This site visit was completely different than any other site we had previously visited. Casa de Mañana is a high-end retirement community, and it definitely shows. Traditional apartments costs start at $4,300 a month, and the minimum monthly cost of a deluxe villa is as high as $11,725. This is more than a lot of people can afford in their entire lifetime, let alone in their years of retirement. However, Casa de Mañana does pride itself in all the amenities included in these costs including hot food made to order, lunch and dinner with table service and salad bar, transportation options to local conveniences and to activities throughout San Diego, resident-led clubs and weekly events and outings, exercise classes, classes and lectures, a library, a theater, and more. It’s a beautiful place to aspire to settle in one’s retirement years, and it was great getting to meet some of the residents. The resident we spoke to were in their 90s, but it definitely did not show. Quality of living definitely has a significant impact in how we age, and the stark contrast was exhibited in our visit to the Gary and Mary West Center. A majority of the people there were at or below the federal poverty level and struggle to even afford the costs of basic medical care and regular meals. A lot of the people we had met there had actually depended on the Gary and Mary West Center for food. Having the opportunity to visit both Casa de Mañana and the Gary and Mary West Center was an incredibly eye opening experience and demonstrated the disparities currently existing in the quality of life of people in that age demographic in this country.
|
Tanveer MoundiWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
June 2019
Categories |