A Day in the Life of a Senior
A video: hear a senior living community resident describe what life is like in a retirement community.
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A Day in the Life of a Senior
Video Transcript
Jackie Plourde, Senior Living Resident: “My name is Jackie Plourde. I lived in a townhome with 13 stairs. I lived on the second floor. And once I retired, there was no one I saw every single day, and no one who I talked to every single day, so if anything happened to me, it was important for me to be somewhere where I knew that I would be missed. Here I feel safe and secure. I have activities to go to. I have friends around and if I need help, I can get help.
I swim in the morning around 6 o’clock. 40 laps in the pool that we have here, which is fabulous. As a school librarian, I’m very actively involved with the library committee here. And they have a donated library here. I’m also very active with the church that I go to. I have a lot more of activities here I can be involved in. What’s really great is they have entertainment here or away. You can sign up for those and transportation takes you up there and back.
When my dad died in 2003, my mom said, ‘I want you to tell me when I can’t live by myself anymore.’ And I said, I will. I’ll always tell you the truth and you have to listen to me. And then she said, ‘I want to live with you.’ It’s fabulous. Believe it or not, it’s absolutely fabulous. We get along well. There are two here that are mother-daughter and one mother-son that live here. So I’m not an anomaly. It does happen, but I think it’s important for people to realize that it can work.
I do a lot more now here than I would if I lived in my townhome. Hands down, no questions. It’s just a very exciting place to live, and it’s very calming. If you’re not happy with what you are doing or where you are, you’re going to be a very unhappy person. So I do think that where you live matters.”
Where You Live Matters is powered by the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA), a respected voice in the senior housing industry. ASHA primarily focuses on legislative and regulatory advocacy, research, and educational opportunities and networking for senior living executives, so they can better understand the needs of older adults across the country.