aftertheincidentwiththemenwhohadvictimizedher,it
was apparent that she wasn’t safe living on her own
anymore. My father-in-law organized a few visits to
seniorlivingresidencesforher.“Shedidn’tcareforthis
process,” Jimsaid, but shereconciledherselfto it.He
wasdeterminedtofindaplaceshewouldlikeandthrive
in.But itwasnotto be.AsIwatchedtheaftermath,I
graduallybegantounderstandthereasonswhy—andthey
werereasonsthatbringintoquestionourentiresystemof
care for the dependent and debilitated.
Jim looked for a place that was within a reasonable
drivingdistanceforthefamilyandwithinapricerange
shecouldaffordwiththeproceedsofsellingherhouse.
Healsowantedacommunitythatoffereda“continuum
ofcare”—muchlikeOrchardCove,whereIvisitedFelix
andBella—withapartmentsforindependentlivinganda
floorwiththearound-the-clocknursingcapabilitiesthat
shemightsomedayneed.Hecameupwithavarietyof
placesfor themto visit—neareronesand fartherones,
for-profit and not-for-profit.
The place Alice ultimately chose was a high-rise
senior-livingcomplexthatIwillcallLongwoodHouse,a
nonprofit facilityaffiliated with the Episcopal Church.
Someofherfriendsfromchurchlivedthere.Thedriveto
and from Jim’s home was barely ten minutes. The
community wasactive and thriving. To Alice and the
family, it had by far the greatest appeal.
“Most of the others were too commercial,” Jim said.
Shemovedinduringthefallof1992.Herone-bedroom
independent-livingapartmentwasmorespaciousthanI’d