Above and Beyond at the Knights

Mom loved the tour! She was very impressed with the facility, staff and lunch - very happy that we visited!

After searching for just the right place where we knew Mom would be happy along came Emeritus. The staff there is just outstanding. They make you feel as if you are home. Every resident we spoke with was happy. Activities are aplenty, rooms are spacious and very clean. I would highly recommend this to anyone searching for just the right assisted living community. Our Mom is very happy there as are we.

In searching for a facility to put our loved one, Emeritus was the first facility we visited. I found the staff to be very professional and friendly. The facility was very clean, residents seemed very happy and got along well with the staff. After visiting another facility, we chose Emeritus because of the professionalism and also the size and layout of the facility. We would highly recommend this facility to anyone. Thanks for caring for our loved one.

First off, the marketing director is not just "marketing" to you. Tom is personally involved with the residents throughout the day. He knows their stories, their strengths....he knows them, and they know him. We needed to find the best place for mom. Our original goal was, and may still be later, to care for her at home. We were basically thrown into the situation by a major family upheaval, and the first attempt to care for her at home was poorly handled. We were not really given any assistance by the health professionals or area agency on aging who were first to realize the situation. Even as we asked for guidance they just kept saying it was up to us....but not what "it" was. Anyway, praise the Lord for the internet. I had read a local magazine and saw some info on a nearby nursing home. At this point we had only been told our choices were to care for her at home or put her into a nursing home. As I looked up more information on our options, I came across the website for A Place for Mom. Actually right now I can't remember if it was their website specifically, but I filled out the basic information they asked for with trepidation. I have often regretted giving my contact information online. Through the initial contact from them I learned about the assisted living option. It was a relief to find there was another choice. Even though we planned to bring her home, we did not have the house ready to meet her needs at the time she was to be released from the hospital. At first we just wanted a safe place for her for a few weeks. I received information for 3 home care agencies and 3 assisted living communities. Tom was the first to contact me back. He was very informative. Though we received contact from the others, we only met with Emeritus and one of the home care agencies. We met with Tom at the facility, and he gave us a detailed tour. He did not just highlight the best aspects or rush through the various areas. As he showed us around he gave real examples of what went on and how it benefited the residents. One thing that especially impressed me was that he did not just greet people as we passed, but also stopped and spoke with them about how they were doing, or about someone in their family and so forth. When we returned to the office to discuss things in more detail, and decided how to proceed, he did not try to push for anything in particular such as minimum stay or so forth, even though we had let him know our time was short to get ready. We agreed to try it out-like with respite, for two weeks. The care assessment that is done before admission was arranged for the next day. Once the results were received we were given the price based on care level. An appointment to return to sign papers was made and everything set up in a timely manner for her arrival. Sorry I am so long-winded. She has been there now for just over a week. The quality of care and level of attention she has received has been amazing. I am not actually surprised that they have worked closely with her since it makes sense to help the new person get acclimated. I would even think they were paying extra attention because we are there a lot if I had not observed them treating the others the same. One of the drawing cards for this place is what they call "Join Their Journey". Its hard to explain until you see it in action. The idea is that you interact with the person from their perspective, not try to pull them into the "real world". The staff is required this special training from the administrative level all the way to cleaning and kitchen crews. I have learned a lot in a short time from this experience. What is really neat is to see most of what is suggested by various authorities being put to practice in a natural, caring way as they do at Emeritus. Unfortunately there is a negative side to assisted living. Mom has always been a very private person and very religious. As a trade-off for her safety she has to put up with bed checks and for her health she is required to wash every day. When she gets phone calls she has to be out in the common area, which makes it hard to hear/concentrate. Eventually she will be getting a roommate so that will cut down more on having her own space. These are not really bad, but can feel like an invasion of privacy. As for the religious aspect, they do have some religious activities including a weekly Bible study and Sunday mass. Mom is not Catholic and does not like non-denominational programs. There are some activities she does not care for such as Bingo. She does not like TV, or secular music and other such things. There is no requirement for her to participate in anything she does not wish to, but its still something she has to live with there. If we do get to bring her home again eventually, I can guarantee that they will have had a large part in making it possible. If we don't, I have no reservation in trusting them with her well-being.

Emeritus at Dover Spoke with a woman on Sunday, very Helpful. Looks promising even though above budget. Fees include daily housekeeping, laundry, 3 meals per day, 3 snacks per day, daily activities, doctor visits outside facility. Do not have to pay for long term stay. Just have to give 30 day notice if leaving facility.

Conducted tour with Memory Care Director. I did like the facility.

Met with activities director. Lovely clean facility. Private room may be decorated with own personal micro/fridg/TV. Semi private accommodations has little storage and closet space. staffing adequate, appeared well groomed and kind. 2 physicians + podiatrist on staff.