Even though St. Louis has some pretty toney retirement communities, I think it’s safe to say that most seniors still don’t want to leave home. Moving into a communal living situation has an aura of finality about it: there’s no turning back. But a recent Expansion Preview Party at the new McKnight Place Assisted Living community offered a glimpse into how it’s possible to turn this hard transition into a positive.
After all, by the time seniors make the move from their homes into group living, they’re ready for an easier lifestyle: no more gardening, housecleaning, cooking or dishwashing. And if this recent party for McKnight Place is any indication of the treatment residents can expect, well, sign me up. The apartments have granite countertops, Pella windows, crown molding and 10-foot ceilings.
Then there was the party itself—no doubt aimed at prospective residents to show them what they can expect. There were multiple food stations laden with seafood, beef tenderloin and charcuterie. A dessert table offered crème brûlée, truffles, Meyer lemon tartlets and something called ‘chocolate mousse tulips.’ I counted no fewer than three bars and saw several entertainers. I overheard one elderly guest ask for smoked oysters—I didn’t see any, but obviously she felt quite comfortable requesting them.
I will say, the whole event made ‘seniorhood’ look mighty fine. If this is the launch party, I asked myself, what will daily life there be like? Well, the press materials show manicured gardens with patios and outdoor furniture. Also, a posh living room with boxbeamed ceiling and French doors. The dining room will have chandeliers, bay windows and, of course, the kind of gourmet food a Chef of the Year (as theirs was named by the American Culinary Foundation) is capable of.
I know from experience with parents and in-laws that people fight tooth-and-nail not to leave their longtime homes. But places like this surely must ease the pain of such a big change. So I say, seniors rejoice! There are truffles and shrimp cocktail at the end of the tunnel. As one Gatesworth resident I met that night effused: “Isn’t it great? We deserve it!”