My move to the retirement facility (If joining the thread late, at least skim the first few posts)

In My Humble Opinion
5

Random considerations and observations:

  1. My two cats are going to have to become inside cats. I know that’s better for the cats, but it will be an adjustment for all of us. Before I moved to the country in 1992, my cats were always strictly inside.

  2. I’ve hired a moving company that specializes in downsizing for old people who move into facilities. They pack, move, unpack, put everything away, and take away the boxes-- over a period of two days. I used a company like this when I moved to this house and it was mind-blowing! At the end of the second day, you are all moved in and there are NO boxes. The company I’m using is quite familiar with the place I’m going to-- they’ve moved lots of people there.

  3. It is a community with two meals daily on weekdays (if you want) in the dining room. I eat all of my meals at home alone. Or I meet someone at a restaurant. This will be an adjustment. And the place has other activities, which I’m probably not ready to see myself engaging in yet. Like bingo and chair volleyball. It is an INDEPENDENT living facility, so there are no caregivers, CNAs, medical staff, etc. On weekends there are no dining room meals and no administrative staff, just security.

  4. My apartment is on the second floor and you enter from a hallway. So, no direct outdoor access. No patio, no balcony. That is a first for me. Another adjustment. However, the windows open, which is good. So for those two weeks when we experience PERFECT weather, I’ll be able to open the windows.

  5. Speaking of windows: my current house, a 1922 Craftsman (floor plan can be found here) has 21 windows. My new place has THREE. Another big adjustment. Fortunately two of the windows face east and one faces south. No western exposure, which is important here on the Front Porch of Hell (high temp today expected to be 106).

  6. The monthly cost is unbelievable: for rent, all utilities paid, basic cable, wifi/internet, land line, two meals a day, maid service once a month-- $2,300. Hell, my utility bill last month was $350 and I leave my thermostat on 79. So I can be as cool or warm as I want all year round without worrying about the cost. I don’t have cable, just an antenna and my roku, and it will be nice to get some additional stations. It’s an open-ended lease with no terms re duration-- you just start paying and stay until you move out for some reason. To a higher level of care or until you shuffle off your mortal coil.

  7. My building isn’t new, but the whole thing has been newly remodeled. I’ll be the first occupant of this apartment since the remodel. Another first for me-- I favor old buildings with the traces and scars of previous inhabitants. As a feature of the up-to-date-ness, I’ll have a built-in dishwasher and a garbage disposal. I haven’t had the latter in at least 40 years. I have a portable dishwasher that you roll over to the sink and connect, but it’s a hassle to use.

  8. I had planned on moving here at some point. I just wasn’t ready to do it yet. But I’m doing it.

That’s all for the moment. More later.