Next week is National Assisted Living Week, a time to recognize the importance of senior citizen assisted living facilities.

It’s an occasion that has personal meaning. I moved last month from a house to an apartment at Boulder Estates. I decided it was time.

I put my name on the Boulder Estates list a year ago when I was preparing for hip surgery and when my mother entered hospice care. I wasn’t sure at the time that I wanted to move. I just felt that I should get on the list and make a decision when my name came up.

As the year went along I began to lean toward moving. Events in May clinched it. My mother almost died and became confined to her bed.

I realized I didn’t want to live by myself after mom passed away. I’m a people person. I didn’t want to spend every evening and every Sunday alone.

I’m the youngest person at Boulder Estates by eight years. I enjoy being the youngest. It makes me feel young.

I have a lot in common with my neighbors. They read newspapers. They like to sit and visit. They aren’t glued to smart phones. We use our phones as tools to communicate, not as a way of life.

Besides socialization I also have a potential medical issue. I have neuropathy in my feet and ankles which is starting to affect my balance. I have to be careful when I stand up and take the first steps. I can only stand for two or three minutes before I need to sit down.

For now I’m doing all right on steps as long as I have a railing. That could change. I wanted to move before I could no longer handle the steps at the house.

For the first time in years I’m looking forward to winter. It will be nice to see people without going outside. It will be good not to have to worry about snow removal and ice.

People who aren’t familiar with assisted living often have stereotypes about it. They think it’s only for people with health problems. That’s not true. There are many healthy, active people over 55 who choose assisted living because of the social opportunities and the services.

Some people who stay in their homes look back on it later and think they waited too long before moving to assisted living.

Once health issues become part of the equation they can no longer get the full benefits of their new home. They aren’t able to be active members of their assisted living community.

My move is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life. Probably the only decision that had a greater positive impact was my decision in 1986 to attend Southwest Minnesota State University. SMSU has given me great opportunities both as an undergraduate and later as a graduate student.

I had the best of both worlds at SMSU. I had a campus with excellent professors and plenty of friends and still had my hometown with all the familiarity.

Now I have the best of both worlds in assisted living. I have an apartment that’s my own private space but I also have all the commons areas that I can use throughout the day.

I still have much of my independence. I have the Independent and the city planning commission. I have my car. I can go to Camden, concerts, plays, museums or antique stores. I can go out with friends who are the same age.

I encourage anyone my age to think seriously about assisted living as a housing option. Someday some of them will be my neighbors. I hope they don’t wait too long.

Marshall is very fortunate to have good senior citizen housing alternatives. We have Boulder Estates, Heritage Pointe, Hill Street Place, two hospice houses, and handicapped accessible apartments that can accommodate assisted living and hospice services.

We could use more facilities. It would be a good thing if the waiting time to get into assisted living could be shortened. We need policies at the national level that lend themselves to new start-ups.

It worked well for me. The timing was good and the downsizing process was surprisingly easy. I kept the things that mean the most to me. The rest can go to an auction. I need people more than I need things.

— Jim Muchlinski is a longtime reporter and contributor to the Marshall Independent