Autos of my history:
For today:
In my
early childhood some counties had “The County Home.” It was a place where the
indigent, the old down trodden folks ended up if no family could or would care
for them. They faded as US Government
funds subsidized the elderly into what we called “Old Folk’s Homes.” They were
private enterprises that warehoused the elderly.
Several
times in our lives the churches we attended held religious services at some of
those homes. I will never forget the people strapped in wheel chairs in the
halls, head bent drooling. The stench of urine was terrible.
That
has improved DRASTICALLY. WE have had occasion to look in on folks in “Assisted
Living” facilities. There is still the
low end that take care of folks for the Social Security payments they receive.
Our
parents (except my mom) passed away before that time came around. However
remembering the urine smelling places, I leaned on Sherry’s good nature, and we
took my mama into our home. Sherry loved mama and treated her like a queen. BUT
it was tough, VERY tough. We learned a lesson and have decided we will not live
with either of our sons. If it becomes
necessary, we will spend our last weeks, months or years in some assisted
living facility.
When we
see people presently taking care of family members at home, WE KNOW IT CAN BE
TOUGH. At times it can cause irreversible
damage. We know families experiencing that very thing right now.
With my
sister Shirley, we knew that time was coming. Sherry & I visited some
facilities, and concerning a couple of them, MY Sherry was ready to move in now! LOL
There
are days I feel I am ready NOW! At times I think it would be nice for someone else to handle all the
paperwork required today. I am
already dreading tax time. Of course one reason for that is I will need to file
our taxes before I head into isolation backpacking for months.(I HOPE)
You know the stuff:
…Car tags, insurance, maintenance
etc
…Life/death
insurance
…Property
taxes
…Medical
records
…Phones,
internet connections, and remembering PASSWORDS!
…Changing implant device batteries
….Straining
to understand directions
….Buying
groceries….
And looking
at my portable filing cabinet, I haven’t covered half of it.
Maybe
it is time to be homeless or in a FACILITY. As a kid we called it the Crazy House. The
Hospital where the mentally challenged were warehoused. That is a FACILITY,
right?
That
last statement is in jest, (I think?????)
Nite Shipslog
PS: Maybe tomorrow I will tell you the 'county home' story my brother told me when I said "My mother will never go into a nursing home."
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8 comments:
We had a county home for the elderly here in Ashland but it closed down years ago. Things have improved but my sister and I always said our Mom would not be put into a nursing home. When my sister had a health crisis and was hospitalized Mom fell and broke her leg. We had to put her into a rehab facility. Then covid hit and it was a disaster. Thankfully Mom came home for a few weeks and passed away in her own home. But we still feel bad for the 3 months that she had to endure a facility without any family being allowed to visit. It was the worst thing we did to the elderly with covid. It was the biggest mistake made during the pandemic. All the facility faculty got covid so they should have let families come in and stay with their own family members housed there. It would have saved many from the frightening experience of not understanding why they were there alone. Well, that's my soapbox for today! Enjoy your good health in your senior years as long as possible!
Some assisted living places are really nice and a lot of activities are held for the residents there. They always seem to be doing something or going some place (those still physically able to do so). I think it is a labor of love to take care of a loved one in a private home.
betty
Life is getting very complicated these days.
God bless you and your family, Jack.
I’m only in my 50’s and I have even thought about the “retirement Homes” when I get older. Some of them are nice. Assistant living doesn’t scare me if I were to need it. But those low income government rest homes……Nope.
I think you and Sherry are far from needing “Assisted living”. your both doing things I can’t do already!
Heading out to make a dollar
Lisa
Timely, important post! I'm terribly overdue; remiss in documenting those things my son will need to know -- both for the upkeep of this place and my final wishes.
Pretty sure, if something were to happen to Tom (that) Troy and Lois will 'take me in' like they did my mother and Lois'. On one hand it sounds attractive, but I'm super leery. 'Love my privacy and never ever want to be a burden on anyone. The idea of losing my dignity is too frightening to even think about. I've said it (in jest) before, but given the choice of dying from cancer or developing dementia makes me want to get in the car and buy a carton of cigarettes.
Knowing your and Sherry's stories, my hat's off to you. Far stronger folks than me!
Oh my gosh Jack I worry about that a titch every day. I don't think we would have enough money to go to a home. They are expensive!!!
And you are right the paperwork these days is amazing.
I do not want to be a burden either - one reason we got rid of the big house and moved to a smaller place....
Our wishes are still to live at home as long as possible and as long as our kids don't have to take on the burden of caring for us. In that case, I think I'd become a recluse...life is too complicated to worry about what I cannot change. I'm leaving it up to God. In the meantime, you'll find me either at the house or at the cabin. Life still is pretty grand.
loven'hugs from our northwoods where it was in the 70's today. Unreal weather for the first of Nov. Ya gotta loveit!!!
LOVED THIS ONE, START TO FINISH!!!
Very thoughtful comments as well.
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