Town Hall

Out of curiosity, I attended the monthly “air your gripes to management” meeting today at Dad’s retirement facility. Lots of people showed up, way more than for my Thriller dance class. I was impressed that residents are encouraged to voice their opinions and get actively involved with their community. There was a brainstorming session for desired programs and outings, promotion of wellness services, and an operational review to assess what was working and what wasn’t. Here’s what I learned:

• There’s lots of walker congestion. Walkers are clogging up the hallways, rolling around the dining room tripping the servers, and being deserted in the synagogue. Folks may not have automobiles anymore, but they still like to play bumper car.
• Parking lot etiquette is terrible. Visitors and family members are parking their cars in residents’ spaces (oops, guilty!).
• The food is never hot enough, fast enough or spiced enough. The lack of bacon in a kosher kitchen was not mentioned, which is my father’s main gripe.
• One lady requested a training seminar on how to cope with change, recognizing that as a 90-year old, it was hard for her.
• The dress code may be overly relaxed – men are showing their legs in too-short shorts. It was unclear if this was about bad wardrobe choices or lack of good looking legs.

The last comment of the meeting came from a woman whose husband recently died; she wanted to know how to dispose of all of his stuff. I was torn between horror, sympathy and offering my list of previously used garbage bins throughout San Diego County. After an awkward moment, she was comforted by her neighbors, then suggestions poured forth. The facilitator suggested that this concern be handed privately as a 1-to-1 chat. No one here is in denial about death; it’s a practical topic. Just like where to get the best haircut.