I Want to Start a Movement: Everyone Can Go Home

Throughout our lives, our expectations and desires of “home” change. Toward the end of her life, my grandmother had a few hospitalizations. These were not surprising given her severe arthritis, chronic lung disease, and a few other major ailments that she had. She was never happy to leave her home for hospital stays, and she would try to convince me to spring her out almost immediately. On one occasion, she asked me to get her a helicopter; she was about two miles from her apartment at the time. Every time she was discharged, she instantly became a happy camper. Upon arriving home, she would touch the quilted wall hanging beside her bed and exclaim, “Yes, I am back!”

For my grandmother, “home” entailed being in the presence of her family who cared for her, her favorite brands of tea and coffee, her favorite blanket, her prayer box, her daily routine, and hosting visitors on the weekends. For many of us, “home” includes a long list of comforts, people, and special places.

Consider my friend, Janet. She had a big, old family home set in the woods at the top of a hill with a great view, but the house needed work and had a lot of overdue maintenance. She decided to the sell the house and move to a new home. Janet now resides in a continuing care retirement community where she does all sorts of activities on site and has no house maintenance. She wanted to be able to call for help when she needs it and not have to cook every meal for herself. She continued to live alone (as much as you can in a retirement community) and had her own two-bedroom apartment. She made new friends and created a new definition of “home.”

What is the essence of “home?” How do we define the key elements that everyone needs to truly be “home?” While they may vary slightly, I think it is essential in our industry that we do that. Many people in our communities need support, and part of KenCrest’s mission is to help those in our care feel at home in the locations and neighborhoods of their choice. Rather than accepting regulations as our only definition of “home,” let’s define it with the same elements we, too, would want. I’m sure we can all agree on that, now let’s make sure we live it.