This review is of the Woodruff Family Housing at The Shepard Center in Atlanta, GA, for their…read moreoutpatient patient and patient families. This is mainly for informational purposes.
We are staying here while my husband rehabilitates at Pathways. Before coming here, I searched everywhere for pictures of the housing so I would know how to prepare. The building is older but serves its purpose well.
You'll need to bring cleaning products including a vacuum, mop, bucket, etc. This particular unit had a few of these items but we had to move rooms and the next one did not; be prepared for them to not be available.
The kitchen is stocked pretty well although, ours needed measuring cups, spoons, mixing bowls, mixer, and kitchen towels. The refrigerator is full sized but, on the smaller side. There is an ice-maker. There is a standard coffee maker, no k-cups, only ground. There is a microwave and our kitchen happened to have a crockpot, although the first room did not.
The hot water takes forever to heat up so run the water for about 15 minutes before stepping inside to shower. They will gladly provide you with any medical needs you may have such as a shower chair, lifted toilet, etc. The towels and washcloths are a step below a hotel and SMALL. My husband found them too rough for his sensitivities. Myself, I thought they did a great job exfoliating, so just your preference. We ending up buying some and made our stay more comfortable.
Bedrooms have two twin beds OR one twin bed and one hospital bed. Please confirm with your case worker what your needs are!!
Bring blankets and mattress toppers for your comfort. The beds aren't the most comfortable but will suffice; they remind me of dorm room beds. We brought a king sized tri-fold topper, pushed the two twin beds together and made a king sized bed. Obviously this required us to bring our own bedding but completely worth it to us. Hey, if we are going to be here a while, let's make it comfortable!! Keep in mind they can't take donated mattresses when you're done so either meet a neighbor who would appreciate it or be prepared to leave with it once it has expanded.
Trash bins are on the ground floor through the parking lot. At night it's dark. The first time I chose to bring mine back in since it was a good walk in the dark and there was a running, white van parked nearby. Hey, I've seen what happens in the movies!!
Lots of renovating/construction going on but they are doing an adequate job of rerouting you with very little inconvenience. Security is very friendly and helpful.
There is a secured parking garage. You have to have a key card to access the garage, your floor, and your room. There's plenty of handicap parking right by the door of each floor.
There is a mailroom. If you're ordering Amazon, I recommend the Amazon Lockers located about a mile or less down the street. There is a delay from the mailroom (I am on day 4 of packages I know have been delivered) and they are not there but a VERY limited time on weekends. They do bring your mail to your room and if you are out, they open the door and place it and any packages just inside on the kitchen table. Very convenient and takes any worry away of your packages sitting out. Be patient .. I was told many are volunteers.
Internet is okay at best. The TVs are smart TVs so your apps are available. There is a TV in the living room and bedroom.
There is a laundry room on each floor. Keep in mind you can only access your floor. There are 2 washers and 2 dryers. They actually provide the detergent. It's an off brand powder and obviously you can bring your own, as we did. I have not seen any fabric softener so you'll need to bring your own either way.
There is a floor downstairs that has couches, games, movies, etc..
Should you need the Shepherd Center or want to utilize their cafeteria, there is a walkway located in the garage area. You are only outside of the building/inside the garage for a very brief walk.
The Shepherd Center also sponsors a Family Dinner every Tuesday night at 5:00. The food is furnished by local restaurants and local people that generously donate. It's FREE! Afterwards, they play several rounds of bingo with generous prizes. Mrs. Shepherd, herself, attends almost every meal. She is the very elegant lady on her motorized cart assuring everyone's needs are tended to.
Should you need Piedmont Hospital during your stay, if capable, I recommend walking there. It's less than an 8 minute walk. Piedmont makes you pay for parking every single time you leave the hospital. I think the first 30 minutes are free but, then it's $7-$10 according to your stay. I walked every time of day, from very early morning, midday, and late a night and felt very safe every time.
I hope that you find this information helpful for your stay! God bless you and your family during this time.
