Review: A Gentle Honest-to-Life Senior Sleuth
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 22, 2013
I love the gentleness of the story. At first I was a bit thrown by the reality of the setting, the conversations, the aides helping dress and undress. Then I began to appreciate the keen eye of the author in catching the nuances of aging, acceptance of the embarrassing realities it brings, the value of humor in such situations, and... the fact that women do not become sexless creatures just because they are older. So many people seem to think so.These women admired younger handsome men, they blushed at compliments (Marjorie even had her padded bra and hair Color Essence Number 32) and they remembered loving and being loved. Someone of the opposite sex, or of the sex you are attracted to, always makes life more fun.This assisted living place must be expensive but it is marvelous to see people encouraged to remain as independent, vital and active as possible, as long as possible.Essie has her wits about her just has many of the infirmities of the elderly. I like the way the story just matter-of-factly had so many people using walkers, no big deal. The acceptance of others with problems, like the non-speaking Fay. The big deal is to live, to enjoy the moments and to see the mysteries and solve them. No terrorist was going to scare Essie.A nice job of unfolding the story and a great job of presenting the background and characters of an assisted living place. I just wish I had ever seen one where all the workers were as nice as they were in this one. It comes from the top down (the leaders) and from good pay and benefits.  :D  Happy Haven would be an expensive place, but worth it definitely.I recommend this book to anyone who can understand daughters with elderly parents, especially parents living in some kind of a facility. And those who can recognize themselves as being possibly the daughter or the parent.