With the economy being what it is, we are seeing more and more seniors waiting to move
into assisted living communities. Having been in this business for 13 years, I’ve noticed
a trend where folks are waiting longer. I’ve observed first hand there is a window of
opportunity especially with folks who are experiencing dementia. When families wait
too long, the senior becomes so demented they cannot make the adjustment to an assisted living environment and so often end up in a more restrictive environment like a nursing home.
I witnessed first hand a friend of mine who brought her mom to live in one of our
communities. After not seeing her for several years, I was astonished to see how she
had deteriorated mentally. She had been a university professor but now struggled to get
the appropriate words out. At first she was very upset her daughter had brought her here
because in her mind she did not belong. She didn’t view herself as a person who was
struggling mentally; she still saw herself as an educated, professional woman with no
issues with living independently. The daughter had a lot of moments where she felt so
guilty about bringing her here but over time realized it had been the right move. She is a
lovely lady and has adapted to her surroundings. If her daughter had not had the courage
to make the move when she did, I doubt she would have been able to come here.
These are just some of the issues we deal with at Argent Court. We remain committed
to providing the highest quality of care for our folks. Our guiding principles are to
provide the best care possible and to at all times maintain the dignity of the seniors we
are privileged to care for.