Lucy Mae comes from a large family of 14 children born to cotton farmers in Texas. She has lived in Texas her whole life and still resides independently in her own home, though she receives daily check-ins from helpers. Lucy Mae prefers to live independently rather than move in with her children, and is curious about aging and independence in other countries.

1. Meet Lucy MaeMeet Lucy Mae
I come from a big family –
there were fourteen of us
children. Mother and Dad
were cotton farmers and
lived all over Texas. My
mother had come to Texas
with her family from
Mississippi when she was a
girl and my husband’s
Daddy had been born in
England. I’ve had a
wonderful life with a good
husband and five children
plus an adopted girl from
South America. You’ll learn
more about all of them
later.

2. Meet Lucy MaeMeet Lucy Mae
I still live in my own home – Of course, I have help.
There are some folks who come by once a day to check
on me. My children would like me to come live with
them but I’ve never wanted to impose on them and I
guess, I just like to stay in my own home. I’d be
interested in knowing about older folks in your country.
Do they like to stay in their home? Do any of them like
to be independent? I know most of us older folks here
in the USA do like that. My children are awfully good to
me – they come to see me and call me all the time. But
I still have my own friends and my own life. And that’s
the way I like it.

3. Answer the questionsAnswer the questions
– Where does Lucy
live?
– a. She lives with
her children
– b. She lives in an
apartment
– c. She lives alone
in her own home
– .
– Who takes care of
Lucy Mae?
– a. No one takes
care of her
– b. Her children
come by each day
to help her.
– c. Some people
come by each day
to help her.

4. DialectDialect
– A dialect is a way of speaking based
on where the person lives or on their
age. Different dialects may use
different pronunciation, different
stress patterns or even different
grammar. Lucy Mae speaks with the
dialect of an older American. An
example is her use of the phrase, “us
older folks”. This is a term that
someone over the age of 60 or 70
might use. Carol Mae speaks with a
Texas dialect.