Maryland Masonic Homes

My brother and I toured a number of places when we were searching for a new home for our parents. Although Mom died before we could implement the move, we followed through with moving Dad into the Maryland Masonic Home (AKA Bonnie Blink, Scottish for "beautiful view"). First of all, Bonnie Blink is gorgeous. Built from grey stone, it is literally a castle on a hill, located just behind the Hunt Valley Mall in Cockeysville, Maryland, on acres of gorgeous pastoral land. The staff are exceptionally caring, friendly, and upbeat, with a can-do attitude that is heartening to a middle-aged son or daughter hoping for the best for Mom or Dad. Admission is restricted to members of Maryland Masonic lodges and certain close family members, and in order to gain admission it is necessary to demonstrate assets sufficient to keep you there for a minimum of five years. Bonnie Blink is entirely private pay - no Medicare and no Medicaid - but if an old Mason or widow lives there so long that they out of money, the Masons will keep them there on a kind of scholarship for the rest of their life, and even pay for their funeral. The overall spirit of the place is generous and caring. The food is "first class," according to my father. It is all cooked on-site and served in dining rooms, and seconds are freely offered. The staff to resident ratio is very high, and the level of staff affection for the residents is heartwarming to observe. I'm sure that in the independent living sections of the building the staff are less hands-on, but in the assisted living wing where Dad is the nursing staff are a constant, warm, friendly presence. I compare Bonnie Blink very favorably to the Manor Care facility in Ruxton where my mother went for post-surgical rehab and spent the last few weeks of her life. Manor Care was significantly more expensive and significantly less generous with the patients; although the nursing staff were also warm and caring, the staff-to-patient ratio was lower. This is the difference between a for-profit and a not-for-profit facility. If your father is a Maryland Freemason, or your mother a member of the Order of the Eastern Star or another sister organization, you really owe it to them (and yourself) to check out Bonnie Blink. My father is as happy there as a 90-year-old recent widower with cancer can be, and my brother and I have the satisfaction of knowing that he is well cared for, comfortable, and cheerful.... Read more