For many, the term “senior living” brings to mind the 55+ retirement communities or assisted living facilities scattered across America. The communities with shuttle buses, pot lucks and organized tours that we see advertised on TV. There are many fine communities that qualify under this “senior living” umbrella, but there are an equally large number of seniors living outside of that umbrella.

Whether they live in an established senior community, live with their family, or live on their own, seniors have at least two things in common. They continue to age and they continue to dream. Catching that cruise ship to Alaska or the Caribbean frequents the dreams for many, if not most of them. All too frequently it follows the dream of winning the lottery and setting the children up with a comfortable house. Those are nice dreams and many people are able to fulfill that dream if they retire with a nice pension or a little nest egg.

There are seniors who may have other dreams. They may dream of companionship and laughter; good friends and family. Maybe they still dream of running that marathon. Or leaving a small piece of themselves behind in a manuscript, in pictures, or in the small bits and pieces of treasures they’ve collected over the years. Some may have less ambitious dreams such as an easier life or a back porch rocking chair. Or even simply to get a hot meal or a good night’s sleep.

There are close to 40,000,000 men and women over the age of 65 in the United States and that number grows daily. They are made up of the wealthy, the middle class, and the poor just like the rest of our society. Despite the economic differences, they all have to deal with either current health issues or the expectation of future health issues. They all have to prepare for or deal with the death of a spouse, a sibling, a friend, or maybe even themselves.

When the subject of senior living comes up it is important to recall that despite the similarities, the discussion is about individuals. There may be common subjects but every senior citizen has their own story, their own goals and their own dreams. And the discussion of senior living doesn’t belong to seniors alone. It belongs to all of us who have a parent, a grandparent, or a neighbor. And it belongs to every one of us who plan on growing old one day. Compassion, understanding, and helping ourselves and others live life to the fullest is what the discussion on senior living is about. The only question now is where to start.