Mature Life Features

This will be an introduction to my world since we were blocked from this blog in the summer of 2018.

I’m ensconced in a roomy one bedroom apartment in Sunrise of Gilbert, an independent- and assisted-living complex about a mile and a quarter south of downtown Gilbert, one of the two dozen cities that comprise Maricopa County, Arizona, probably better known as metro Phoenix with more than 4.5 million people.

It came to light in a recent conversation that Phoenix is one of the few, if not the only, major U.S. cities that does not have a Little Italy.

The move to this 144-unit building that houses up to 172 people was made 4 1/2 years ago as part of the Californians’ exodus to Nevada, Utah, Texas, and Arizona, turning this long-time staunchly red state into a California-like blue one. Much has changed since the move so there’ll be more on that in the next few installments as I get back up to speed on blogging.

Life here is eventful because they’ve moved me into a volunteer spot as a community ambassador. There are three of us, one on each floor. Among other things, such as supporting staff at community-wide events and spreading the news of developments as they occur, we meet, greet and give an orientation session to newbies. And looking around the dining room now, there are more post-pandemic newbies than pre-pandemic residents here now. That gives you some idea of the turnover, from deaths and movements from this side of the building — independent-living — to the other side — assisted-living — where constant care is required and provided.

There are more than 300 Sunrise locations around the U.S. and Canada (they recently sold a few hundred properties in Britain) but only a handful offer both independent/assisted living services. The massive bulk are assisted-living only.

What stands out at Sunrise, according to the consensus, is the friendly neighborly feeling of each community. Our activities director Mary Weaver works her butt off coming up with events that divert and entertain — theater outings, drives to Jerome, regular shopping trips, jaunts to favorite restaurants, television and slide presentations, swimming-pool nights, BBQs, bingos, card-playing sessions, Western Days, andonandonandon…

I still get out for a bike ride every day, anywhere from three to 8 miles, depending on how I feel, the weather and time of day. Some days I skip it all together. Today, I stopped by the Post Office to mail a couple of packages, picked up a prescription at CVS and stopped at Albertson’s to pick up some chicken wings.

When I got home, computer guru Steve Gubka was waiting in the lounge with news: “I got into your blog,” he said.

We spent the next 90 minutes getting my blog open and me familiar with its new look and operation. And that’s how you got this.

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