Latest developments in the nursing home/extended care saga...

         Dallas & I have been looking for another facility for my
mother.  We visited two such places this week.  The first had a warm,
friendly atmosphere
... a nice garden which is easily accessible from either of two
lounge/dining areas... and a pleasant view from the windows of virtually
every room used by the residents.  We were introduced to a variety of staff
members & residents, most of whom seemed active & cheerful.  It's
the type of place I would prefer for myself, if the need ever arose, and I
think it would also suit my mother.
I soon realized I liked it for the same reasons, however, as I like the place
she's in now... i.e. the place which has suddenly become outmoded because the
closets are too small & not all rooms have en suite toilets!  Both facilities
are about the same age & they share a lot of the same architectural features.
So how do we know this place won't be closed??  We can't be sure.  If anybody
knows they're not talking about it.  But it would be hard on all concerned
to move my mother only to find we have to repeat the exercise some months
later.

         The second place we visited is closer to home & to the bus
routes my mother's friends would be most likely to use.  It has the modern
conveniences which seem a lot more important to some people than the
general atmosphere of the place or the way those who live & work there
feel about it, especially if they've never been there.  Such things matter
a great deal to us, though, and the second place is certainly not what
we're looking for.  Our priorities are obviously very different from the
priorities of those who make the rules, and I'm feeling quite stressed
about that right now.  But... stay tuned!  More on the topic when we've had
an opportunity to talk to some other people....  :-)




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+