Sept. 26, 2018

This paid piece is sponsored by Grand Living at Lake Lorraine.

Growing up, Dave Palmer visited a lot of senior living centers.

His father, Kayton, is a retired pastor.

“So we went to every kind of place for seniors you could possibly imagine in my childhood with him visiting people,” Palmer said. “He never wanted to be in one.”

But after a knee replacement earlier this year, 93-year-old Kayton didn’t have a choice.

“He had to go to skilled nursing for 30 days, and they wouldn’t release him back to his apartment by himself,” Palmer said.

So his father temporarily moved to an assisted living apartment at Grand Living at Lake Lorraine.

“At the beginning, he was adamant he was moving back to his apartment. He was not going to move there and stay there.”

After about a month, the tone started to change.

“He was like, ‘I kind of like it here. I kind of like not cooking my own meals.’ Because he was doing all that himself.”

Kayton started to get into a routine. Instead of mostly being alone in his apartment, he began lunching with a group at Grand Living. He’d come downstairs to read the newspaper. He started going to church and exercising at the fitness center.

“And there seems to be more behind him in his mind than when he was doing the same thing every day,” Palmer said. “He really enjoys it: the meals, the nice staff, the excellent surroundings, the social activities and, most importantly to him, the chapel service.”

After temporarily moving in in May, Kayton chose a permanent apartment in July.

“It’s been very good,” Palmer said. “And I just feel so much better having someone check on him every day. He’s mostly independent, but we have someone to help manage his medications, which I like because we can make sure he’s following instructions.”

His dad also wears a push button in case he needs help, as all residents have, “so my worry level about Dad’s day-to-day safety, happiness and health is greatly reduced by him being at Grand Living,” Palmer said.

“I would say definitely check out Grand Living. It’s at least worth your time to visit. And if you’ve visited anywhere else, you are going to choose Grand Living.”