“We always try to see the humor in life. When life threw us a curveball, we were grateful to find wonderful care that still allowed us to be together and have fun.”
No matter what curveballs life throws their way, Bob and Hazel Lampf still manage to try to keep a good sense of humor. “After 58 years together, we’re still laughing,” said Bob. “And that’s quite something considering the health issues that Hazel has had to endure over the years.”
“I was diagnosed with MS 40 years ago,” said Hazel. “I was doing pretty well, all things considered. Five years ago we moved to South Jersey and got a little apartment in Voorhees to live closer to our two sons. I started having health issues soon after my mobility became limited. That’s when my whole life changed.”
“We knew Hazel wasn’t going to be able to live in our apartment anymore,” said Bob. “Everyone we spoke with told us that Lions Gate Skilled Nursing was the place for her. She could get the 24/7 medical care that she needed, but still have autonomy. We never looked anywhere else. She moved to Lions Gate in November 2022.”
The first thing Hazel needed to take back her independence was true mobility. “I needed an electric wheelchair,” said Hazel. “Lions Gate had me take a wheelchair driving test to make sure I wouldn’t be a hazard in the halls.”
“They put out cones for her to navigate through,” laughed Bob. “Hazel turned out to be a great wheelchair driver, and has been powering up and down the Lions Gate halls ever since.”
Hazel moves around the Skilled Nursing unit with ease, and chats with everyone she sees. Over time, she has developed a deep connection with the staff in Skilled Nursing.
“They think of me as their mom and come to me for heart-to-heart chats,” said Hazel. “I genuinely love them all. I run the Resident Council meetings here, and work in the garden when the weather is nice, but it’s the friendships that I’ve made here that matter most.”
Bob visits Hazel every day and is just as connected to the staff as Hazel is. “I know they care for Hazel like she was their family,” said Bob. “We’ve celebrated birthdays and anniversaries together, and we have become a ‘found family’ for each other. It feels like we finally have a support team in place to weather whatever curveballs life throws at us next. Life threw us together when we met at Livingston High School in 1966. We had a whirlwind 9-month courtship — met in September, got engaged in December, and married in June. The faculty and students all said how lucky we were.
We are lucky to have each other, but some days we’re just trying to make the best of a difficult situation. So, I just keep the jokes coming, and as long as Hazel keeps laughing, we’ll be fine.”
