My mother was a resident at Golden Heritage from December 2009 through October 2011 when she passed away due to a combination of Alzheimer's and renal failure.
She was ambulatory when she checked in. She stayed at the third floor with a spacious common area that residents could interact with fellow residents, caregivers, activity directors, nurses and family members. She had her own room that was furnished with Queen Anne style furniture and her own bathroom with a walk-in shower. It was one of the nicest senior living centers that we had seen in San Jose during that time.
Over time, her early-stage of Alzheimer's had become the late-stage Alzheimer's and her kidneys had finally shut down requiring dialysis 3 times a week. At Danny and Mary Mar's suggestion, she was moved to the second floor where there were more caregivers on account of the higher-level of care needs.
Danny and Mary were kind enough to put her in a room next to the caregivers and nurse's office where records and medicines were kept. According to them, this would provide my mother with added attention since she was in the line of sight of the caregivers and nurse. In that sense, I was most grateful for their thoughtfulness and attention to details.
Danny and Mary were caring people and so were their caregivers, nurses, and kitchen and facility staff. My mother was always well cared for. I visited her at different times of the days and sometimes late in the evenings. She was always surrounded with caregivers, keeping her company, entertaining her by having her sit at their table at night when they were doing their paperwork. Toward the end when her health situations had worsen, they would spoon-feed her, clean her up after her meals, change her diaper when she soiled it, sponge bathe her and clean her denture and her gum before she turned in, and secured her in bed with multiple alarms before dimming the lights. Between the caregivers and the nurse, they would see to it that she took all the pills with the right dosage at the right time and nutritional drinks (e.g., Ensure) needed to keep her healthy. Most important, she was showered with love and attention. My mother was a lovable human being, and they responded in like manner.
Danny and Mary along with their staff had always kept me informed about my mother's needs and health situations requiring my immediate attention. They had my cell phone number, and I had given them permission to call me any time of the day. Understanding my willingness to go the distance for my mother, they would even make recommendation for me to buy certain lotions or creams that were particularly effective in taking care of her dry skins, for example, based on their years of experience in running nursing homes in the case of Danny and Mary in being a nurse herself.
In addition, Danny and Mary along with the pastor were paying attention to my mother's spiritual needs as well. A few months before she passed on, she was baptized with my consent. I couldn't be happier for her as she had finally found her spiritual home in God.
Over the two years of my mother's stay at Golden Heritage, I have developed a profound respect and appreciation for Danny and Mary and the entire staff at Golden Heritage for their professionalism, compassion for those seniors in their care, and the caring services they had given to my mother. I also recognized the importance for my family and me to play an active part in supporting them in giving my mother the best care possible. And we did indeed! Although my mother was with her God now, I know she would agree with me that it was two years well spent at Golden Heritage.
During the funeral, Danny and Mary and the pastor and some of the caregivers closest to my mother were there to see her off. I know they were not obligated to be there, but they showed up simply because they truly cared. For that, I was and am still in awe with them. It is a well-known fact that people who show up at one's funeral are one's true friends. On behalf of my mother and my family, I would like to extend to Danny and Mary and their entire staff our deepest appreciation for their friendship and caring services. read more
