My dad's old poker buddy made me rethink the whole nursing home thing

I ran into Mr. Henderson at the grocery store last week, he's 82 and still living alone. He said 'your dad would hate being stuck inside four walls with a bunch of rules, he always needed his space.' It hit different because Dad always talked about how much he valued his freedom, even if it meant a messy house. Now I'm wondering if assisted living with a private patio would be better than a full nursing home. Has anyone else had a parent who flat out refused the standard facility route?

3 comments

3 Comments

val_ramirez3d ago

@kimw57 just wants to make sure you know there's a "private patio tax" on that tiny bit of freedom.

corah753d agoMost Upvoted

It hit different" is a bit dramatic, don't you think? A private patio doesn't change the fact that he'd still be in a facility with rules.

kimw573d ago

Yeah, I get what you're saying about "it hit different" feeling a bit much. But I actually think it’s fair to say that small changes can matter a lot when you're stuck in a place like that. Rules are rules, sure, but having a tiny piece of outdoor space to yourself isn’t nothing. It’s something you can control in a situation where you have almost zero control. That kind of thing can really shift how you cope day to day. So while it’s not freedom, it’s still a step up from the usual setup.