The dining room

So I visited my Dad yesterday, he’s in a aged care home about 15km across town. It’s a nice place, high quality care, good staff etc. I usually visit once a week, sometime I drive other times I ride my bike. When I ride I do tend to feel a bit out of place wandering the corridors in my lycra.

Dad is getting on a bit, he recently turned 90. Up until a year ago he was living on his own at his home, but one fall to many and some other significant health issues lead him into aged care.

I love visiting Dad but it’s hard. He just seems so frail now, even compared to a year ago. I joined him for dinner in the dining room. Probably about 5 tables of residents, 20 or so in all. It’s a strange experience, most just sit in silence, eating and knocking back a plethora of medications.

Dads move to aged care coincided with the period I found myself with a choice of continuing to work, or not. Experiences like the dining room help me make my decision to spend my time as I choose and add to my determination to stay fit and active. Before visiting Dad yesterday I played golf with my son, and before that, drove my daughter to Uni (college). Retirement allows me to spend and value time with family.