(The entrance to The Jefferson Assisted Living Facility, 900 N. Taylor Street, Arlington, VA 22203).

Nope. You can’t make me do it. I am not going to throw a grenade at the fiasco that is the roll-out of the Patient Protection- Affordable Care Act this morning. The President is going to reassure everyone later this morning from the Rose Garden. It is getting chilly here as we approach Election Day, and they will wait until things warm up a little.

Mr. Obama will be surrounded by the five healthy people who have actually- well, they actually think they might have been enrolled- in the program. I love the human props that the White House uses with such effect. It gives me confidence that everything is just fine.

I also take the talking points about the massive new law at face value: The PP-ACA was passed by both houses of Congress, signed by the President, and reviewed for constitutionality by the Supreme Court. It is the law of the land.

And so was the Volstead Act, as I recall.

(The view from Mac’s balcony. The fountain in the middle is a great place to sit out in the sun, three seasons a year. The Mall is just across the street and Grand Cru, a wonderful wine bar, is just to the upper right of the picture. Photo Sunrise.)

But I digress. There is something much more important to talk about this delightful, if chilly, morning. Mac’s Shack is still for sale, nearly a year after his passing. His family is in town to try to formulate a strategy to move the place. Apparently the assisted-living market is not keeping pace with the mild resurgence in real estate here in Blue Arlington, and we are going to brainstorm later on ways to sell the place to someone who needs a little help.

A lot of us have parents who are in that boat, just as the Socotras were a few years back. It is a tough time in life. We were lucky to find Potemkin Village, actually “Independence Village,” in the Little City by the Bay. (Hi, Jackie!) The people were great, and it was a welcome refuge from panicking every time Big Mama forgot to hang the phone up, eight hundred miles away.

My pal Marlow still has the parents at home, as they confront the Great Mystery.

Every situation is different, which is what makes this time of life such a challenge. It is a crap-shoot on whether to bring in re-enforcement help to keep them in their home, or physically re-locate them to a place where the meals are hot, the laundry gets done and there is some companionship with other folks who are in the same boat.

(The Common Rooms at The Jefferson are places Mac used to hold court, or listen to speakers brought in to make presentations on topics of interest. Photo Sunrise).

Mac picked his place out himself. It was time to leave the home, and his beloved bridge Billie had been in a full care facility for years. He liked the two-bedroom, unit at The Jefferson, located at 900 N. Taylor Street, in the wonderful Ballston neighborhood of Arlington. It is right across from the Willow Bar and Restaurant, by the way, and that is one of the reasons Mac liked it.

In the stories, I called Mac’s building “the Madison,” a thinly disguised attempt to protect a little of his privacy, but I think we can let that go now.

The Sunrise Corporation manages the Jefferson, and they sum up their philosophy like this: “we believe where you live should be the home of endless possibilities, growth, style and comfort. With our convenient location in Arlington, VA, you will be surrounded by the best that the Nation’s Capital has to offer…and you won’t even need a car to have access to it all! Reimagine what you expect from retirement homes and get to know our approach to individualized care and support at The Jefferson.”

(The Jefferson’s menu is great. Eat in your room, as Mac did sometimes, or share some elegant company and even entertain in the Dining Room. Photo Sunrise).

I liked visiting Mac there. It was cozy, convenient, and the food was great. We used to see former Drug Czar and retired four-star General Barry McCaffery there visiting his mom, and John-with-an-H is at Willow many times as he visits his mother, who has a home at the Jefferson.

The place is small enough to be a real community, and they have the ability to care for residents who have advanced to the next level and need more comprehensive care.

Mac’s place is- I think- the “Lee Model.”

Nice kitchen, spacious and airy. Mac didn’t use the balcony much, but it is generous in size and has a spectacular view, and the amenities are wonderful.

I heard someone say that The Jefferson is “ideal for active seniors who won’t settle for a retirement home.”

If you find yourself in a position where you need a place for loved ones who need a little extra help, and a break from attempting to maintain a single-family house out in the Burbs, this could be a solution.

Mac enjoyed it- the place didn’t bog him down, and allowed him to get out and about in his champagne Jaguar with reserved garage parking. He liked the convenience so much that he would drive across the street and more than once got me where I needed to go.

Great place. If you need information drop me a line and I will hook you up with the family. I think I am still a couple years out from needing the amenities- but you never can tell.

Get it while it is hot. Mac would thoroughly approve.

Copyright 2013 Vic Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com
Twitter: @jayare303