Submitted by Lorrie Harrison, director of Lopez Hamlet
Deborah Bonnville’s mom Doris Hammarlund drove cross-country from Minneapolis to Lopez to celebrate her daughter’s 50th birthday in 2001. When Deborah turned 65 in June, Doris was here to cut the birthday cake again. This time without the 1,750 mile commute.
Hammarlund moved here to be near three generations of family earlier this year. She lives in Hamlet House, the island’s adult family home. Her pretty room is filled with a lifetime of treasures: the large formal portrait of her father sitting for the camera in the late 1800s, her grandparents’ calligraphed wedding certificate, Comanche (a plastic stallion from her girlhood) and a curio cabinet full of collectibles.
“Mom’s arrival changed our lives completely,” says Hammarlund. “Our relationship is much more relaxed. We don’t have occasional visits anymore, now we are part of each other’s lives. I said to mom when she got here, ‘Did you ever think you’d be living on an island at age 90?'”
One of Bonnville’s favorite things is to join Hammarlund for breakfast before going work at the Family Resource Center. She knows everyone around the table now. “Sometimes mom, Kathaleen and I play a game of scrabble together and someone always seems to have a jigsaw puzzle going.”
She likes how the community gets involved: volunteers and visitors drop by often. Preschoolers from The Children’s Center come by to sing songs they’ve learned; Lopez Academy youngsters came twice to recite poems, sing and make paper flowers for each resident. Bonnville’s daughters and grandchildren get to see more of Hammarlund, too.
“Hamlet House isn’t just for Mom, it’s for all of us,” she says.
The original vision for Hamlet House was to build a beautiful residence for older islanders who need support with daily living.
“People had to move to the mainland when they needed assistance,” says Hamlet House administrator Becky Smith. “It was very stressful to start over in unfamiliar surroundings when they were in their 80s or 90s. Losing those islanders was a huge loss to Lopez, too. Building Hamlet House was a wonderful solution. Not many small communities have such an important resource.”
While Hamlet House has helped many seniors stay on Lopez, lately more off-islanders like Hammarlund are coming. It’s an interesting twist, one that expands the original vision.
Honey Lyster moved here in July to be near her family, Tom and Joyce Lyster.
She says the move has brought a few surprises, one being medical care.
“It’s actually more available,” Honey says with a warm smile. Tom nods.
“On the mainland, sometimes mom waited for three days for a call back, and got an appointment maybe five days later. At Lopez Clinic, it’s almost always same day. Following along with that,” he adds, “the Hamlet House staff really pays attention. Care is initiated; it’s not a panic response to a problem. That’s not typical in large organizations.”
Honey lived in Tacoma all her life and still has high school friends there.
“I miss them,” she says, “but it’s good being with family.”
She’s easing into island life, “I went to Creaky Yoga for the third time today and like it fine!”
