My mom was sent to an assisted living facility at Addington Place due to beginnings of dementia. I…read morelive far away and I didn't know anything about assisted living so I decided to visit my mom and see for myself.
First of all, it's in a woodsy setting and the grounds are nicely kept. She is in building 5. Out front, there is a little pond with ducks and frogs and a fountain in the center. There is access to a covered, outdoor sitting area with table and chairs which is locked at night. It is close to 28th St, NE where you can find Meijer, Five below, Dollar store, all kinds of shopping, services and restaurants. Not in walking distance, however, which is probably for the best. There is a weekly(?) trip to market you can sign up for.
My plans were loosely put together and I figured I'd stay at a hotel when I couldn't stay with friends. I arrived late and asked if I could stay in my mom's room for the night. They said yes, it is her room and I could stay as long as needed! Not only that, they brought in a pillow and blanket for me. So nice.
Thus began my 2 week stay in my mom's room where I got to experience Addington Place, building 5, first hand. I'm sorry I'm terrible with names and my focus was mostly on my mom so this is my non-technical personal experience.
Each resident has their own room which includes a private bathroom with toilet, sink, and shower. There is wifi and basic tv service (provide your own tv) but the WiFi is hit or miss and I had to go down the hall to get max bars with my iPad. When I arrived she had a bed, dresser, chair and nightstand, but I'm not sure if they were standard or added.
There are 2 nurse-call strings. One in the bathroom next to the toilet and one in the sleeping area. The room may be decorated and furniture brought in. The entrance door to the room can be decorated on the outside. One thing I wish there was a close and convenient water source. There is water at the bathroom sink, of course, and you can bring water from the dining hall but I think I would have drank more water if there was a water dispenser. As it was, I became dehydrated.
Morning, noon and evening, someone knocked on the door to say meals are being served. Each resident has an assigned seat. I spoke with the head of kitchen about paying ahead so that I may also have meals and a deal was struck. The meals, while not 5-star restaurant quality, were consistently nutritious and varied. I could spot protein, carbs, vegetable, Vitamin C, Calcium, fiber. I assume there are customized menus available, for diabetes, allergies etc but the people we sat next to all had the same plate. They could ask for more. You can tell a lot of thought is put into creating the menus. The coffee is great, not watered down. There are 5 roomy, square tables with 4 seats each in the dining hall for our section. Some residents were wheelchair bound and were wheeled in. Some were able to work their wheelchair themselves. It was a well executed production.
The staff is friendly, helpful and approachable. Any time I had a question (I always have many) I was able to get an immediate answer or directed to the person who could answer it. There was always someone to consult with. Sometimes late at night I had to look around to find someone, but they were never far.
At 5am, a nurse(?) brought meds to my mom. She also received meds at lunch and supper. They keep the meds and orders at the nurses station and they're distributed on time, as instructed. On empty stomach, with food, etc.
There are 2 nurse-call strings located in the bedroom. When they're engaged, usually at night, an alarm goes off in the hallway. A staff member responds and turns it off. It rarely took more than a couple minutes each time. When I was there, they went off 0-4 times a night. It is loud, but considering they are emergencies, one can hardly complain.
There's a monthly calendar of events. Bingo days, a day for getting your hair cut, dyed, styled. Nail day when you can get your nails trimmed and polished. Field trips. They went to Johnson park this summer for a picnic. Bring your Pet to Work day, where the staff's pets can visit with the residents.
My mom has a kitten. Other residents drop in to see him so it helps my mom socially. The residents are adorable. They each have a story, a reason for being there, and opinion on how they like Addington Place. I mean, they aren't all happy all the time but overall they love it. One gentleman was there due to a trauma. He wanted to leave saying he is better now. One woman was grumbly most days. One woman is 100 years old! There are as many different personalities as there are people and they had one thing in common, they're out of their homes and living in assisted living. It is a family of peers, some stronger than others on any given day. I loved it! We all were sad when I had to go.
