I have to start out by saying that Casa de Manana was the most luxurious retirement home that I have ever been. Their location was right at La Jolla Cove so the view was simply spectacular. My favorite room at Casa was the library because there were large open windows that faced the ocean by these comfy-looking chairs where you could read peacefully. I wanted to live there now as a student, but it cost more than my tuition! I could not believe how much the monthly cost was to live there (about $3,500 to $12,000). I was told that a couple had bought two villas to make it a grand villa. My first thought was, “How much space do you need for two people?” Despite the price, I could tell that all the seniors there were really happy and felt spoiled. I loved how the residents were so eager to share their lives and how they ended up at Casa because they were all such interesting stories. I could not believe the age of some of the residents because everyone looked so young and healthy. There was one woman who was about to turn 100 years old next week and she did not look a day over 70. Another woman said she went skydiving for her 90th birthday. My jaw literally dropped when she said that because I am too scared to go now at my age, let alone at the age of 90! I really enjoyed my time here and it inspired me to want to make a living for myself where I will be able to afford to age in place in a home like Casa.
On Saturday, we went all around downtown to look at different affordable housing options. The first stop was at Potiker Family Senior Residence. A woman named Irene allowed us to see inside her unit. It reminded me of the one my grandma had stayed in when she was in a care facility. My grandma did not like staying at a care facility, but Irene seemed happy and positively-spirited. One thing that I noticed at Potiker was how the outdoor area’s sunlight was blocked by a large apartment complex building. It seemed to darken the area and discourage any activity outside. During our visit to Potiker, we also stopped by Sara Francis Hometel. This residence was meant to be transition housing. The hometel did not seem like a good place to live since the living spaces were so small, smelly, and dirty. Even one resident had walked by during our tour and told us not to rent at Sara Francis because it was ‘disgusting’. The place did not seem to be age-friendly at all. The next stops after Sara Francis were brief. I mainly noticed how well all of them blended into the community so well. I would have never known that these places were affordable housing if no one had told me. Our last stop, North Park Seniors, was the best one. The building itself was kept in great condition and was built thoughtfully to accommodate seniors. For example, each floor was color-coded differently to allow seniors with dementia to be able to remember the location of their apartment. There was also plenty of outdoor space that allowed for socializing and looking at the pretty view of North Park. I would definitely feel the most comfortable living in North Park Seniors if I was an elder person because of the small details that made the place more comfortable. It was funny how each place we stopped at was progressively better than the last, but it was nice to see the wide spectrum of affordable housing options in San Diego.
This week we went to the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center in downtown. This center caters to low-income seniors who are on the brink of homelessness. Our class was given a tour of the center so we were able to see the services that were provided for the seniors. One aspect of the tour that stuck out to me was the dental services. There was a dental office that had a full range of services from check-ups to surgeries all for free. Unfortunately, there are only a few dental offices like this in the country. The office was surprisingly well kept and seemed to have the latest technology. After the tour, we were able to mingle with some of the seniors. I went into the game room and talked with a man who was doing a 1000-piece puzzle. I loved how open he was when I asked him questions about his life. He told me that he immigrated to the U.S. from Greece after Germany had attacked during WWII. He had described living through WWII as fearful and hungry, for there was no crops growing during the time. He had also mentioned how he had enlisted in the military, but was left with many health issues afterwards. Thus, he never married or had any children. Now, he lives a couple blocks away from the West Center and walks there every day to socialize and eat the provided meals. It was very fascinating to learn about this man’s life that I wish I had asked for his name.
Additionally, we had the opportunity to serve lunch to the seniors in the dining hall. It was nicely decorated for the Lunar New Year. We served whole-wheat pasta with meatballs and broccoli. I was glad to see that the center works with a dietitian to create healthy meals. I thought it was interesting how we were to serve women first at every table before men. Overall, the atmosphere of the West Center seemed positive and resourceful for low-income seniors. This week we went to Bayside Community Center for a Zumba class. I have only done Zumba one other time, but I love to dance so I was excited to go. Let me just say, Zumba kicked my butt! The moves were pretty simple and easy to follow; it was just the pace that was hard to keep up with. I think the seniors that were in front of me were doing a better job at keeping up than me. Nonetheless, I had a blast and was happy to see active seniors in the community. It was nice to see that the seniors knew their limits because some would take a rest for a bit and then hop back in like it was nothing. The seniors were very friendly as well. During one of the dances where we had to have a partner, I had switched between my partner and one senior woman. She had caught me off guard because she just grabbed my arm and began to dance. She was definitely sociable for she was switching to a different partner each time. I had ended up talking with her afterwards. I wish I had gotten her name because she was so adorable! I found out that she is originally from Argentina, but now lives close to Bayside so it is easy for her to drive to the community center. Bayside is one of her main sources for socializing with others and keeps her busy since she has children who are grown now. Besides Zumba, she mentioned that she also comes to Bayside for the many cultural events that they host and for a knitting club. She is definitely an example of how I want to stay active in my community in my elder years.
On Saturday, we had our program retreat at the Martin Johnson House at SIO. It was supposed to rain, but luckily the weather turned out to be so nice because the house had an amazing view. It overlooked La Jolla Shores and Scripps Pier. I enjoyed getting to know my classmates and playing games with each other. The game that resembled the Game of Life was fun to play and informative since it gave another perspective to the outcomes of different life circumstances. I also enjoyed the lecture given by Patricia Benesh on her book about memoirs. She had showed us some memoirs that she co-wrote with her friend and how special they were to her. It made me excited to work on my project because I knew it was something that was going to bring me and my EP closer. My favorite part of the day was walking the path around the house. We were able to enjoy the beautiful view and also analyze if the path was accessible to everyone. Most of it was an uphill climb, with no places to rest, thus, it was not the best path for everyone. However, it made us reflect on the type of environment we wanted to age in place. In my journal reflection, I wrote about what I imagined my life to be like when I was 80. I wrote that I wanted to spend half my time traveling and the other half with my family. I would hope to live with my husband and that we would be able to play with our grandchildren. I want to continue being active in my elder years as well and want to live in a place where I feel safe enough to go outside and be involved with others. It was an overall fun retreat and a good introduction to what the rest of the year will be like.
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Deanna fongWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
June 2019
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