It has taken me over a year to write this review, because grief is SO HARD.
After a stroke, my 100-year old mother-in-law was lucky enough to head to Rose Arbor. There aren't a lot of options for hospice, and once you have been here, you will know this this is an extraordinary one.
When you come in, right in front of you is a common area. You'll find birds, a piano, fireplace, bookshelves, and plenty of cozy places to sit and breathe. Next to that is a non-denominational chapel.
There is a check in desk that is usually staffed by a volunteer. If you come after hours, you can use the door entry code given when your loved one arrives at hospice.
There are two wings (right and left). There is a very low staff to patient ratio, which means that both the nurses and attendants are always available. This is so VERY reassuring.
The rooms are large, with a medical bed, table and chairs, couch with pull out bed (which I availed myself of), reclining chair, bathroom, tv, radio/cd player with cds, and plenty of light.
My MIL was at Rose Arbor for 13 days, and I have never seen such compassionate care. Every Single staff member checked on both her and us. For hospice is for an entire family, isn't it?
Down our wing, and I assume on the other side, there is a family room, where you can watch tv, relax on a couch, sit at a dining table (this is where our intake session was); there is also a small sink area and fridge.
Things that impressed me most were the much-appreciated empathy and care of the staff (in even the smallest things, like a glass of ice water, and in much bigger things, like enormous compassion when my MIL passed), the hand-made quilts on the beds, the soft pajamas, the daily bath and caretaking, and the ever-present sense of CARE.
When my mother passed, I was allowed to stay in the room with her as long as I liked. When my husband and I finished saying goodbye to her, they had a wide variety of resources for us (which, actually, I wished I had looked at earlier), excellent care of her body, and compassion like I had never seen before.
I cannot imagine the strength it takes to do this job, but I was so impressed by each and every staff member. This is, truly, their calling. Death is never easy, but in working with such compassionate caretakers, I felt that my mother's end of life was in the best of hands.
After, there is free grief counseling available (both group and individual), and other methods to support families in their grief.
And now I'm crying, because this is such a powerful, empathetic, loving space. If you have a loved one that needs hospice, look here first. It's truly a remarkable place. read more