I started a blog about my story
Last week I was at an Assisted Living Facility, which I will not name. I told them I was thinking about having my mother move into their facility. I told them she had been living alone and I didn’t think that was the best place for her. I told them my mother couldn’t drive and depended on neighbors to take her shopping.
Oh how they agreed with me! No parent should ever be alone! They become so depressed being alone, and what if she falls? She is all alone.
I did not say she was alone I think I said she lived alone. Wow now the home my mother has lived in for 30 years is a big bad house! I let it go I wanted to see what else they had to say.
We have so many activities! We go on trips every week, and our facility is the best, we have the best staff, we have the best food, we play the best games (I don’t know about you but I do think bingo is bingo), and the best trips. After a while, all I could hear wasWahWahWah. I felt like I was in a Charlie Brown Cartoon.
Wow! Great! I’m in the best place in the world! I think I’ll move in! I don’t have to cook, clean or drive! Where do I sign up? Okay, wake up, I said to myself, you are here looking for your mother, remember? Back to reality, how much is all this greatness going to cost I asked? For a small monthly fee (okay here is comes) all this could be yours, it depends on the size of the room and the number of bedrooms and the level you mother is at. Does your mother take medication?
Was your mother a vet? Well, my father was a vet. Then do we have an agency for you! They will fill out the VA application for you! Wow a Silver Citizen or a family member doesn’t have to do anything!
(VA Benefit’s topic is for my next blog!)
I went on a tour of the facility. Everyone person living there came up to the Sales Rep (we’ll call herCrystal) . Oh how they lovedCrystal, it was like they received some sort of incentive for being there when a new prospect was in the building. The funny thingCrystalkept getting lost in her own building. She kept going up the wrong hall. She always had to look at the sign to see where we were. Now ifCrystalkept getting lost how do Silver Citizens find their way?
I know it’s getting late, I asked, but can I see one of the available rooms again. Oh I can’tCrystalsaid, you’ll have to come back another day. I thought maybe she was afraid of getting lost, but that was far from it, I have to go home because my father lives with me and I have to get his dinner because my son isn’t coming home from school until late he has a game.
WAIT – BACKUP A SECOND, I thought! Your father lives with you, I asked. Yes and the administrators mother lives with her. I was looking for the cameras because I know the expression on my face was one of disbelief.
Why doesn’t your father live here I asked. You know your father shouldn’t spent the day home alone. It is so depressing being alone everyday! If your father lived here, you would see him all day. He would have so many people to talk to in this great place. I’m sure this place gives you a discount! I got up from the chair shaking my head wondering why this place is good enough for my mother but not good enough for their father!
Now not all places are like this (another review in my next blog) but you have to be careful when you go on facility visitations. Remember this is a business; they are there to make money! Fully occupied facilities mean bonuses for Sales reps likeCrystal. Some of these places have quite a training process for these reps. Look past their gift of gab. All facilities have open houses, go to a few of them. They will always have entertainment and food on those days.
Remember whether it’s your first visit or an open house:
•NEVER commit to anything no matter how good it sounds
•IF you go to an open house visit, go back a second time when they don’t expect you.
•WHEN you go back on a surprise visit try the food again, is it the same?
•DO they remember you from your previous visit?
•AREthe Silver tenants as happy as they were the last time you were there?
•MOST important is the facility clean when they don’t expect company.
Let me know if you want to hear more of my story.
Thanks,
cval31