Moving

According to the statistics at http://www.move.org, around 35 million Americans move every year. I am not surprised. We counted 10 people who will be moving within our family circle. Some include, our middle son moving into the Purdue dorms, our daughter, spending her junior semester in Ireland, and then my parents transferring to Waterford, a long term healthcare facility, this week.

The process of moving, even if a small move, involves decluttering, purchasing new items, rearranging furniture and more paperwork. It means saying goodbye to friends, branching out to find new friends, and sometimes closing the door to past employment.

Our Michigan move seemed like the easiest move yet. “Don’t you need to unpack bunches of boxes?” someone inquired. “Not too many”, I answered. ” Think of our move as College Dorm Plus”. Our unfurnished rental, termed 1891, only required minimal furniture, although I have since purchased some other items.

However, I don’t know if I will be able to describe my parents’ upcoming move to Waterford as easy. My mother, a current patient at Freedom Village, will need to be transported via am-bu-cab, a vehicle for disabled individuals. My father, even though he saw Waterford, has expressed some sadness about leaving Royal Park. “What about my recliner?” he asked me. “They have really nice recliners there, Dad.” “But what about my tools? I like looking at them.” The tools, tucked away in his closet, suddenly became his focus point. We decided that some type of display would help him recall the times when he completed various household tasks. Other questions fill my mind. What pictures should be displayed? How can we create a new home for them?

Waterford, a beautiful facility, offers an environment unlike others I visited. Beautiful plants, soothing decor tastefully decorated, and the SAIDO learning program fill us with excitement. But will it excite and motivate them?

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

•