My Riverside Story
The Riverside Difference – My Story
When I moved to Riverside, the phrase “The Riverside Difference” was seen on the pages of literature in my information packet. It’s a phrase that Ms. June Hall (the owner of Riverside Senior Living) uses to describe the specialness here.
Some even call it magic. For me, it was nothing short of the hand of God.
In May of 2023, my life, and the life of my daughters, was turned upside down. More accurately, it felt as if we had been thrown into a rock tumbler. This chaos began in 2021, and by May of 2023, the lid of the tumbler was opened and everyone was scattered.
I moved to RIverside, sick with cancer, depressed beyond all care, suicidal, and with very little ability to support myself financially. Ms. June and Captain Johnny moved me into an apartment and gave me the most valuable gift anyone could have offered at that time in my life. They let me hide and heal.
They cared for me with prayer and saw that my needs were met with the services they provide to everyone.
When I began to come back to myself, I was allowed to help with activities and other small tasks at Riverside Senior Living. Then, as I made friends with the people that live here, I was allowed to drive them to appointments around town. I didn’t know then what those car rides were doing. You see, my last grandparent or any other older relative, passed more than twenty years ago. I hadn’t had a grandmother’s hug in a very long time. But those trips with precious friends, like Ms. Kay Drake, Ms. Elaine Stephenson, and Ms. Marilyn Clark began to heal broken places.
The time-worn wisdom they shared and the laughs we had became like gold used to repair broken pottery; a beautiful process called kintsugi. The pot isn’t thrown away, it is restored. That’s exactly how I felt, broken, and of no purpose to anyone anymore. But purpose is what I found, and it’s only been getting better along the way. The wonderful staff members that have become like family to me and the residents helped to bring me back to life. Riverside is where I live.
Monica Parker