Today we went to La Casa Mañana, a senior living community located by La Jolla Shores. Upon arriving, I was shocked by how clean and opulent the establishment was. This place felt like a resort at the Hamptons, filled with valet parking, ornate furniture, accommodating staff and outstanding amenities. It felt like paradise, and definitely a place where you’d want to die. Throughout the tour, I could remember my jaw dropping every time we saw a new feature of the establishment. To be colloquial, I was gagged.
Although this establishment was nice, I felt extremely out of place. This was a living center for mostly white, affluent seniors, and I felt that if I were to retire, this place would not be the place for me. Honestly, I felt a bit uneasy with each second that I was there. Although I looked shocked on the outside, I felt horrible on the inside. I felt this way because the conditions of this senior center were drastically different from the conditions of the Gary and Mary West Senior Center. After visiting both sites, it was clearly evident that some seniors were living their best lives, while others were struggling to survive.
Visiting La Casa Mañana made me think a lot about the culture of retirement living. It made me think a lot about my own culture’s attitudes towards this unfamiliar idea. Personally, I think that retirement communities are more of an American concept, and not so much in others. In most Asian cultures, for instance, it is usually typical for the parents to live with their adult children. It is expected that when the parent gets older, it is the children’s responsibility to take care of their aging relatives. However, this idea is beginning to shift, as spouses are working more and have less time to take care of their elders.
With this in mind, I thought about how La Casa Mañana, a predominantly white retirement community, could cater to elders of color. How can they navigate through cultural challenges such as culinary preferences or language barriers? How can the staff provide culturally competent elder care to diverse populations? I think that it’s important to address these challenges and find innovative solutions to provide services that are compatible for aging ethnic populations. Overall, this visit expanded my thinking of how we can create similar retirement communities that cater to multiculturally ethnic populations at a fraction of the cost.
Although this establishment was nice, I felt extremely out of place. This was a living center for mostly white, affluent seniors, and I felt that if I were to retire, this place would not be the place for me. Honestly, I felt a bit uneasy with each second that I was there. Although I looked shocked on the outside, I felt horrible on the inside. I felt this way because the conditions of this senior center were drastically different from the conditions of the Gary and Mary West Senior Center. After visiting both sites, it was clearly evident that some seniors were living their best lives, while others were struggling to survive.
Visiting La Casa Mañana made me think a lot about the culture of retirement living. It made me think a lot about my own culture’s attitudes towards this unfamiliar idea. Personally, I think that retirement communities are more of an American concept, and not so much in others. In most Asian cultures, for instance, it is usually typical for the parents to live with their adult children. It is expected that when the parent gets older, it is the children’s responsibility to take care of their aging relatives. However, this idea is beginning to shift, as spouses are working more and have less time to take care of their elders.
With this in mind, I thought about how La Casa Mañana, a predominantly white retirement community, could cater to elders of color. How can they navigate through cultural challenges such as culinary preferences or language barriers? How can the staff provide culturally competent elder care to diverse populations? I think that it’s important to address these challenges and find innovative solutions to provide services that are compatible for aging ethnic populations. Overall, this visit expanded my thinking of how we can create similar retirement communities that cater to multiculturally ethnic populations at a fraction of the cost.