Hello, CareHunter’s community! My name is Lexy and I’m Rex’s oldest child! I am a wife, mama to Abel, big sister to many and a daughter of Christ! My family has been through a lot in the last year. Many, many changes and my Dad asked me to write down what it’s been like through the eyes of a granddaughter and why I believe CareHunter’s is such an important resource.

It’s been almost one year since we lost my grandma. I miss her dearly and not a day goes by that she doesn’t cross my mind. She was married to my grandpa Rod for 50 years and a mother to four boys. She was “Grandma Hunna” to 8. My grandma was also my grandpa’s caretaker. My grandpa had a stroke about 9 years ago and a lot changed after that. She did pretty much everything for him. My grandparents were from a small town where much of life was lived in their recliners in front of the television. My grandpa never kept up with physical therapy after his stroke and lost much of his strength and mobility.

My grandma was diagnosed with breast cancer only about a year or two after my grandpa’s stroke. Thankfully, she was able to have a mastectomy and we thought her cancer was gone for good. Fast-forward to October 2019, we come to find out her cancer is back and is stage four. My sister and I were actually there with her the day we found out and it’s a day I’ll never forget. So then my grandma was fighting cancer and having to take care of my grandpa and their home.

For years, we all tried to get my grandparents to downsize and move onto the next chapter of their lives. My grandma’s cancer was getting pretty bad this time last year and as a family, we sat them down and had the hard conversation that a change needed to happen. My grandma passed away suddenly less than a week later before that change could happen.

The first 6 months were rough. Each one of us was grieving while also trying to figure out the right steps for my grandpa. He couldn’t be alone because of his mental state but also because he couldn’t do the basic things like remember to bathe himself, cook food or do laundry. So my grandpa came to live with my parents. My parents took on the role of caretaker while also juggling having two children still in school, owning a small business and also grieving the loss of my grandma as well.

My grandpa has now lived in his own apartment in a senior living community for about 3 months and he’s doing so well. He was hesitant for a long time; a few important factors to him were somewhere that would allow his dog, he is very tight with money so it couldn’t break the bank and a place where he could enjoy the things he likes like card games, live music, lots of coffee and fellowship. My dad was able to find him a studio apartment in an independent senior living community. He has made so many friends and he loves showing off his apartment. A good tip – let your person pick a few things out from their previous home; Grandpa’s apartment truly feels like a tinier version of the home I grew up going to and I know he takes pride in that. The way it worked out for our family is that my parents still do take care of certain things for him like doing his laundry and setting up his medications. But he’s starting doing things on his own, making himself cups of coffee, taking frequent showers and keeping his space clean.

My dad has always had a heart for seniors. He’s worked in the senior living community pretty much my whole life and is so knowledgeable. He can find a solution when it feels like there is none. He is so friendly and patient with people! Jon and my dad have known each other for years and Jon also has many years of experience and a heart for seniors.

I think a resource like CareHunters would have been so helpful in my grandparents situation. Sometimes it really takes that outside source to help get the ball rolling. I think a lot of seniors know it’s time to make a change but they hesitate because they don’t know all the details of what that change would look like and they are scared to embrace change. My grandpa is a great example of someone who was so afraid of change. When we first moved him into his apartment, we said we’d take it day by day and week by week and if it wasn’t the right fit, we’d keep trying until we could find the perfect place for him. Thankfully, grandpa Rod has embraced the change and is honestly a better person because of it. Getting out of his comfort zone allowed him to try new things and make new friends!

Senior Living placement is so diverse and unique. What works for one family definitely won’t always work for another. If you are a child or grandchild of a senior citizen and feel like you could use some help navigating the next chapter, reach out to the CareHunters! They are a free resource with so much knowledge to help you research, tour, ask questions and ultimately find the right place for your loved one. My dad, Rex and Jon truly do have a heart for seniors and are amazing people to have on your side advocating for you and your family.