It was a beautiful, warm January day and was a perfect opportunity to visit Casa De Manana along the coastline of La Jolla. Casa De Manana is a senior community that has 200 diverse residents of various backgrounds and incomes. It provides a range of accommodations offering all inclusive services including daily meals, life enrichment activities, transportation, health services and social clubs. Upon entering the community, I was in awe of the architecture and impressive ocean views. It was interesting to learn about the history of the community and how the buildings started out as a luxury hotel. We were given a tour around the property, unto which we were able to see the various amenities the community had to offer. Along our tour we were able to interact with elders, and It was encouraging to see how active and engaged they all were in their community.
Some of the sites along the tour included the movie theatre, the bistro, the gift shop, the pool, the dining room, the chapel, and some of the community rooms. We were also able to see the difference between the independent living and assisted living areas of the community. We then ended our outing being able to interact with a couple of the residents. As a group we shared a little bit about ourselves and why we are in this wonderful program. Once we finished sharing, we interacted with the residents and held a conversation around our stresses and joys. It was great to hear from elders about their past and what their thoughts are on various issues and how they see the world. The residents were so happy to have us there and were so welcoming and cordial. As we left, I envisioned how I could see myself living here and wondering how I can make it happen. It was a great experience and look forward to visiting again when we put on a dance for the residents.
Some of the sites along the tour included the movie theatre, the bistro, the gift shop, the pool, the dining room, the chapel, and some of the community rooms. We were also able to see the difference between the independent living and assisted living areas of the community. We then ended our outing being able to interact with a couple of the residents. As a group we shared a little bit about ourselves and why we are in this wonderful program. Once we finished sharing, we interacted with the residents and held a conversation around our stresses and joys. It was great to hear from elders about their past and what their thoughts are on various issues and how they see the world. The residents were so happy to have us there and were so welcoming and cordial. As we left, I envisioned how I could see myself living here and wondering how I can make it happen. It was a great experience and look forward to visiting again when we put on a dance for the residents.