“I have never felt so well settled.”
I participate in nearly all the activities offered at Sélection Retraite Deux-Montagnes. Bingo, yoga, choir, aqua fitness, I love it all and I am very active. Of course, our daily life changed dramatically with COVID-19 and the quarantine, but I was so happy to be safe here rather than alone at home.
My telephone didn’t stop ringing [laughs]. When it wasn’t the staff calling to know if I needed anything, it was my children who would check in. Our meals were brought to us at the door, the pharmacy brought our medication up to our apartment, we were very well looked after. My children and my friends sent me texts. We would tell each other about our lives and end up laughing at all the amazing things that happened to us. I stay in touch with my grandchildren who live in North Carolina thanks to Skype.
Between residents, we organized ourselves to phone each other, not being able to see each other in the common areas that were closed. We made dates to go walking outdoors. We have a friend who knows about genealogy and so we took advantage of our plentiful free time to complete our family tree, with his help. It took us hours of research to track down certain information and kept us very busy. It’s a wonderful gift that we will leave to our family and to our children!
During the quarantine, I really enjoyed my big beautiful balcony with the magnificent view over the water. A musician came to play the saxophone and I sat outside to get the most out of the show. What more could you ask for?
I now enjoy all the outdoor recreation since the weather turned nice. The director organized a wine and cheese evening for us, a cocktail reception, a barbeque and a wonderful picnic for free. We don’t lack for entertainment despite the new measures. Everyone wears a mask and respects the instructions – that is how happy we are to be able to see each other again and get out of our homes.