Lessons From a 2-Star Nursing Home

My mom texted me the following message this morning: “It's your grandmother’s birthday- call her.” I really wish my grandmother would get a cell phone, but at 84 I think that ship has sailed so I make do and ride the last technological wave she was able to get on board with and call her.

I held down the home button on my iPhone and said: “Siri call Saint Patricks Manor.” I released the button and waited to hear the ring of the nursing home. “Saint Patricks Manor has two stars- are you sure you want to call?”

I stared at the screen with a confused expression and considered the question. After a second I shook my head and said aloud, as if Siri cared, “Well, my grandmother is in there so yes, I’m committed at this point. Make the call.”

After a nice phone chat with grandma, I texted my mom back, “Hey, I don’t mean to set off any alarm bells, and grandma’s fine, but did you know her nursing home only has two stars?”

To which she texted back “Well don’t tell her that, she’s quite happy there.”

It occurred to me then that my grandmother has no idea she is in a two-star facility and she is happy there. Had we taken her for a spin around the Ritz-Carlton of retirement homes and brought her back to her accommodations- something tells me she would not be so cheery. But because she has no…