They had us at "hello" and a sticky bun…read more
It was three years ago that my brother and I were looking for a safe and happy home for our mother who has advanced dementia. For nearly ten years, my father had tirelessly cared for her as the disease slowly, insidiously took her away, but he was reaching his limit. Admittedly, we were in a bit of a panic since we had seen several places in the area that were an absolute no.
Enter The Palms. We decided to give it a try. No planning, no phone call. We just walked in. And right away, immediately perhaps, we knew this was the place. Before we had even taken a tour. We felt it. Specifically, we felt and saw the warmth and the liveliness. People socializing, playing games, happily going about their lives. This was home.
As for the sticky bun? A delicious accelerator. My brother may have eaten more than one. He still talks about that bun to this day.
Since that day, I could write chapters about how the staff at The Palms has become a trusted and loved extended family, but I will just highlight some of what I think make this place so unique and special. At the risk of sounding like the opening song from Cheers, everybody knows your name. The staff knows what my mother's favorite colors are, what her favorite flavors of ice cream are, that she has a very sarcastic wit and that she loves Bingo. Not only does everyone know my mother, but they all make a point of knowing me, my siblings and our spouses which is challenging since we do not live in Florida. When we walk into The
Palms on any trip, staff members will find us just to say hello. Just two weeks ago, as the COVID quarantine rules were lifting, I flew down to see my mom. The staff worked together to make sure that I was able to have quality time with her, safely. On this Sunday afternoon, more than 10 people came by from the Executive office, Dining Service, Nursing and Personal Aids to say hello and to see how our family was doing. A simple gesture but one that rarely happens today and one that I won't forget.
Throughout my life my parents called me almost every day, whether I liked it or not. Since we have lived most of my adult life in different states, it was their way of staying connected. While today, my mother is not making those calls, I still have that exact connection thanks to the staff at The Palms. I know if she is having a good (or bad) day, if she's sleeping late or under the weather. It is not uncommon that I will talk to at least two staff members per day just to give me an update on how she's doing, tell me what she may need or to set up a video chat with her. And most importantly, they call when anything goes wrong. For my mom, that was four days ago when she fell and was being sent to the hospital. The team called immediately and then followed up. The last message I had was from the Executive Director to let me know my mom was coming back and was fine after she had personally called the hospital herself to inquire. She texted me this message at 10:48pm on a Thursday. That kind of dedication at every level, from every team member, is not exceptional at The Palms. That is their everyday mode of operation and it is incredible.
Finally, the strongest endorsement of The Palms I can give comes from my father. His love and dedication to my mother over the last ten years were both a heartbreaking and beautiful experience to witness. Over the last year, his ability to visit with her became more limited as his strength weakened. His regular lunch visits became more sporadic and he found it hard to sustain the energy for extended visits. As he grew more ill, he agreed to move to the D.C. area to be closer to my brother and me, knowing he would have to separate from my mother and most likely would not see her again. He trusted The Palms with the most precious person in his life. Just before he died, he asked me to keep my mother at The Palms because "it is her home and she is happy there." Even though her children were not local and he would not be with her, he felt strongly that The Palms provided the safety, happiness and support she needed.
And, he was right. It is her home and she is very happy.
