By Lorna Reese

Special to the Islands’ Weekly

“Too much house; too much yard.”

Florence Wagner, 76, is talking about why she’s moving from her home of 23 years on Whiskey Hill to a Hamlet cottage.

“I’m preparing for the day I can’t take care of myself or a house on a hill. I want to live on flat ground without stairs, and The Hamlet is much more practical for me.”

Built in the heart of the village by the non-profit Lopez Housing Options, The Hamlet was established expressly so Lopezians could stay on the island as they aged. The Hamlet cottages offer independent living for those who choose to simplify their lives; The Hamlet House provides care for those needing some assistance with activities of daily life (ADL).

“Several seniors had left Lopez when their homes and properties became too much to take care of or they needed some assistance,” says Rip Van Camp, LOHO chair. “The Hamlet has 14 one- or two-bedroom cottages for those who want a convenient, maintenance-free life, while Hamlet House is a six-bedroom adult family home. It’s a lively adult community with a fabulous Gathering Place for various kinds of social interaction by residents.”

Gale McCallum, 87, agrees. After 25 years in her own Lopez home, McCallum was the first resident to move in when The Hamlet opened in 2008.

“My husband had died and it seemed sensible at my age to make decisions for my future. I wanted to locate myself for convenience, and this is perfect. Everything I need is in the village so I can walk everywhere, which is good for me,” she says. “Living here is easy. Maintenance is taken care of so there are no upkeep chores for me to do. The cottages are well insulated, too, so I don’t hear neighbors or outside noises.”

Some of The Hamlet’s one-bedroom cottages are classified affordable using San Juan County’s requirements for moderate income. Anyone age 55 or older and qualified to live independently is eligible to live in the cottages. There is no longer an entrance deposit and residents lease rather than buy cottages. At the moment, Hamlet House is full and there are seven cottage residents.

Mollie Fromm, age 92, has been coming to Lopez since 1981. “For the last ten years, I spent summers on my houseboat here and winters in Miami Beach,” she says. “The heat in Florida was too limiting, so this year I moved full time into a cottage at The Hamlet.“

The Hamlet celebrated three years of operations in July. “During that time we served 13 residents in the cottages and 19 in Hamlet House,” says Van Camp. “Three Hamlet House residents moved from the cottages and a fourth used it to convalesce after an operation. This integrated community concept with independent living in the cottages and assisted 24/7 supervised care at Hamlet House has proven a valuable service, support capability and resource for Lopez residents and their families.”

Wagner had polio as a child and now has post-polio syndrome.

“The time may come when I can’t drive,” she notes, “and I’ll need to get everywhere by walking – even with a walker. That will be easier here in the cottage, but I’m glad to know I can transition to Hamlet House if I ever need to recover from something there.”

“I love living here,” says McCallum. “This is a vibrant community and I feel completely at home.”

More information is available at lopezhamlet.com. For a tour of the model unit contact office manager Lynne Keeley at 468-2620.