This senior housing facility provided a stark contrast to the homes that we visited last saturday. These were homes for seniors from affluent backgrounds, with a single home costing $13000 to $12000 a month. It was evident that these communities were well taken care of, engaged with the community around them, and provide quality activities for all of the tenants. The library, beauty salon, exercise room with personal trainers all inside the building make it easy for the seniors to get all of their needs met inside the facility. The location of the home was in La Jolla, right across from the ocean, this is an incredible view for the residents, they are able to walk outside and visit the beach right across the street. The infrastructure around this part of La Jolla provides safe and wide sidewalks that facilitate walking around without any tripping hazards. One of the most stark differences from this facility from the others is the outlook of the residents. The residents that lived here enjoyed being here and choose to be here to “be spoiled” and taken care of. Talking to residents of other senior homes and community spaces if felt that these were spaces that, yes they were grateful for , but were a necessity for them not something they chose to do. I think that in an ideal world we would have community centers and senior homes that fostered a deeper sense of community but also provided seniors with the same opportunities as a this higher end facility. In doing so these centers would be something to look forward to at the end of life and dramatically change the outlook of the inhabitants.
The community center was lively and decorated with Chinese New year decorations that were put in place by the seniors themselves. The seniors were coordinating an event to celebrate with food and traditional dances. Our Tour guide had worked at the center for several years and it was apparent the way that he interacted with the visitors. Before serving lunch we had the chance to mingle with some of the seniors in the dining room. While talking to some of the seniors they mentioned the importance of having the food services that the center provided. I noticed that the seniors in the center knew each other pretty well and they had inside jokes as well as making fun of eachother while we asked them questions. I think that the center did a great job of connecting individuals in the community with one another but also with valuable resources.
In that sense, the community space was more than a gathering space but also provided vital services for the wellbeing of the seniors. We got a chance to take a look at what was offered besides the daily meals. The center had an activity room, dentist office, social workers, computers, and nurses on site. We started off in the the Potiker Family Senior Residence, it was the first time that I have ever visited a Senior housing and it was very different from what I had imagined. I was really surprised with the look of the apartments, they had a dorm feel to them. The apartment was a single room apartment with a bathroom I am grateful to be invited into the home of a senior who was currently living there. The resident felt that while it wasn’t perfect, this facility had helped save her from a life of living in abusive nursing homes. I was appalled at the story of her time in a nursing home, the lack of care and abuse that led her to fall ill and be hospitalized was not what I expected from a nursing home. From my conversation with the professor, I learned that the privatization of nursing homes often leads to a lack of oversight. It was clear that at least here the resident was able to live an independent life and was respected by staff and community members.
The Potiker Residence was made with as many possible open spaces and glass windows to provide lighting to the interior of the building. A thoughtful detail for seniors how were once homeless and not used to spending so much time indoors. We got a chance to look at the community garden and look at the buildings around us. The were little bell peppers, a lemon tree, and flowers growing in the middle of a densely populated city. The skyscrapers perhaps three times as tall as the senior home blocked much of the sunlight. Yet still this garden had life in it. The skyscrapers as a stark contrast to this community. The skyscrapers are market price housing with modern architecture, while this building was starting to show signs of aging. Despite this, this facility played a vital role in providing food and housing for many Seniors in need of a little help. Next we visited, The Sarah Francis, which was the temporary/transition housing facility. These RSOs provides homes for those who where recently homeless. This place was dark, there was poor ventilation, and it seemed very unwelcoming. The hallways were narrow dimly lit, as we passed by each room there were signs warning us to “stay out” , “don’t touch my door!” “Beware of the owner Not the Dog!”. The laundry room and bathroom was small and shared by the whole floor. This facility was not a place I would want to live in much less have my grandparents live there. I understand that funding is limited and that these are safety net placements for those who are struggling with homelessness but it seems as though these places were not made with the intent of being even slightly welcoming. It is my hope that one day we will be able to better funding programs that help people overcome homelessness and with temporary housing that is dignified. The last place we visited was in North Park, a home aimed at creating an LGBTQ inclusive community that is only a few months old. This was a new site that we created thoughtfulness in every aspect of the structure. It started out as a old parking lot but construction transformed it into a senior friendly apartment building Each floor is color coded making it very distinguishable of the older residents, there is a community space were they seniors can go use free wifi. The outside patio was decorated with lights and colorful little decals. There was space to grow a garden and even a community kitchen! As we walked through the halls little messages of acceptance decorated that walls and Pride flags were on balcones. Physically this place was the most thoughtful and beautiful place we have visited, event the stairwells provided scenic views of the town. I think that it is still too early to tell if there is a strong sense of community but there clearly are enough physical spaces for meetings and gatherings. I am curious to see how the residents influence the direction in programing and any structural changes to the building. I think there are many pros and cons to these housing models, some are too small and dark to foster a sense of community, while others provide ample space for residents to have meetings. No one place is perfect, but each one uses their resources to support seniors in need. There really is a lack of funding and support of low income seniors so anything that is done to help is surely appreciated. I think as future generations begin to age it is pertinent to learn from these housing solutions and take what works and what doesn’t and apply this to future housing models. This is a problem that isn't at the forefront of media and the public conscious, personally, I have learned a lot about the lack of affordable housing for seniors and I intend to take this knowledge with me as I become a working professional and apply it were I can. We went to Bayside Community center to dance Zumba this week! It was such a fun opportunity to engage with the community and get some exercise! I don't really have too much experience in community centers, much less this community center. While it was "just a building", simple and humble, if you looked carefully you could see the involvement of the community. There were some small gardens outside, lavender, succulents, and herbs surrounding the building with color. Once inside, earrings were for sale, tables set up, plans for expansion, flowers, and artwork on the walls were evidence of the community's presence. Even though it's just a building, there's more to it, fill it with people and now its a dance party, a community space, somewhere to forget about our worries. I enjoyed to opportunity to chat with a senior who was there with his wife. He had lived in San Diego for 40 years, has a passion for travel, and is a veteran. This experience was fun and a great first site visit, I'm looking forward for what's in store for the rest of the quarter.
The retreat took place at the Martin Johnson House in a cute little cabin on the edge of a cliff overlooking the beach. We engaged in a variety of activities to get to know eachother better; from a nature walk, to a life course board game. We started the day off some quick icebreakers - who knew so many of us were multilingual - then when into a lecture given by the professors. It was very striking to me to learn that so few elders are institutionalized, that the majority are living very independent lives on their own. I think there is a narrative of the helpless elder that is portrayed in television and media and this really feeds into this stereotype. In addition to that, as the professor mentioned, as college students we seldom have contact with older persons. At the end of the day we were asked as answer the prompt " When I am 80...." , an idea I had never put too much thought into. After today, I hope that I will be fortunate enough to live in an environment that takes into account my limitations and provides me with opportunities to be involved.
Here is an excerpt from my response: "When I am 80 I'll have a small home with a beautiful backyard, with lots of flowers and trees. I will share my home with my husband and we will spend our days rewatching old marvel movies and spending time outside. My life will be driven by the love I have for my family and the passion I have for helping others. I'll spend my holidays surrounded by my children and grandchildren, we'll eat the food that I learned to make from my mother and grandmothers and hope to pass on to my children and grandchildren." There's a lot I hope to learn from this program about the structural barriers that older populations face but I really hope that I will be exposed to the diversity of older people here in San Diego. |
LESLYE SANTIAGOWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
May 2019
Categories |