When my mother wanted to move from the Independent...

When my mother wanted to move from the Independent living facility she'd been in, we looked at quite a few places. She fell in love with Parkwood Heights as soon as we visited. The staff was wonderful, and the facility is lovely. Our whole sense of it was that it felt like home: warm, welcoming, and safe.

So a few months later, my mother moved in -- in the same week the Covid-19 virus shut down all of New York! I was really worried! I couldn't even go help her settle in! Parkwood Heights has been locked down tight since the day Mom moved there. She is in her 90s, and moving is a huge and daunting task! I was so worried, picturing her struggling to do all this on her own!

But Mom called me almost daily to tell me that the staff was so wonderful, and they were helping her in all sorts of ways. They helped her move boxes, unpack things, and get all set up. They are treating her like they would treat their own grandmother -- one staffer even brought Mom a root beer float for a special afternoon treat one day after Mom mentioned how much she loved them! What a nice thing to do!! (And that staffer has brought Mom a few more root beer floats since, too!)

Mom has been there 4 months now, and has not had one complaint. This is a huge relief to me after the place in which she was living before this. My mother is not one who complains, but she was getting really down-hearted at the old place, and I know I would be out of my mind right now if she were quarantined there -- they didn't seem to care about her one way or the other as long as she paid her rent. Parkwood Heights is the polar opposite! They seem to foresee what Mom might need and provide it before she even asks! She is back to being her cheerful self! She even joined a wii bowling team! She also tells me at least once a week that the food is absolutely delicious every day. (This was another problem at the old place.)

One more thing: Parkwood Heights also is so helpful and kind to ME! I am distressed, of course, that I can't visit my mother and help her, but if I call the staff with any concern at Parkwood Heights, they always step right up and usually exceed my expectations! Here's an example:
I organized a Zoom family reunion, since the one we were planning to have this summer had to be cancelled due to the virus. All the cousins, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, grandchildren -- everyone was attending!
My mother is the matriarch of our family and wanted very much to see everyone, but she has trouble figuring out her computer, and I knew she'd never find the Zoom meeting.
So I called the marketing director I'd met, who put me in touch with the activities director. I asked if someone could possibly go up and help my mother with her computer and show her how to get into the Zoom meeting with us.
Well, not only did they help --- they set Mom up in a room with a big-screen TV and one of the staff hooked up the Zoom meeting on her own computer! Mom could see the whole thing on the big screen! It was wonderful! She had a great visit with us all, and could see everyone SO much better than she could have on the little 15 inch monitor of her computer! And of course, the whole family got to see her, too. It meant so much to everyone. This, to me, was a true gift. As I said, Parkwood Heights honestly does treat my mother as they would treat their own.

I highly recommend Parkwood Heights to everyone looking for senior living. I have not a single thing negative to say. I actually tried to think of something so it would seem like a balanced review, but I truly cannot think of one single thing!

I am grateful every single day that my mother moved to this place just before the quarantine. They are watching out for her, and I appreciate it so much!