For over a year, I was in and out of hospitals, care facilities,and 1 home. When I go to my local ER, I can point and say,"I've been in that cubicle, that one, that one, that one, this one's my favorite". But now I'm home. What bothers me is the silence. In all those previous places, people were running around, shouting, coughing, even vomiting. Now NOTHING. I live in the sticks where you can here deer hoofs clicking on the rocks. I have to have the TV on, if I'm awake.
Fuzzy,
Personally I love living alone and the silence (nature sounds) and I love where I live. I am in a place that is sort of rural but still have neighbors. Sometimes I wish I had more silence like what you describe but often I enjoy the occasional chat with my neighbors and it's nice having them around, we help each other out when needed and they are all fantastic people.
I am a lit little scared though for when I retire! I am a weird mix of introvert/extrovert, but I am a little scared as then I get my needed dose of socializing/interacting with others at work and through activities I do, and with family. I am very close with my grandparents and parents and I probably won't have kids of my own so I am a little scared I may have a very lonely life and that could get scary as I lose my abilities as I may not have anyone to call on to help let alone keep me company like my grandparents do. But I have many hobbies and love reading and writing too.
I see a lot of what you are describing in my Grandma (92). She lived in a neighborhood with my grandpa in a "rural, with neighbors" type setting. I think especially as she started to lose her abilities such as hearing, mobility, etc, she really started to get withdrawn and lonely, and started hearing stuff. When she moved in to AL (a move my grandpa needed as much as she did, as it wasn't safe for him (95) to really care for her anymore)...
Whenever she would get put in the hospital she would have this spark and would come alive and be doing things with such enthusiasm she would never do at home... But I think having all the attention at hospital, and seeing other people who are also having problems put things in perspective for her and made her feel more motivated to make positive progress at her level. I don't know it could be just the noise and things goig on but at least for her, seemed to be more of a psychological element to it.
My grandma seemed to become a lot happier and more engaged and grooved right in to AL! I think it was the increased social interaction that made her feel this way. Since then unfortunately she has been going down hill with falls and whatnot, but my theory is this;
My theory is that Some people just do better with more social interaction built into their life. This may be built into it say during work, and a quiet rural setting is what they enjoy. Maybe that changes when life becomes less structured?
I know when I have been unemployed for brief periods I have gone kind of nuts and found myself feeling very down and alone when out of a job and at home during the day when it is super quiet!! That all changed when I got back to work!
No idea on how independent you are, what you're up for or physical abilities but is picking up a very low stress part time job, or is a senior friendly volunteer option a possibility? My grandpa had a friend who volunteered at the hospital.... til he was 107! so I think they definitely would have options that would be senior friendly and accommodate varying levels of mobility too. Just some super random ideas! Especially since you liked certain things about the hospital. It may be fun for you to be in that atmosphere and seeing others and helping greet others may provide you a level of interaction that would be rewarding!
