After much consideration and several visits with Paula at Iris Memory Care, my family and I made…read morethe difficult decision to move my mother into their community. We were seeking a place that not only had the expertise in memory care but also the compassion and consistency required to support someone living with Alzheimer's. Despite the significantly higher cost compared to her previous residence, we believed Iris would provide a higher standard of care, and we were willing to make that investment for my mother's well-being.
Unfortunately, our experience did not align with the promises made. We were assured of specialized programs, including a hydration program, consistent engagement through activities and volunteer opportunities, and a staff trained in memory care. In reality, many of these services were either inconsistently provided or not implemented at all. For example, the so-called hydration program amounted to no more than staff occasionally placing water nearby, with no structured monitoring or documentation. Similarly, volunteer opportunities--something my mother was eager and capable of doing--were only offered a handful of times over six months.
The quality and consistency of care were major concerns. Daily activities listed on the calendar often didn't happen. Housekeeping was lacking--I had to request basic laundry and bathroom cleaning repeatedly, and some items like her bath mats had to be thrown out due to mold. The shower setup was unsafe, with poor lighting and water going everywhere. There was also no consistency in where my mother's laundry or personal items were returned to in her room, despite me explaining repeatedly how important routine and predictability are for someone with memory loss. My mom would spend entire days and nights in her room with no encouragement from staff to join activities (other than meal time), most of the time she was going to bed fully dressed and with out her teeth brushed.
More concerning were the medical and safety issues. There was an incident where my mother was on the floor for over an hour after slipping from her bed. Staff failed to assess her condition or even document the event. I had this all on camera and offered to provide it to Stephanie, the Director, she declined. A severe UTI went untreated for two weeks despite multiple requests made to order a urinalysis to Raye, the nurse, and for the doctor to visit her. I eventually had to call in an outside provider to intervene. When their doctor finally made time, Dr. McLeroy evaluated her for a URI not a UTI. Even more troubling, on another occasion the nurse Raye, continued to give her a medication for three months after the doctor had discontinued it due to serious side effects, resulting in terrifying hallucinations. This was not a minor oversight--it reflected a consistent breakdown in communication and care protocols.
While there are a few staff members who were genuinely kind and patient, many others seemed overwhelmed, undertrained, or disengaged. I was deeply disappointed to discover that much of the glowing feedback online appears to come from staff or affiliates rather than families of residents. At one point, I walked in to find staff actively asking for 5-star reviews--not because of excellence in care, but as part of a competition with another facility. I did try to work with Stephanie, the Director, to resolve these issue before ultimately making the decision to move my mom. In reality, nobody should be spending over 50K in 6 months and still have to beg for the staff to help their loved one, to do her laundry, to engage her, to help her with personal care needs, to properly and safely medicate her.
This experience has been heartbreaking. I truly hoped Iris Memory Care would live up to the compassionate and professional image they initially presented. If the care promised had been delivered, this could have been an exceptional place. I strongly encourage families to install a camera in their loved one's room and to advocate consistently. Transparency and accountability are essential, especially in memory care.
