The stereotype of life in a retirement community or long term care facility is not great- images of disability, bland food and boredom probably come to mind. And in some ways, those are accurate visions. But in many other ways, the reality is more complex and messy- just like life in the outside world. The podcast Radio Diaries recently featured audio diaries directly from the front line- residents of a retirement community were given the tools to record and reflect upon their daily lives living among their peers. Called “The Last Place,” to recognize that most of the residents will live out their lives in this facility, the podcast introduces us to several seniors who give us insight into the various facets of their daily lives- from love and marriage, to loneliness and friendships, to disability and death. If it sounds like real life, that’s because it is- just lived out within the confines of a planned community of seniors. Their stories are poignant and extraordinary- as they reveal the ordinary in a setting that few of us really understand. Take a listen Here.

Source: http://www.radiodiaries.org/the-last-place…