Ageism

43 Year Old Man Moves to a Retirement Community

Posted by: Anti-Ageism Task Force

February 22, 2009—Steve Gurney is 43 years old, exactly half the national average age of residents living in assisted living communities. On Feb. 9, Gurney began to experience first hand what it is like to live in one of these communities by taking up temporary residence at Paul Spring Retirement Community, the first of several he plans to sample.

Nearly 20 years ago, Gurney authored the Guide to Retirement Living SourceBook, a resource that provides details on senior living options in the mid-Atlantic. "I realized that I have spent my entire career helping families and elders make these choices, but I have never experienced the transition first hand as a resident," he said.

Gurney's objective in undertaking this experience was not to evaluate the level of care, or to determine if a specific community is "good" or "bad." Instead, he focuses specifically on the feelings and emotions that an individual faces when moving to a new and different living environment.

Gurney recognizes that his experience is somewhat artificial due to his age and the fact that he will not be a permanent resident. However, by focusing on the emotions accompanying the transition of leaving his home, he feels that he will be able to share important insights.

Next, Gurney plans to take up residence at a continuing care retirement community, a nursing home, an independent living community for low-income seniors, and an Alzheimer's-specific community.

Gurney is documenting his experiences through a blog at www.everyoneisaging.com.

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Related Links: Steve Gurney's blog, Housing and Living Arrangements of Older Persons in Six U.S. Metropolitan Areas, Alzheimers: The Disease of the Century

Keywords: retirement, Alzheimer's, assisted living, nursing homes

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