Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging

The care here is not so -so if you take a loved one there make sure you monitor as they have several patients and not enough caregivers. The Rehab portion is not intensive at all and the facilities are older than most. The food is not healthy and make sure you choose the menu. I fyou have a Med Supp or can afford another place do so!

My loved one has only been here a short time. She is just here for rehab. She loves the people, and they are very responsive. If she squeezes for assistance they are there immediately. They have been working hard to get her back to health so she can go back home. So far we have been happy with them.

The nursing staff was OK, but the administration and the social worker flat out lied to my mother in law telling her she was coming to Phoenix and live with my wife and I. Nancy knew 2 days before that my mother in law was going to a skilled facility until we were able to find a new home to accommodate her needs. My mother in law has dementia and was completely confused and very upset when we did not show up to pick her up like the social worker had told her. This was a not only a lie but in my eyes [removed] to play with a patients feelings like this. The rest of the administrative personnel there you could never get a hold of and when we showed up to meet with then it was like herding feral cats to get someone to sit down and talk. And once we did no one knew a thing about their jobs or could answer anything that was helpful. Once they found out that my mother in law was an Altec Patient things got worse. Calls were never returned and they totally screwed up my mother in law's transfer to her new location. This place is a joke [removed]!

For almost 2 years I have been a Care Giver and Medical Power of Attorney for a very dear friend that I have known for 10 years. He had suffered a stroke in 2007 and again in 2011. Fortunately, his physical and mental conditions were not as severe as most stroke victims. Prior to my beginning to helping him, he toured many Assisted Living facilities here in Tucson. Handmaker was one of his top choices. His physical condition continued to worsen over time from the first and second strokes, he went from having use of a cain to needing to use a walker up to this past February of needing to be in a wheel chair in order to get around. I had determined in February that home care was no longer an option and that he needed Assisted Living with 24/7 monitoring, care and services. As it worked out, we were able to get into Handmaker with the help of ALTCS. I attempt to visit as often as possible and take him to all of his medical appointments and to off campus social events. Handmaker has a varied events and activities calendar and participation is dependent on the clients wishes. They have a varied menu with at least 2 main choices at each meal - snacks are provided - juices and water are available at any time. There are rules about food being bought onto the campus - it must be Kosher to be in any of the commons areas - otherwise in their private bedroom/suite it is ok to have "favorite non Kosher" foods. When I take him to scheduled appointments, there is an updated medication/health status packet that I pick up to give to his medical team. There is also a form for them to complete for me to return to the Handmaker nurse so that any changes or test results can be noted in his charts at Handmaker. If there is any incident, either medical or otherwise, staff is in touch with me at any hour to report if it is minor or if it is serious. I have only had a couple minor calls to date. He is as happy as can be considering there is no place like home but Handmaker makes him feel at home. I am totally satisfied that he is receiving good care.

My father fell twice, and left once in his 6 weeks at Handmaker. The wheelchair brake was not working which is why he fell (and hit his head on the concrete floor) when they were helping him back into the wheelchair, it scooted away and he fell.

Extremely large. Jewish-based menu (i.e. no bacon, pork products for meals, no bottom feeding fish). Skilled nursing, rehab, down to independent living.

Nice,clean facilty. There are 14 independent living apts. About 75% of the people in the assisted living area actually are living independently. The 1BR apt in the assisted living area was very nice, and would be perfect for one person. I don't really see 2 people living there comfortably. It was just under 500 sf. The indoor/outdoor style carpet in the 1BR that I saw was new. I think they replace carpet for each new resident. The facility has the ambience of a very nice modern school--in fact, they call it a campus. THere is a nice pool room, several outdoor areas. The architecture is modern and uncluttered, which I like. The corridors are very wide with big windows and lots of comfortable seating areas. Handmaker has 6 levels of assisted care. The dining area was attractive--not too fancy, but not diner-like either. It was tasteful. Lots of tables for 2 and 4 people. Food is Kosher. They have an omelette station set up for breakfast each morning and they make omelettes to order.