Q: Please tell us a little bit about yourself
RC: I’m a senior citizen now! My wife and I have been married for 40 years and we have 3 grown children. I’ve been at Sterling Administration for 10 years, working in accounting.
Q: We’ve been told that you’re an avid traveler. Can you tell us something about your travels and what that means to you in your life.
RC: We are Catholics, so the first thing we want to do when we visit a new place is to visit the local church, and the shrines, the Virgin Mary statues. When we went to Mexico City it was Lady of Guadalupe. We went to France and visited Our lady of Lourdes. In Portugal we went to Our Lady of Fatima and Black Madonna. In Prague, the national shrine of the Infant Jesus of Prague. These visits always start our trips and then we go off on our own. We want to enjoy life this way while we are still mobile.
Q: Have you noticed that your travel plans have changed over the years?
RC: We have no issue traveling by plane or train. But I’ve always carried two big suitcases. And now I’m starting to have a little arthritis in my hands, so we will pack differently…instead of two big cases, we’ll go with one big one and two small suitcases to carry. The other thing changed in our travel now is we have to have our folding canes in case we need them.
When we were younger, we liked to explore a lot on our own. But now, I think we will probably go with tour guides more. It’s nice to follow a knowledgeable person who takes care of some of the details. This last fall we did a guided tour of the Western States and the Parks…it was nice to not have to drive and have a plan to enjoy for the day.
Q: So, you’ve been at Sterling for 10 years…you’ve watched the emergence of the Amazing Care Network. Can you tell us a bit about that?
RC: Yes, I am a member! And I’ve learned so much, especially from the luncheon speakers. I remember one in particular, he was the head of the company who created an app that tracks your medical records, reminds you when to take your medications, things like that. Another one spoke about the issues around caring for elderly relatives, how to think about that and to be helpful without getting too stressed. It’s so good to have a place where you can get that kind of information and support.
I’m very proud of Amazing Care. We have an expression in the Philippines…’Open arms, going to Heaven’…when you do good things coming from your heart, you are on the right path and Heaven welcomes you. And the mission of Amazing Care embodies that spirit.
