Maybe my reply sounded a little harsh @Lon Tanner ....didn't mean it that way. I wouldn't mind a snuggle bunny but not for financial reasons...just someone to do things with and someone I'd feel comfortable around. More than just a friend but less than a live in partner. Although it seems I'm feeling quite lonely this year, I still prefer my own space for most of the day.
Here where I live I observe both the professional care takers and the spouses, sons, daughters that provide different levels of care.Family of course does their care taking out of love and or perceived responsibility. It seems to place a real strain on family who in many cases travel a good distance to provide care as well as major disruptions to their lives. The Pros are financially compensated of course.
Being a caretaker is not an easy job but it's what we do for the ones we love. I hope the professional caretakers there are competent and caring, @Lon Tanner . In so many places, they aren't.
It's not easy for families and I often wonder which is more difficult to be on the giving end or the receiving end of a families care and concern. I hope that I can sneak out before anyone even realizes that I'm gone!
Ive been a caretaker, it's not easy but if you love the person it's not that hard either. I'm not talking Alzheimer's though, can't imagine what that's like and hopefully won't. It just doesn't run in our family....I'd be the first. As for me, don't know what situation I'll end up in but I'm sure I'll be well cared for....this is one thing I don't worry about.
As a nurse once told my father, Mr ______ there are worse things in life than dying. It took me a few seconds after she said that to him...for me to realize, how right she is.
As Forrest Gump's mother so wisely told him while on her deathbed: 'Dyin' is just a part of livin' ". Frank
I had a nice EGGS BENEDICT breakfast this morning and sat at a table with Jim @ age 98 and George @ age 92 and myself @ age 84. Although the three of us live on the same floor of our Assisted Living Facility we were able to go to breakfast and leave our apartment un assisted by using our walkers. Residents with Dementia or Alzheimers live and eat in another part of the facility. There are any number of health and medical issues that cause some of us to live in AL . Jim & George agreed with me that our current living arrangement is so much better than living with our children or other family. There are a number of married residents living here with their spouse and neither being a care taker to the other. I write this post just to give other seniors one persons experience living in AL. Given my age and health I fully expect that I will eventually die at this facility or a hospital. Hope I can hang on as long as Jim & George.
@Chrissy Cross "End up"? Meaning leave while somewhere else, or spend the rest of your time elsewhere? Frank
I mean when I'm unable to live by myself anymore....don't know if it will be with my daughter or asissted living but do know it won't be in Fresno. No family in Fresno at all. I want to be near either daughter or son or even siblings.
Long story.....but when we moved back from living in Hungary from 1997-2003 (business) my husband was already sick again with the return of his colon cancer after 10 yrs. Daughter was living in California and son was in Dental School in Illinois....couldn't afford a house on coast where my daughter lived so the closest and best place to her was Fresno. Also chose near my daughter because she was married then and had my first grandson in 1999...so that was a draw for me also. Her second son was born 6 months before my husband died about a year after we moved there.