Hard to admit, but if I live long enough, help on many levels may be required. Probably a lot of it. Even if my mate and I both live long, we’ll likely need assistance. Without children or family to rely on, some form of assisted living (at least) seems inevitable. Yet being very private people, this has always been an unwelcome awareness — an outright dread, in fact.

However, Life Plan Humboldt now presents a new and hopeful picture of what a helpful community designed for elders could be. We might inhabit our own home or apartment within, yet be connected to an array of essential services, as needed. We’d have social opportunities that isolated elder people lack. And if one of us outlives the other, a trustworthy, reliable support community would become all the more invaluable. The idea that we could still enjoy our cherished independence, while assured of a safety net, is what intrigued us and brought us into the conversation.

Now, as the plan for Life Plan Humboldt takes shape, we feel encouraged. Perhaps an increasingly dependent end of life does not have to be dire. An LPH facility, here in Humboldt, would offer significant peace of mind.

Judith Williamson