Mandy Patinkin accidentally signed up at ‘assisted living’ quarters instead of a hotel — but refused to leave for one reason

A lot of elderly people dread joining assisted living because it means a significant shift in their lifestyle. “The Princess Bride” star, Mandy Patinkin, revealed that when he got the chance to explore accommodation while filming, he didn’t skip it. Speaking on the TODAY show in December, the actor revealed that he was looking for decent hotels to stay in and came across an assisted living facility — except he didn't know what it was. When he found out, he proceeded to live there for nearly two months because of the most unexpected reasons.

Patinkin explained that actors often have a long period wherein they’re not actively shooting scenes and can just relax while other filming takes place. During one of his films, Patinkin had quite a few days to spend by himself, so his first activity was to find a decent hotel that would accommodate his long stay. The man didn’t want anything fancy, just a cozy one-bedroom, one-bathroom kind of thing. He looked for Airbnb’s and other places, but they were either fully packed or only offered a 10-day stay at a stretch. After enquiring with a couple of people around, Patinkin was told there was a residence across the street.

Assuming it to be some kind of stay, he went in and met the staff. “They showed me this beautiful room, trees outside, fall colors, etc,” he revealed, adding that he was immediately interested. However, he realized something was off with the kind of questions the staff asked. Instead of asking about culinary preferences and budget, they had other inquiries. “She’s asking me about my diet, what I do, my family, and then she asked me, ‘Would you like a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate)?’” Patinkin recalled. The actor was taken aback by the question. In all his years of experience, no hotel had such serious and concerning asks.

Finally, things became clear when the staff said, “This is an assisted living facility.” “Clearly, the way I feel is not the way I look to these people,” Patinkin joked, adding that the confusion pushed the management at the facility to wonder whether he wanted to be registered as a resident for good. But he still went ahead with staying at the facility for nearly two months. “I had a great room, the breakfasts were incredible,” he remarked. There seemed to be no issue with living with a couple of seniors, and Patinkin enjoyed the company. While it was a great frugal option, it also made for a pleasant stay, an experience he wouldn’t get in any fancy four walls of a hotel.

“So from now on, whenever I go traveling, the first thing I’m gonna ask — ‘Is there assisted living?’ because I love these people and I love being around these people and it’s Bingo on Wednesday!” Patinkin remarked. Turns out, a lot of people have found solace in assisted living before their time. @rjgator83 said, “My three kids and I were snowed in at my mom‘s assisted-living facility in Massachusetts one year at Christmas. We had a wonderful three days!” @joellenmarks_ added, “That is hysterical! I work in a senior living community, and they are great! Lots of activities and great conversations.” @cfonsrealtor remarked, “I'm laughing and crying — it's perfection.” @srtinkere wrote, “And the anonymity is what counts because the people who work there aren’t allowed to say anything about who lives there. That’s a really smart idea!” To have this kind of charm and carefree attitude is truly a gift that makes life well-lived.

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