My in-laws live in an “independent living” facility: high-end, pricey condo carefully designed to give elderly folks the illusion of complete independence, but keeping an eye on them at all times. They’ve been there now about three years, and normally I can’t say enough good things about the place and its staff.
However, yesterday morning the roof fell in. Literally. Some part of the sprinkler system went kerflooey and the building was evacuated. The staff, and the local fire department, went all out for the elderly. They knocked on every door and herded the residents down to the ground floor, where there was no danger (it’s a three-story building). The house chef, who normally only makes dinner, came in and prepared breakfast on the fly for 400 residents. The firefighters went into every unit to ascertain damage, and collected medications, coats and assorted other essentials from the units and made sure it all got to the right people. Building management lent their personal cell phones to residents so they could call relatives, and for those who have no family nearby, arranged for accommodations through a local church. It’s a big crisis, to be sure, but I think it was handled very professionally and very courteously.
We split my in-laws up for the duration. The Wry Guy and I got Dad; my brother-in-law and his wife got Mom. Mom is the more mobile of the two - she needs a walker to get around and we bought her a “potty lifter” for while she is there, but otherwise she’s pretty self-sufficient. Dad, on the other hand…oy.
I work at home, and Dad needs someone to keep a close eye on him (plus I’m far less likely to poison him than my brother-in-law is - Dad may be old and infirm, but he’s still pretty vocal politically and he drives my brother-in-law insane.) And, I’m the only one of this generation who can/will cook meals with meat. He’s an early-to-bed, early-to-rise kind of guy and he takes a ton of different meds. Left to his own devices, he won’t take 'em. He’s got learned helplessness down to a science, so he doesn’t know how to operate a microwave, a cordless phone, or a pair of socks, so I’m in for at least a week or two of nursemaid/housekeeper/cook duties.
He’s work, but despite the fact that we disagree on almost everything, he’s a good old bird and I can manage him. If you’ve any spare good vibes for a quick repair of the roof at the condo, and a medical-crisis-free stay here, I’d appreciate them!