Category Archives: Assisted Living

Life in Bold Relief

Posted on August 17, 2013 by ivanbenson

It has been 65 days since I last made an entry on this blog. For a good while prior to that it was a weekly exercise to which I looked forward with great expectation. But in June, the press of … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging Parents, Assisted Living, Family History, Nursing Homes, Stories, Uncategorized | Tagged 1988, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, Alzheimer's, beauty, bold relief, cancer, character, death, dross, Fulghum, gravity, Life, obscurity, sobering, tragedy | 11 Comments

Mother’s Day 2013

Posted on May 12, 2013 by ivanbenson

“Happy Mother’s Day!” That’s what I’d like to say to My Mother, today. But she is on a journey that has taken her away. She missed Dad’s birthday party as well as her own earlier this month, and she was … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging Parents, Assisted Living, Family History, Fathers, Nursing Homes, Stories, Uncategorized | Tagged 2012, 2013, abusive, Arizona, bound, children, death, dependent, DNA, dreams, Georgia, loving, Mother's Day, neglectful, nurturing, orange tree, relationships, symbiotic, Tennessee, Texas Ranger bush, yellow roses | 6 Comments

The Cane in the Corner

Posted on May 7, 2013 by ivanbenson

There is a walking cane that sits in the corner of one of the rooms in our house; it belonged to my mother. She used it up until her back surgery and recovery last year. After that, she was confined … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging Parents, Assisted Living, Family History, Fathers, Nursing Homes, Stories, Uncategorized | Tagged back surgery, compassion, father-in-law, Fritz handle, gift, goodwill, grandmother, in-laws, inlaws, kindness, legacy, love, memories, museum, Norman Rockwell, Ohio, peace lily, physical therapy, posterity, preserve, PT, purpose, recovery, Singer sewing machine, time, walker, walking cane | 4 Comments

Dog Poop and Other Things That Stink

Posted on February 26, 2013 by ivanbenson

If you’ve lived long enough on this planet and have been out-of-doors for any period of time you’ve probably experienced it. One day you take an uninformed step on the ground beside you and you sense you’ve landed in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging Parents, Assisted Living, Family History, Nursing Homes, Stories, Uncategorized | Tagged 1951, Andy Griffith, aroma, bizarre, consideration, dependent, dignity, dog poop, elder abuse, fast-paced, freedom, ghosts, God, hurry, incomprehensible, infractors, mother, Nursing Homes, olfactory, oxygen tank, patience, Plymouth, praise, pungency, rehab facilities, respect, rush, stink, taking things for granted, veracity, waiting, wheel chair, white shepherd/lab mix | 4 Comments

Unfinished Tasks

Posted on December 7, 2012 by ivanbenson

My oldest daughter was going through Christmas cards yesterday, sorting through some of her late grandmother’s unused cards to use as her own this season. We had given these cards to her as we cleaned out mother’s apartment in late … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging Parents, Assisted Living, Family History, Nursing Homes, Stories, Uncategorized | Tagged blessings, cards, Christmas, death, Family, final words, joy, loving words, mother, season, smiles, tasks, unfinished | 10 Comments

30 Years Ago

Posted on October 24, 2012 by ivanbenson

It was thirty years ago next month that my friends and I ran in the Marine Corps Marathon is Washington, DC. It was a beautiful, cool morning, with crystal clear skies as we embarked on the 26.2 mile treck around … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging Parents, Assisted Living, Family History, Stories, Uncategorized | Tagged aging, death, Family, friends, funeral, marathon, memories, old age, running | 12 Comments

Winning the Battle

Posted on September 12, 2012 by ivanbenson

My mother won her battle with pulmonary hypertension just after midnight, as Friday, August 24, 2012 announced its arrival. She awoke from a long slumber which lasted all day and all night Thursday, and when asked if she was all right, … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging Parents, Assisted Living, Family History, Nursing Homes, Stories, Uncategorized | Tagged aging, Assisted Living, death, Family, life lessons, love, memories, parents | 10 Comments

Ragtime Cowboy Joe

Posted on August 22, 2012 by ivanbenson

On Saturday hospice took over my mother’s case at the assisted living facility in the small community where she now resides, a few miles south of us. I was pleased. She needs the extra care, and I think they will … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging Parents, Assisted Living, Family History, Nursing Homes, Stories, Uncategorized, World War II | Tagged Assisted Living, children, cowboys, death, dying, memories, mother, songs | 14 Comments

The Music of Your Life

Posted on July 29, 2012 by ivanbenson

Tomorrow I will move my mother to assisted living in a nearby community; a new chapter in her life will begin. I pray it will be an easy transition for her, and one that will give her the chance to … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging Parents, Assisted Living, Family History, Stories, Uncategorized | Tagged Assisted Living, elderly, Life, mother, music, notes, old age, rest, rhythm, sickness, son, tune | 6 Comments

The Lost Story

Posted on June 14, 2012 by ivanbenson

When my mother was born in May of 1924 the world took no notice of her arrival. There was no parade, no radio announcement, and no economic ripple. Her story began with little to no fanfare. In so many ways it … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging Parents, Assisted Living, Family History, Nursing Homes, Stories, Uncategorized | Tagged Aging Parents, Assisted Living, Family, History, Nursing Homes, Stories | 8 Comments

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