Ruth returned to her home one day after shopping to the door ajar. She was exiting her car when an intruder ran out with a family heirloom. Her memory is deteriorating, but the police didn’t find any forced entry, which meant Ruth forgot, again, to lock the doors.
Her son Daniel knows it is time for Ruth to move somewhere safe, where someone is keeping tabs on her medication and can help her bathe and use the toilet. He’s often afraid to see what “housekeeping” has been done when he visits. They tour assisted living communities, including The Hamilton in York County, about a 10-minute drive from Daniel. Ruth moves in within a month.
She befriends the nursing staff, who come in to help her out of bed and dress in fresh clothes for the day before she takes her medicine. They assist her to the dining room for breakfast, where she sits with a friend. They eagerly await a visit from Mr. Hamilton, the resident rabbit, in the courtyard before heading into the activity room for a date with a puzzle before lunch. After an afternoon nap, Ruth and her friend create artwork over a glass of wine before dinner in the dining room – fresh fish is on the menu, Ruth’s favorite.
The nursing team helps bathe her before bed, and her last round of pills. Ruth relaxes, watching TV in her sitting room, before using her walker to get into bed. Daniel called – he’ll be by the following day and they’ve reserved the private family dining room so Ruth can enjoy a meal with her grandchildren.
It’s a better sleep for them all, knowing assistance is a call away, and the doors are always secured.