined the Trail Blazer Club (walking club) and she’s making new friends, mostly those who are able to get around like she is. Her place is a bit small for too many walkers, she explains.

Not everyone gets the chance to plan where they will be in their senior years but it seems, if you can, you should. My grandmother lived by herself for many years and she finally made the decision she needed a nursing home. This came right after a visit with my sister and so when I heard her decision, I immediately called my sister to find out what she’d done to our grandmother. But, it was having my sister there that made her realize what she really needed. Once the decision was made, my grandmother went about making her own set of rules for surviving in the home.  1. Learn everyone’s name – hard for people to be mean to you when you call them by name and 2. don’t be trouble.  She did quite well with the first and well, for the second, let’s just say some things were out of her control.

Mike and I have a bit of time before we can enjoying entertaining thoughts of retirement. Who knows what we will do? He occasionally looks at property/homes in different places that might be suitable. We’ve ruled out Florida so I guess that’s a start. Wherever we end up, as long as we are together, it should be fine. I just hope there are parties and linen service.