hertolive.Butyou’regoingwithme,becauseyoucould
bethiswaynextyear.’”Sofar,thathasseemedenoughto
settle the matter.
Another example:A lotof theresidentshad pets, and
despitetheincreasingdifficultiestheyhadwithmanaging
them,theywantedtokeepthem.Sosheorganized her
stafftoemptycats’litterboxes.Butthestaffbalkedat
dogs,astheyrequiredmoreattentionthancats.Recently,
though,Carsonhadworkedoutwaysthatherteamcould
helpwithlittledogs,andthey’dbegunallowingresidents
tokeepthem.Bigdogswerestillanunsolvedproblem.
“Youhavetobeabletotakecareofyourdog,”shesaid.
“Ifyourdogisrunning theroost,itmaynotbesucha
good idea.”
Makinglivesmeaningfulinoldageisnew.Ittherefore
requires more imagination and invention than making
themmerelysafedoes.Theroutinesolutionshaven’tyet
becomewelldefined.SoCarsonandotherslikeherare
figuring them out, one person at a time. Outside the
first-floorlibrary,RuthBeckettwaschattingwithagroup
offriends.Shewasatinyninety-year-oldwoman—more
twigthantrunk—whohadbeenwidowedyearsago.She
hadstayedoninherhousealoneuntilabadfallputher
into a hospital and then a nursing home.
“MyproblemisI’mtippy,”shesaid,“andthere’snosuch
thing as a tippy doctor.”
Iaskedherhowshe’dendedupinSanbornPlace.That
waswhenshetoldmeabouthersonWayne.Waynewas
a twin born without enough oxygen. He developed
cerebralpalsy—hehadtroublewith spasticity whenhe