Moving to a retirement home means retaining independence: one story

¨I think I was fortunate to want to move in here,” says Adelaide Cunningham, now 93, from her home in Delmanor Glen Abbey. Like others, her move into independent living was, in itself, an independent decision, a matter of course for someone who takes life head-on. People making this decision benefit themselves and family. As she tells it, “My son said, we’re glad you decided to go into a retirement home rather than waiting for us to tell you that it’s time you should go in.”

Cunningham’s move into this well-appointed Oakville community was also typical of others in that she was alone. “My husband passed away a few years ago,” she says. “I owned my own home, a four bedroom house, and I just thought it was getting too much for me.” Taking the decision head on meant she could ease into it at her own pace, owning the decision, every step along the way. She began by taking “a couple of short stays in retirement homes near me.” 

Starting cautiously on this life change was an important part of her retaining autonomy. She had space to learn by trial and error, keeping an open mind, and making discoveries along the way. “I knew they looked after you well enough in places I looked at,” she says, but she knew her preferences. That leads to a selection that is indeed independent and ideally personal. 

My son said, we're glad you decided to go into a retirement home rather than waiting for us to tell you that it's time you should go in.

With time to discover something that resonated with her and consider what she was willing to accept, she eventually moved into Glen Abbey. “I liked that it was a three story building, no higher,” she explains. During the tour, she was impressed by the gardens. “Not every retirement home has that.” Ultimately, though, the suite selection crystalized her move. “I knew I wanted a certain amount of size so that I could store some things.” Her decisiveness and self-awareness spurred her toward a decision she’s happy with.

Independent living is a move forward into a whole collection of good things. Someone else cooks meals for you. Costs are covered under one blanket monthly payment so you never see bills again. Communities are created for maximum accessibility, so stairs and narrow hallways are a thing of the past. It all comes together in an environment that’s renewing and empowering.

Moving has helped her expand her world. “There are always things to do here,” she says. “You can be busy all the time. And I also have enough time to myself.” She’s become an ambassador at Delmanor Glen Abbey, helping new people move in, showing them around and introducing them to the joys of independent living. Having made the decision on her own terms, she knows she’s in a place that’s best for her. “I just compared feelings I had here to those feelings I had about other places I’d been,” says Cunningham. “You can’t fully explain it, it’s just a feeling you get. I just knew I could be here, I could live here. Now, I’ve no regrets at all,” she says. 

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