AegisLiving Moraga is a lifesaver. My husband has been at Aegis Living Moraga for one year. He was eased into the routine of living in memory care by perfectly coordinated planning and I, relinquishing him, was prepared by sensitive staff who guided me through the first moments of his adjustment. I have felt confident since that day about the care he has received. Because he moved in in November, he benefited from the superb activities program which was central to daily life before Covid restrictions were set in place. I cannot express adequately how grateful I was to hear my husband's frequent comments about how wonderful everybody was and he referred to all of the people he was connected to: Administration, caregivers, the residents he met who'd become his social world - he was frankly happy. It was evident he was at ease and comfortable. My husband has had dementia for nearly ten years and his days were becoming vacant, so to observe how pleased he was to participate and to finally have some meaning restored to each day meant everything to me. He was lucky to be able to appreciate, still, and he frequently mentioned how good he felt and how lovely the environment is. He was obviously delighted with the food, since I'd hear reports of his frequent requests for second helpings. When the pandemic arrived and upended the rhythm and opportunities of each day, everyone stepped in to make the transition for residents and their families as smooth as possible. It has been an impressive endeavor, with the most successful outcomes possible under the circumstances. The staff has had safety training and oversight and the residents have been kept comfortable, protected, and as anxiety-free as possible, at all times. The staff remained flexible and learned and innovated as they dealt with the roller-coaster of changes: State mandates, families' requests, and residents' adjustments to confinement. They have been as accommodating as possible, always aware of the pain family members and friends must feel not being able to hold, comfort, or just pass time with their loved ones. They have learned new technology themselves and have also taken on the enormous task of working to explain the new and different routines to the memory residents, until they sensed they felt secure and could get some pleasure from this new experience. I will forever remember my husband looking up with trust at Allison or Mike as they helped him respond to a FaceTime call. I have had many chances to see my husband safely during these eleven months, either via FaceTime or through a plexiglass shield, and I owe my thanks to everybody who helped facilitate these visits. Scheduling visits and juggling staff time has to be a Herculean job. The vigilance of the Wellness staff during Covid restrictions - supervising the health of every person in and out of Aegis - has to have been a responsibility unlike anything they could have expected.
Everyone who offers kindness and care to my beloved husband fills my heart with gratitude. I know each one is constantly adapting to the changes that any Alzheimer's sufferer will go through. The work they do is an enormous job and I have only seen them be unrushed and gentle. I know that approach comes from Lorena's leadership and training of the care staff, which she reinforces frequently, and it succeeds: The staff acts as a caring family, allowing actual family to have the confidence that any suggestions, questions or concerns of theirs will always be heard and addressed.
I'd like to mention people specifically. Bill, the manager, is cordial and approachable and has kept us up to date with regular honest communication and a professional, reassuring tone during the quarantine; Molly, a friend forever, with her sincere guidance, personal interest and artistic contributions; Lorena, whose ear is always open to concerns and who attends to those concerns immediately, and whose experience is tuned to offering the finest of care to those in her trust; Tender-hearted Tina, who is always working with enthusiasm, creativity and energy - she must spend every spare hour innovating ways to engage memory care residents; Gabby, who with kindness, takes care of everything with competence, coordinating every schedule as well as every unexpected task; Blanca, who pulled off the great coup of providing the vaccines quickly, as well as all the nurses; mostly, the dear caregivers, whom my husband can turn to and whom I rely on with fond gratitude. Everyone at Aegis Moraga works with compassion and dedication. read more