Choosing a senior living facility is a stressful and a very emotional process. There are literally hundreds of facilities to choose from in the state of New Jersey alone. How does anyone make the decision especially in light of the fact that you are making the decision for someone else. Because of the way I'm wired, I first approached this endeavor in a very analytical way. I visited fourteen (14) different facilities and collected data from each one. I developed a very comprehensive matrix and compared each facility based on 9 different criteria. I developed a ranking system and forced ranked each one. When I completed my matrix, I stepped back, stared at the data and came to the realization that I still had no idea what to do. Something was missing from my data but I couldn't figure out what it was. Let's be honest, most all the facilities are made up of beautiful buildings that are nicely decorated, well lighted and clean. They all have the proper ratio of staff to residents, they all offer enrichment programs for the residents and of course, you're always told that the food is just about one step below gourmet. However, when I stepped back and thought about the meetings I had with the fourteen facilities, the only one facility that I walked away feeling really good about was Reflections At the Gables in Brick, NJ. The key word there is "feeling". I remember being so confused and overwhelmed because I really had no idea what to do but all I kept saying was that Reflections gave me a "good feeling". Being a very digital person, it was very difficult for me to make a decision based on feelings and intuition rather than data. Well, in the end, that's what it came down to and unquestionably, I made the right decision. Everyone at Reflections truly care about the residents. They treat the residents like they're an extension of their own families. They take what they do personally and don't just go through the motions because it's their job and they need to do just enough to pass a state audit. That attitude is evident at every level of the organization which includes the leadership and administration. There are countless examples I could offer of the selfless and caring behavior of the staff at Reflections and I firmly believe that I would never have found this degree of caring at any other facility. To me, caring, attentiveness and sincerity are the most important traits that any facility can offer your loved ones. Don't let all of that glitz and glamour influence your decision. In the end, it's all about the team that is in place to care for your loved ones. I believe the sincerity of the team defines the success of the organization. In my book, the team at Reflection At the Gables is number 1! read more