We are currently looking for an assisted living location in West Seattle for our 90+ grandparents. Anyone have any experiences (good or bad) that you can share with us or any recommendations? The two I found using Google were Day Star near Westwood Village and Merrill Gardens on 35th by the bridge.
Thanks so much in advance!
beachdrivegirl
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There is a Merrill Gardens across from Blackbird Bistro in the Admiral District too. I have never used there services myself, but have heard good reviews on them from coworkers.
beachdrivegirl
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There is a Merrill Gardens across from Blackbird Bistro in the Admiral District too. I have never used there services myself, but have heard good reviews on them from coworkers.
andrea
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My grandparents resided a few years back at DayStar by Westwood Village, and my grandmother especially loved it there. They were pretty well taken care of, allowed there freedom as necessary, and they really liked the socilaization and outtings they offered them.
Over the years three of my neighbors moved to the Kenny Home and they liked it. I\'d often visit while they were there. They had apartment units that seemed cozy and as private as one would want them. As they grew older and less able, services were there to take care of them. Even when they needed 24/7 care.
Over the years three of my neighbors moved to the Kenny Home and they liked it. I\'d often visit while they were there. They had apartment units that seemed cozy and as private as one would want them. As they grew older and less able, services were there to take care of them. Even when they needed 24/7 care.
My grandpa was at Mount St. Vincet for a few weeks before he passed away. I know they have a 24 hour care facility but I am pretty sure they also have an assisted living facility. The staff was nice and helpful and the place was always clean. I feel like my grandpa received good care there. Good luck! I know it is a tough decision.
celeste17
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Mt St Vincents is the best. They have both Assisted living and full care. Daystar is assisted living but beyond that you have to go to a full care facility. Kenny home is really nice. Mt. St. Vincents and Kenny Home have been around the longest. Stay away from Life Care center of WS on admiral. Merrill Garden has two locations on in Admiral and one on 35th. Don\'t know anything about either one. All of these places offer tours and I know Merrill gardens always is advertising some social event or another for visits to come see the place.
The Kenney is good, the staff is really nice, and the facility is new and bright. They often have entertainment and activities. I wish they had more outings. It\'s a non-profit, as is Mt. St. Vincent, which I prefer.
Thanks all I really appreciate your input. It is a tough decision.....thanks again!
Life Care Center is really a nursing home (not assisted living). My dad lived there for 8 months before he passed away. I have mixed feelings - some of the staff were really terrible and in fact I felt compelled to write a letter to the president regarding how my dad was treated in his last few days - but I try to temper my overall view of the place knowing that he was a tough \"patient\" and most of the workers are woefully underpaid and underappreciated.
I spent almost 2 months at the Life Care center on Admiral about 1 1/2 years ago and almost died under their care. An ignored wound went septic and I was hospitalized in intensive care for 8 days. Less life-threatening but nonetheless irritating was the generally poor care. I was quite limited, recovering from heart surgery, and it was common for me to be left on the commode for up to 2 1/2 hours and not bathed more than once a week. It was more of a commute but I ended up on Mercer Island where I had a speedy and productive recovery! What a comparison!
changingtimes
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all i can tell you is make sure you take alot of time and effort finding a place! my dad was in one that was horrific! he was only in for a little while while recovering from surgery but some of the older people who had been basicly just left there by there families i felt so bad for!!! i looked into moving him to the life care center, but the rooms where so small and the beds so low and hard and everything cement..... i dont know just really look into the places and realize that your loved ones will have to be there 24/7.
Caduceus
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My mother has worked at most of the places mentioned here.
I should get her to chime in on this topic. :]
One of her jobs is to evaluate Adult Family Homes.
Caduceus
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I asked my mother, a nurse of 19 or so years
"If we had to put you in an assisted living type place in West Seattle which would you prefer?"
"Probably Merrill Gardens or DayStar."
Mount Saint Vincent is very Catholic, they have a "Nunnery" next to the main building
And DayStar is very Christian.
Not sure if that makes a difference to you, but I know religions bother some people.
Edit: In either of those places I mentioned you do not have to be those religions to be there, nor do they push their ideals on you. I was just providing information. :]
Isn't there an assisted-living center in the new High Point development.....?
Bridge Park is one of our newest advertisers (see ad on right sidebar, about where I am writing this post). They are about "independent retirement living" - you would have to inquire about specific medical needs.
http://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=10353
And re: The Kenney, also see the story I recently wrote previewing the major redevelopment they expect to launch in phases over the next few years.
http://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=9854
When I talked with the CEO Kevin McFeely, he explained they are working to evolve it along the "continuum of care" model that has become popular these days -- you may go into a retirement community very independent, then have increasing needs ultimately requiring what used to be called "nursing home" care, but maybe you won't have to leave that same facility/center. The Kenney also will open its first "memory center" (for dementia patients) as part of the redevelopment.
-TR
A p.s. on this for anybody who is interested in Bridge Park ... forgot to mention, but today is their grand opening celebration, so they're doing tours etc. Starts around 11 am, ribboncutting ceremony around 1:30, open house all day till about 5. High Point at the newly opened Lanham/Morgan intersection, right across from the beautiful also relatively new Commons Park, just a couple blocks east of 35th on Morgan - TR
Gina
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My mother had a dementia related disorder--we started her with the Adult day program at The Mount, and were assured that as she progressed she would be able to stay at the same facility that she was familiar with. She moved into the assisted living program, and the people were wonderful there. Her condition deteriated over the next couple years. We were told to move her out. Memory Care had left the building, and she had to be torn away from the people and surroundings she was familiar with. We were never able to get an appointment to look at the Mount associated outside memory care place within the two week time frame we were given to move Mom out.
Luckily we found a place much better than anything in West Seattle at that time (2001), out near Sea-Tac mall. It was a 45 mile round trip to visit her, but the care and surrounding were exellent, and other relatives lived close by.
I would not hesitate to recommend The Mount for assisted living for folks without dementia, but the abrupt move, if still required would be a minus to me.
If Mom had not developed dementia, we would have used in home care. You can get a heck of a lot of in home services for the price of assisted living!
Gina, I'm sorry to hear that your mother had to leave the Mount so abruptly. It seems odd that she wouldn't have been able to move from the assisted living side to the nursing home side.
My Mom is currently at the Mount, in the nursing home side, so I spend a great deal of time there. In the three years that my Mom has been there, I've seen many people transition from the assisted living side to the nursing home side & quite a few had dementia-like symptoms (such as extreme confusion following stroke).
Overall, my Mom's experience in the nursing home side of the Mount has been really good. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to those in situations where in-home care is not an option.
Zenguy
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My grandfather spend eight or nine years at Mt. St. Vincent and I cannot say enough good things about their level of care. As Cad mentioned it is Catholic, but that is not their primary focus and it was never crammed down anyones throat. My grandfather was Luthern and had a wonderful Luthern volunteer that saw him on a regular basis.
The Mount was rated by the Wall Street Journal as one of top nursing homes in the US. My grandmother still goes up there to play cards with some of the friends she made in the years she was visiting my grandfather.
Gina
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The nursing home side of the Mount was set up more for those that are more bedridden. Most dementia related disorders cause a steady decline, and they do better in small groups. Out at the Sea-Tac Mall area building the memory unit was located out to the side, and had a secure garden area that residents could go in and out at will. The unit had secure access to keep residents from wandering off and getting lost.
The Mount had relocated Memory care to a house, so it would have been a smaller group home. There was mention that as Mom deteriated she could go back to the Mount to the nursing home. Since every move causes the dementia sufferer to lose more ground we did not want to move her back and forth and hither and yon. I wish that Mom had been able to live her final year in the area that she had lived in since 1939.
I do not know what condition your grandparent are in. It does make a difference. I am sure that they would want to be together, or at least in the same building if one of them needs to move to a nursing home environment. There are only two facilities in the area that can really accomplish this, The Mount and The Kenney. Check the fee structure at both, they are different. Both are sponsered by religous organizations (this is an attraction for us.)
I currently have a parent at Merrill Gardens in the Admiral district. It is an assisted living facility, but they have a higher level of care than other assisted living facilities in the area. It is also smaller and less confusing than the Mount. I have been pleased.
They have activities, a beauty shop,a wide range of care offered, a RN on site Mon.- Fri, and a 'concierge' service which is really nice. This is a person that can do anything you would do and is really helpful if you cannot be there to assist. It does cost, but the charge is reasonable (take parents to store, out to dinner, pick up odd items they need, sew a button on etc.) We have had a pleasant experience there. They try hard to keep their residents as long as possible and even have hospice patients, but if you really need nursing care, or really need memory care, they cannot do this.
You can also look up on the DSHS site for adult family homes. These can be really great - but you have to look at each one. This type of facility bridges the space between nursing homes and assisted living facilities. (When you are too well for a nursing home but need more care than you get in an assisted living facility.) They are houses with a couple of caregivers for a smaller number of people living there. Usually they are in 3 bedroom homes with 1 - 2 people per bedroom and a home like atmosphere. They can cook more to your parents liking and the care can be more intensive. If you can find one that both parents can be in together it might be a nice fit. I had a great experience at the Arbor Heights Adult Family home. While a parent was there I utilized 'The Mounts' Adult Family Day program and I have nothing but good things to report about that too. They usually do not have much in the way of activities, but there is a time when that is ok.
Please take the time to visit each place. My conclusion is that there isn't a 'perfect' place, but there are places that really try to do the best they can given the circumstances. To quote Dorothy, "there is no place like home". I wish you the best during this rather stressful time.
There are people who can help find the right place, such as A Place for Mom (which has a W.S. rep, I believe). We used Sound Transitions' Debra Everson to find an adult family home. It was a big help. Generally their services are free as they charge a finders-fee to the facility/home.
Those who have been through similar situations with their parents should think about ways to control your own situation before you line up to "shuffle off this mortal coil".
I don't intend to leave it up to my daughter and since there are no ice floes around here my current options are limited.
This is going to be on the Nov Ballot.
Text of the initiative in pdf format is here:
http://www.secstate.wa.gov/elections/initiatives/text/i1000.pdf
2 years ago I also found myself in the position (with my family) to find care for my Grandparents both needing different levels of care. Although I feel passionate about the care provided at The Mount, (I am a long time employee) I have a large family and most importantly my Grandparents themselves who did not have personal experience with The Mount. So we started down the research road of collecting information and touring communities. Ultimately my Grandparents decided that The Mount was right for them. They both have very different care needs and are able to live together in an apt, go to mass together daily, and receive care on their terms. My family is able to enjoy their company as family members again and not as care- givers and my Grandparents are able to manage their lives how they want with the help of the staff at The Mount.
We are lucky here in West Seattle with several good options for assisted living and nursing care. What ultimately led my family to choose The Mount is that it felt as close to our home that my grandparents gave my family which is caring, relaxed, sometimes loud and always comfortable. I highly recommend it.
there is a residential home on 18th ave sw. its family owned i believe its calle Miricle Home. its family owned and they have minimal residence.I hear great things.
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