In April of 2016, my wife, Mary, and I were living in Kelly Greens, a golfing community in Fort Myers. At the time, I was recovering from minor surgery, which limited my social life and kept me close to home.
One Sunday afternoon, Mary noticed an advertisement in the newspaper for a luncheon and presentation at Cypress Cove later that week. I had just turned 80, and Mary was a few years younger. We had never discussed moving, much less moving into a senior living community. However, the luncheon and beautiful weather were enough to entice us to sign up.
We were very impressed with the presenter and presentation. As a result, we decided to explore Cypress Cove further. The fact that we could make a deposit that would be refunded if we changed our minds made the decision feel like a no-brainer. We were fortunate enough to find an apartment that would be available within a few weeks.
Mary and I are blessed with five wonderful children, all of whom are married, and 13 beautiful grandchildren. Because everything happened so quickly, we neglected to include our children in the process. Naturally, they were concerned that we had rushed into the decision. After reviewing the details and visiting our new home, they became just as enthusiastic about Cypress Cove as we were.
My wife and I had moved several times during our more than 50 years of marriage. Therefore, we approached the process with some trepidation. Much to our surprise, the move was virtually seamless. The Cypress Cove team anticipated every step needed to make the closing and move as painless and stress-free as possible.
A Second Honeymoon
Our first four years at Cypress Cove were like a second honeymoon. We made new friends and enjoyed the many social and cultural activities. Additionally, we lived in a home without the responsibilities and tedium that come with owning a house.
Then, in our fifth year at Cypress Cove, everything changed.
Mary was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
It was a blessing that we were already living in a continuing care community. As Mary’s needs changed, we had access to medical and supportive services. These could help us through the next four years of our journey.
But I wanted to care for Mary in our own home for as long as possible.
That’s where Cypress at Home became such an important part of our lives.
Care That Came to Us
Although Cypress Cove has excellent care facilities, I chose to care for Mary at home using the services offered through Cypress at Home. These included Home Health, Home Care, Care Management, and Medical Care.
I met Rob Reed, Administrator of Home and Community-Based Services at Cypress at Home. Rob was able to help me arrange the 24/7 care schedule I wanted. Moreover, he arranged for additional caregivers when double coverage was needed.
My family and I came to call Mary’s caregivers our “angels.” Over the years, that is exactly what they became to us.
Having that support meant that Mary could remain at home, surrounded by the people and familiar things she knew. At the same time, I had the help I needed to care for her. Because Cypress at Home offers multiple services, we weren’t left trying to coordinate everything on our own.
I also decided to make Cypress at Home’s medical staff our primary medical providers, with their team coordinating with the specialists of our choosing. In the three years since we made that decision, we had never been disappointed with the care we had received.
Supporting Every Chapter
Looking back, I realize that moving to Cypress Cove gave Mary and me something we didn’t fully understand when we first attended that luncheon in 2016. We gained the ability to adapt as life changed.
When Alzheimer’s changed the course of our lives, we were grateful to have access to care and support that allowed us to remain in our home.
Now, ten years after moving to Cypress Cove, I have never once regretted our decision.
In fact, I would rank it as the second-best decision I have ever made—second only to marrying my wife.
Written by Cypress Cove resident Frank Tyska