What’s on your bucket list?
Retirement community grants the heartbreaking wishes of Philly seniors
Henry Allhiser, 82, fell in love with Lady Gaga while watching her concerts on HBO at the Wesley Enhanced Living retirement community in Upper Moreland. He dreamed of seeing the pop star play live — or even meeting her — but he had no real hope of doing so. He hadn’t been to a concert since he saw John Denver perform decades ago. But Allhiser told his dream to a staffer at Wesley and in September found himself at the Wells Fargo Center, wiping tears from his face as he watched Lady Gaga perform his favorite song, “Born This Way.” Even though a social-media campaign to get Allhiser a meeting with Lady Gaga didn’t work out, he still called the show “the best experience I’ve ever had.” “I broke up. It was heartwarming because I didn’t think they would honor something that weird,” Allhiser said. “They didn’t have to do that — and they’re not just doing it for me. They’re doing other people’s wishes, too.” For the last two years, the staff at Wesley, headquartered in Warminster, has been granting the wishes of senior residents across its six retirement communities in the Philadelphia area under a program called WEL (Wesley Enhanced Living) Wishes. “We want our residents to wake up with purpose and look forward to their day,” said Lisa Haino, director of marketing for Wesley. “Just because you’re aging doesn’t mean you stop living.” Wish recipients are typically nominated by staffers, who listen closely for hints while talking with residents. The seniors can also apply to have their wishes fulfilled. Sometimes, the staff has to get creative. At a recent town hall at Wesley’s Germantown facility, Delores Salamone, 82, said she wanted to go to Sicily, the homeland of her father’s family. But a trip to Sicily was not in the budget. So the staff improvised. They got a virtual reality headset and downloaded 360-degree YouTube videos of Sicily. “Oh wow! This is beautiful … There’s the sun shining on the sea,” Salamone said as she took the virtual tour. “They got graffiti in Sicily? … There’s a Coke machine. Can you believe that?” After the tour, the culinary crew prepared a Sicilian meal for Salamone and an Italian opera singer serenaded her. She seemed equally flattered and embarrassed by the attention. But above all, she smiled — at lot — that day.