The question was what criteria was needed to get into senior housing. The building in which I live is for people that have small incomes. The first requirement is that one has to be 62 years of age and then the income must be low and not above a certain amount. However, there are many other buildings for seniors that they can live in as long as they are 55 years of age and older. Some can rent, some can be purchased and there is no limit as to what their income level must be. They just have to prove that they can afford to live there. In these buildings it is very easy to make friends because there are activities for anyone that lives there.

In our building we have a social group that meets once a month and we have monthly pot luck dinners. A pot luck dinner is when everyone cooks something that can feed at least 6 - 10 people. There is always a lot of food and it is fun to share the various foods and conversation. We sometimes have musicians to entertain us. Every !

Sunday afternoon there is a movie shown in one of the extra rooms on the first floor. Two to three times a month there is Bingo Games, where one can win money (small amounts) but for those that like to play, it is a good pass time. Sometimes there are excursions to other places to play casino games. We also have weekly bus service that takes the residents to a grocery store. I still have a car so I don't use that service but perhaps someday I will. A man comes every Monday afternoon to sell produce. Three times a week we get baked goods delivered, and every Wednesday a grocery man comes here to sell milk, bread, butter, frozen foods etc. A postal truck comes every Thursday morning so residents can buy stamps and mail packages. It is a very good thing to have all of these services because some of our residents are over 90 years of age. I like living here even though my apartment is very small, (only 550 square feet). I have a bedroom, sitting room, bathroom and kitchen!

I cook my own meals but Mondays through Fridays there is a lunch served here in the building for a very small price. I do realize that we must be very thankful for the benefits that we have. The area in which I live is very close to many stores for buying both food and clothing, and also very close to a hospital and to doctor's offices.

I agree that as one gets older, it isn't a good idea to live in a house unless there is someone to check in on you every day. However, my mother lived in a 10 room house until she died at the age of 92. She had many visitors and many people to call her on the telephone. Also there were special services that provided for a nurse to check on her.

As I am writing this, I am hoping that you will get this message because I know that the program is ending. I am very saddened by this and hope there can be a way for us to continue corresponding.

I send each of you my special wishes for a happy and healthy life and to one day hear from you.

Your American Pen Pal,
Bernie Brown