Senior living facilities are often branded with an unfair stigma. For some people, these places bring to mind images of sadness, confusion and imminent death. But assisted living should not be confused with hospice care, where the end is already in sight. Many aging individuals live for years in happiness and fulfillment at senior care homes. In my mother’s case, the transition was touchy but ultimately it felt like the correct decision.

My mom owned her own home well into her 70s and remained energetic and independent. She kept busy with a variety of hobbies including bird-watching and a local pinochle club. But at a certain point the burden of shoveling her own walk and raking her own leaves became too much to bear. We helped her move to a senior apartment complex where those inconveniences no longer weighed on her mind.