Resentment and unforgiveness can be destructive things to let stay in your heart.  You no doubt taught that to your children and maybe you even give that advice to your grandchildren to help them get passed their childhood arguments and petty squabbles they have with their siblings.

The amazing thing is that by the time you have reached the senior citizen stage of life as you have, you probably are carrying your own fair share of resentments and things you cannot forgive that is nothing more than left over baggage from life.  And learning to forgive the offenses of the past and “let it go” can mean the difference between living a happy and peaceful retirement life or living in a nonstop treadmill of brooding about things that happened long ago.

It is strange that we are able to give advice about forgiving others to our children and grandchildren but so often, it’s us who have trouble letting things go.  We rationalize holding on to resentment because the offense is much more grievous in adult life than the little things children pout about when they become resentful.  But realistically, to the child that offense is just as serious as the one you are holding in your heart.  And the skill of learning to forgive that offense and release the resentment from your heart is one that we need to learn as much as the children do.

The truth is that resentment and unforgiveness doesn’t accomplish anything.  Sometimes we think of the moment of offense when a boss, a coworker, a friend or a relative offended us and we vow that we “will never forget what she did.”  That vow is more a death sentence for you than it is any punishment for the one who offended you. 

I have heard it said that resentment has a way of “growing legs and following you around”.  It’s an apt image because long after the offense is over, that resentment can live on in your heart taunting you and making you miserable.  Meanwhile the one that offended you no doubt has no idea you are angry at all and is going about his or her way happily.  Your resentment accomplishes nothing except stealing your peace from you and making you bitter and obsessive which is not an attractive trait in Grandma or Grandpa or anyone for that matter.

By isolating that feeling of resentment and simmering anger and seeing that it really has nothing at all to do with the original offense, your rational side takes over and steals the offense from the emotional side that continues to vow never to forgive.  Forgiveness is not about saying what happened is ok.  Forgiveness is about saying that negative event will no longer have power over you and you choose to say, “It doesn’t matter any more.”

Resentment is a poison that can get inside you and debilitate you for life.  In a way, by continuing to hold that resentment, you also continue to give that enemy power to hurt you day after day forever.  So in a way, forgiveness is a way of stealing from your enemy or the one that hurt you any further power to hurt you more.  So see it as an offensive weapon where you simply deny access to your precious emotional energy to any past offense.

By learning to let it go, you are actually doing something good for you.  You will be happier, less burdened and it will actually help your health.  And you will no longer be a hypocrite when you sit down with your grandchildren and counsel them to “Live and let live and let it go.”  And when they see you modeling healthy forgiveness, you will empower them as well.  And that makes it all worthwhile.

There are so many different types of communities available that selecting the one to best meet your needs can be a very daunting task. This task can be especially daunting if you’re currently a senior looking to live in a senior community that will meet all your needs as you transition into an elder citizen.

But this whole extensive planning process can be made simpler by following a few standard steps.

The steps involved in choosing the senior community to best meet your needs, your lifestyle, and your pocketbook can be broken down into four steps.

These four steps are as follows.

1. Choose the type of community you need.
2. Search the types of communities available in the area you would like to live.
3. Visit the communities that interest you.
4. Narrow down your list and carefully evaluate the quality, value, and services available by each of these communities. Use your conclusions to make your final choice.

CHOOSE THE TYPE OF COMMUNITY

Carefully review the explanations of the five most common types of seniors communities explained in the previous section. If adult day care is also an option, consider this as well.

Determine the level of care you require based on your needs. Compare your needs to what you will be paying for the desired service. In most cases, the more help you require with your daily tasks, the higher level of care you’ll need.

To help figure out your current needs as well as the needs you might need in the future, make yourself a list. Ask yourself the following questions to help you make your list.

1 Do I need help with any of the basic activities required for daily living? Basic activities include eating, bathing, dressing, or using the bathroom.

2 Do I want help with any basic activities, even if I’m at the stage in my life where I don’t need this type of help yet? Basic activities such as these include cooking, cleaning, shopping, paying bills, or getting to appointments.

3 Do I have health problems where I currently need additional care?

4 Do I have health problems where I will need additional care in the future? Additional care services can be anything as simple as help using eye drops due to arthritis to taking care of bladder catheters. Other additional care services could include help or reminders to take medications, getting oxygen, monitoring diabetes, or taking care of colostomy catheters.

5 What can I afford? How much do I want to spend on my housing?

6 Based on my needs and wants, what is most important to me? Is price the most important factor? Service and amenities? Is location extremely important to me? Do I need a place where I can take my pet along?

A senior community is simply an alternate living arrangement for senior citizens and elder citizens based on needs and wants. A senior community can be something as simple as an area set aside for completely healthy, fully functional adults of a certain age. (Age varies from community to community.) Such communities are oasises from everyday life and provide an assortment of activities that cater to seniors.

Often these types of seniors communities are set up in warm areas like Florida or California. Some offer apartments. Other require residents to purchase a condominium. Still others allow residents to purchase their own homes, but they must follow the rules of the community in regards to how they maintain their homes. Options like set life leases are also available in some senior communities. Other senior communities cater to the needs of elder citizens. These types of senior communities include health care help, as well as assisted activities.

The most important thing to keep in mind when understanding what a senior community is, is that a senior community is much more than a nursing home. While it’s true that a nursing home is a type of senior community, there are plenty of other senior communities not considered nursing homes. Avoid becoming trapped in the mindset that a lot of people have when considering senior communities. Don’t write off a senior community because you have the idea that they’re places where old people go to