My First Assisted Living Tour—and a Mom-Approved Dinner

Today was a full day.

I started with a 10:15 a.m. cardiology appointment and left with some action items of my own. Taking care of Mom doesn’t take my health off the calendar.

Then I went to an afternoon recovery meeting before heading to Somerby in Mount Pleasant for my first assisted living tour.

I’ve been scheduling these visits, thinking through questions, and trying to understand what the next step could look like for Mom. Today, I got to walk through a place and start putting that information into context.

There was a lot to take in.

We discussed what Mom would need to qualify for assisted living, what’s included in the residence, activities, security, and more. I’m learning how much there is to understand beyond whether a room looks nice.

I want to know how the place would work for her day-to-day. What would she have access to? What could she participate in? Would it feel like somewhere she could settle in and enjoy herself?

I saw lounges, dining and activity spaces, coffee areas, and outdoor spaces. Walking through helped me picture where Mom might spend time beyond her own room.

I also asked whether I could take pictures and made a point of saying I wouldn’t include residents. This is their home. I wanted to document the spaces while respecting the privacy of the people living there.

Then came the part of the tour I had been particularly interested in.

The food.

If you’ve been following along, you know I’ve been requesting tastings. Choosing somewhere Mom might eat every day deserves a little investigation. A brochure can describe dinner beautifully, but Mom has never eaten a brochure.

I left with two to-go boxes.

One had a fish combination with shrimp and flounder, a baked potato, and sautéed green beans. The other had a shrimp quesadilla. There were also two green salads, tartar sauce, fruit salad, and two peach cake desserts.

I had arrived for information and left carrying dinner. This is a meeting format I can support.

Of course, my opinion was only part of the process. The food needed to make it to Mom.

And it was Mom-approved.

If you're following her recent reviews of hospital and facility meals, you know this is meaningful news. We have encountered wraps that did not survive the review process.

This meal got her approval. I was glad to bring her something she enjoyed—and to have her take part in this step toward a possible next home.

One tour and one meal are a beginning. I still have information to work through and more to learn about what will fit her needs.

But I left this first visit with a clearer understanding of assisted living, a lot to think about, and something concrete to share with Mom.

After a day of my own medical responsibilities, recovery, and planning for her care, it felt good to have a simple, positive moment.

Mom liked dinner.

I’ll take that win—with a side of peach cake.