8 • The Southwest Portland Post
FEATURES
May 2015
The Hillsdale lady who collects napkins
and what it means to age in place
By Erik Vidstrand
The Southwest Portland Post
If you read this reporter’s story last
month, you know that aging-in-place
villages are a group of like-minded
individuals in a geographic area
who come together to figure out and
develop the resources they will need
to age comfortably in their own homes.
As an example of aging-in-place, Dr.
John Dougherty of Hillsdale, one of
the organizers of River West Village,
wanted to share an example of what
this looks like.
Dougherty has been involved with
the “village” concept for several years
now. He said that the only way for
this concept to work is that it be
intergenerational.
“You need to get involved. Take
time out of your schedule to look in on
elderly residents, and have some fun
while you’re at it.”
Dougherty’s neighbor, Arlene
Morrison, who would only say she
was under the age of 100, has a habit,
a unique habit. So unique, a friend of
Morrison’s, Sandy Johnson, helped
support her habit.
Visiting from Alabama last summer,
Johnson went out with Morrison to
lunch at a local café. Johnson noticed
that Morrison grabbed a few napkins
as they were leaving. Johnson was
curious.
“I’ve never seen anyone do this,”
Johnson confessed.
M o r r i s o n re s p o n d e d s h e j u s t
preferred them over the cheaper ones
she could afford at the market.
“They’re heavier duty and do a job
better,” Morrison explained as if she
were on a television commercial for
Bounty paper towels.
As it turns out, Morrison had a small
collection of napkins at home, some
with logos, and some with art. She
shared them with Dougherty and her
friend.
Upon returning to Alabama, Johnson
became a pen pal inserting a colorful
napkin in each letter for Morrison to
enjoy.
First came the Halloween themes,
then Thanksgiving; Christmas was
next. Each time a lovely letter described
the weather or the latest town gossip
or ailment.
A recent Easter theme had just
arrived the other day along with a
University of Alabama napkin.
Then, Dougherty started collecting
them for Morrison. He showed off the
Delta Airlines and Amtrak ones he
donated. Morrison’s granddaughter
delivered a few colorful Intel ones.
“I just had to call The Post and share
Arlene’s story,” Dougherty said.
“The funny part about this whole
thing,” Morrison said, laughing, “is
that I use them then toss them out!”
“Even the real nice ones?” this
reporter asked while visiting her and
Dougherty in her neat, uncluttered
apartment. This reporter imagined a
hoarder with boxes and boxes of them
Home. Cooked.
Arlene Morrison collects napkins but not for the reasons one would expect.
(Post photo by Erik Vidstrand)
stacked to the ceiling or a scrapbook
full of them labeled with dates and
locations. Morrison and Dougherty
both laughed and smiled.
“Nope,” she said. “I’ve been
downsizing for years and don’t need
more stuff!”
Morrison is moving to an assisted
living facility in Raleigh Hills in a
few months and Dougherty plans on
visiting her and, yes, collecting more
napkins.
To use, of course!
“This is what it means to age-in-
place,” Dougherty said.
He explained how he helps get her
mail each day and if a letter comes
from Alabama, they sit down to enjoy
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Although Morrison didn’t show it,
moving from one’s home to an assisted
living facility is an emotional issue. A
loss of independence comes with that
as well as the community structure one
is used to.
“This is what we are hoping to
address once the Rivers West Village
concept is up and running hopefully,”
Dougherty explained. “We want people
to stay in their own homes as long
as possible without the disruption of
community, friends, neighbors.”
Dougherty suspected that the
facility Morrison is moving into would
probably have linen napkins.
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