How old is too Old?

by, Heather Reynolds

I was having an interesting conversation the other day concerning the average age a person may enter into a “nursing home.”  The average person will enter a nursing home in their late 70′s to late 80′s and early 90′s when normal aging processes take their tole.  But where do those younger people with disabilities fit in? Most people do not realize there is a population of younger people who need nursing home care.  When I give tours of Hillside, many people are surprised to hear that Hillside is not just home to the elderly but a population of people in their 40′s to 60′s. This younger group looks to each other for support and help care for our community by joining our core team. Remember, you don’t have to be elderly to be an elder.  I have learned a great deal of life experiences from my younger elders.