Residential Care

As a chaplain in two residential retirement facilities over a number of years, I have many memories, some great, others less so. Residents lived in independent living, others in assisted living (needing extra attention), and there were those in skilled nursing facilities where extensive physical or mental frailties were cared-for. For this extended family, this was home.

They were usually called residents and in some cases patients. However, when this kind of residential living is permanent, not everyone was pleased with the expression patient preferring to be recognized as family. In the broader sense, we are referring to resident as one who lives in a retirement setting, not in their own home, apartment or condo. A retirement-type environment that corresponds to the needs and desires becomes an extended family.

These suggested anonymous objectives that crossed my desk some years ago recently resurfaced and are worth repeating since so many seniors (and others) do reside in these homes away from home. Let's take a look at some of them.

Requisites for Residential Personnel

1. The residents are the most important persons in our facility.
2. They are dependent on us and we on them.
3. Any interruption of our work is an essential part of our task, not a grievance.
4. Residents do us a favor by placing their confidence in us.
5. Residents are not statistics but human beings with emotions and feelings.
6. Residents are not persons just to argue or match wits with.
7. Residents with special needs challenges us continually to meet those needs.
8. Residents deserve the most professional and conscientious treatment available.
9. Residents are the reason for our livelihood which is why we actually exist.

Seniors are human beings with a wealth of experience and a history of ups and downs, smiles and frowns, thrills and spills. Some are pleasant to have around; others are less than congenial. Some live longer than wise on their own and others move into residential settings for various reasons ranging from health challenges to “we are giving a gift to our children” who won't have to worry about us.

One of the blessings facing seniors are those competent, compassionate administrators, counselors, health providers, activity directors, chefs, housekeepers, grounds and maintenance crews and many others who have learned the art of making a short or long-term residence into a home.