I see so many families struggling with the decision of placing their loved one in a Senior Living Community. Often, you see changes in your loved one, and think, “Who is this person; why are they doing these things; or why are they saying these things?” It is ok, as you are not alone. We realize that some of these things can be embarrassing, and that you may not want to talk about them because you feel you are alone. However, we care for people on a daily basis that are the exact same way, do the exact same thing, and say exactly what they are saying.
Let me tell you a story about something that happened to one of my colleagues, Anne, a couple of years ago. Anne was touring a family that was looking for Assisted Living for their mother. There were two brothers and two sisters that were touring. Their mother had the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s, but was still pretty independent and active. During the tour, Anne was walking down the hall backwards, talking to the family as they went along. As they approached one of the common areas, the two daughters started smiling suddenly, and the two sons said, “Oh my goodness!” and turned their heads. When Anne turned around, there was a resident sitting in one of the chairs in her birthday suit! Yes, indeed, she was completely undressed, just sitting there relaxing! The following conversation went something like this:
Anne: “Dear, is everything ok?”
Resident: “Of course it is, Anne.”
Anne: “Ok, well I am worried because you don’t have any clothes on.”
Resident: “Well it was hot as all get out in my apartment, so I came out here to cool off.”
Anne then helped the resident back to her apartment, and helped her adjust her thermostat and put some clothing on. Anne feared that the family, having seen this, would no longer be interested in moving their mother in, but when Anne was finished helping the resident, it was just the opposite. The family promptly put down a deposit, and moved their mother in. When Anne asked what the deciding factor was, the family said, “Mom would fit right in!” The family was so embarrassed by some of the things that mom would do, and they were worried that they would never find a place that would accept her and some of her “odd” behaviors; but after their tour, and seeing how Anne handled the situation, they knew that they were not alone, and that this was just the place for their mother.
Please know that we understand that every resident is like a snowflake. Each one is unique in their own way. At Silvercrest Garner Farms, we want to make sure that each of our Residents Loves the Way They Live. A thing that may seem odd or embarrassing to a family caregiver is just another wonderful day at our community. At Silvercrest Garner Farms or Garner Place, you are never alone.
We hope that Silvercrest Garner will be that perfect place for you. For more information, or to set up a tour, contact 563-386-9196, or visit
www.GarnerFarms.com. Located at 1575 West 53rd Street, Davenport, IA.
photo credit: Eva Katalin Kondoros/iStock