My trip to Portland is now history. I was quite sure that 75 State Street would be a nice place and it turned out better than we expected. I hustled and got Ma’s one bedroom apartment furnished with all that she needed in record time. 
The Maine Mall was mere minutes away, Best Buy and Walmart had most of what she needed, kitchen appliances, plates, containers, etc.
The furniture came from Hub Furniture which was in a 100 year old warehouse with little heat. Couch, desk, recliner, end tables, drop leaf kitchen table with two chairs were qujickly picked out at 11 o’clock and they delivered and set it all up at 2. We were amazed at their delivery speed and happy with the overall quality and look of the rooms when furnished.
Portland has quite a long history and 20% of Maine’s population lives there. The roads are great, they have a good hospital (actually two), there are PLENTY of restaurants and folks are always out and about even in cold weather. Spring and summer will bring nice weather and the folks at 75 State who can get out WILL get out in the gardens and beyond. Ma is looking forward to riding the ferry and seeing old friends and relatives.
Ma has a kitchen and usually takes the dinner (noon) meal downstairs in the dining hall which is bright and lovely! I ate there twice and the food is great as is the service. The staff and residents we met were wonderful and helpful. I felt that Kris and I had done the best we could in finding a good, safe place that would provide what we could not here in Panama. She now has friends of her generation and should she need assistance at any time she needs only to press the button on her medical alert device. Ma will be able to communicate with nearly everyone there and that alone is HUGE!
Ma had a fall in the hotel room when I was there and went today to have 6 stitches removed. It looked bad when it happened but at the ER nothing major was detected, and she healed up quickly as usual. It was a wake up call of how fast bad things can happen and it’s good to have help available. 
We will stay in touch via email and Skype, Ma’s been internet savvy for over 15 years and it’s a blessing!!!
All’s well that ends well and this turned out better than any of us ever imagined!
Later,
j
FindingMySelfinPanama 
You did WELL and got everything arranged in short order!
Well, I certainly had SOMEBODY helping me!
Very well done Joel! That’s some nice, sturdy looking traditional furniture. When she get’s some more of her own things around her it will look very homey.
Ma’s trying to keep it more Zen like, less stuff. Much easier for her that way, she left BOXES of stuff here, there would be no place for it there and would cost $$$$
to send. It does feel homey there I do agree.