At 97 years old, Mary Morse still possesses a remarkably youthful and energetic spirit, just one of the many reasons why her son Dr. Richard Morse says Harvest Hill has been such a great fit.
“My mother is an adventurous person,” said Richard. “She has lots of energy and so many interests. She enjoys athletic activities like tennis, swimming and sailing. She’s a painter and loves poetry.”
The mother of five children, Mary was married to Richard’s father for 70 years and trained as a physical therapist. Now in assisted living, she is happy and content in her current home.
“She loves the community and the feel of the place,” Richard said. “The people here are friendly and welcoming, so you can make acquaintances and friends pretty easily.”
But at this age, Mary is also thankful for the blessings she still has, said Richard, including the ability to walk around on her own, and now that Harvest Hill’s dining room is open again, she loves going downstairs to enjoy meals with her friends.
Another blessing: Mary was able to spend several years with Richard’s father before he died, making Harvest Hill the setting for many happy memories in those last years.
“As she and my father got older, in their 80s, every single afternoon they would have a glass of champagne to celebrate their love for each other,” said Richard. “My mother still does that now, and if we’re there, wonderful, and if we’re not there she feels as if she is with my dad.”
Richard, who is a doctor at Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital, located next door to Harvest Hill, also said that while his mother is currently healthy, it is comforting to know Harvest Hill has built-in multidoctor access.
“Alice Peck Day is next door so if there are medical issues the doctors are right there, and they are incredibly good at doing house calls if you need it,” he said. “Plus, the staff at Harvest Hill are very attentive, so my mother feels safe and cared for, which is nice when you’re older. And I know my father also felt very safe and cared for there as well.”
Also, because his other siblings are not local, Richard is currently the primary person able to visit his mother in-person and interact with staff on her behalf, so built-in benefits like these help to provide a sense of security and comfort. “In choosing Harvest Hill, my parents gave my siblings and me the biggest gift they could have given us: peace of mind,” said Richard. “We know our mother is well taken care of and that the staff will call us if there are any problems. It’s been a really good thing.”
