Koelsch Senior Communities

I want to share my journey with anyone caring for and considering placing their loved one. Placing a parent, my father, was and continues to be the hardest decision I made in my life!! Dementia and Alzheimer's not only affects the afflicted, it affects those closest to the person just as much if not more. I say this because the patient has no real grasp of what is going on and you the caretaker are stepping in and making decisions on behalf of them and you may question and even have guilt over placing your loved one and everything else that comes along with your decision. It has taken me a little over a year to come to grips with placing my father and I believe I will live with some type of guilt throughout my life. What made things easier for me was seeing my father out of bed where he would lay in bed for days at a time at home. To see him sitting and conversing with others his age was wonderful. Seeing the color in his face come back due to eating three meals a day where at home I was cursed at for trying to get him out bed to eat with us. To see him get a shower regularly unlike at home where he may have showered twice a month because that was yet another fight and where I would be cursed at for even trying to get him into the water! At home I was certain that one day I would come into his bedroom and find that he passed, he was not living in his own home, he was just existing. When it became more than apparent that my daughter and I could no longer care for him because neither of us were doing him justice by keeping in him in his own home, I was emotionally beaten up by him and had to keep reminding myself that its the disease speaking, not my father but I couldn't make the separation! My daughter and I cared for him for over 8 years with no outside help or any help from other family members, no one came to visit him and he was on lock down because we feared he would walk away during the night while we slept, he almost burnt the house down on more than one occasion, it was bad! You become selfish and want to keep them in their home but sometimes that just can't happen as in our case! The last doctor's visit I took my father to I was told by the doctor, your father has never looked better, his color is great, his blood pressure is considerably down, his weight is down, his medication was adjusted and he praised the care he is receiving! My father calls Sterling Commons home now and every week when he comes to our home for dinner he'll say after sometime, "Can someone take me home now?" To know that he is okay makes us ok! The family members that never came around or understand the disease criticize my decision and stopped speaking to me which makes it difficult because you love them but at the end of the day I have to remember that Sterling Commons made my father pleasant to be around again and actually gave him back his life and surely are extending his time here with the care he is receiving! I hope this helps anyone struggling with placing a loved one and remember that it will never be easy but it's the most humane thing you can do for them! God Bless!

Everything we found at Park Wood was perfect. Starting with [Removed], very knowledgeable, she answered all of our questions with complete honesty and she made us feel totally comfortable. She always made herself available to us and really made us feel secure in our decision to bring our family member to Park Wood. Thank you to [Removed] who helped make the move in easy. The community is very clean, centrally located, lots of amenities and all of the staff are so friendly, helpful and caring. We also wanted to thank[Removed], Senior Living Advisor at " a Place for Mom " for helping our family with this transition. Thank you all, [Removed]

My Dad has been at Creekside for 14 months. I am so thankful for the staff. It takes a special person to do for others what a loved one can no longer do for themselves. I have learned so much as Dad progresses through Alzheimers. It is a difficult process. Whenever I have had questions about any phase or struggle that dad may be having, the director and the staff have always given me the time I need to process. They have listen to me cry, answered my same questions over and over. Always patient. Always working with me as dad's situation has changed. I live 100 miles away and can't be at Creekside as often as I would like to. I know my dad is being well cared for. His room never smells, he is clean and well fed. There is no place like home, but when a loved one can no longer be home, Creekside is a lovely place.

I am so grateful for this place and everything they have done for my husband while he has been in there care. He has made a 75 percent improvement since making the move into this community. He is coming out of his room and participating in many activities as well as making it down to the dinning room for meal times. He is keeping up with his hygiene on his own and working on his communication every day. There is a day and night difference on how things have changed for him. We all are very happy and I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Would probably be 1st choice. Excellent facility. Smaller, liked that. Close to one of us.

Excellent facility. Could answer questions readily. Well prepared. Double rooms is a concern but not necesdarily dealbrezker.

Though my loved one has not stayed at Amber Creek for too long, she is enjoying her stay. The facility is clean and the staff is sure to cater to my loved one's needs and requests. The meals are also fine at this facility.

my dad had to get to the ER one evening and the staff at the delaware plaza, longview, washington were wonderful. from the nurse [Removed], to the aid gail and one other that was working on may 14, 2017, everything went smoothly and they had all the paperwork and my dad ready so he could get to the hospital as soon as possible. when dad got back from the hospital that evening, they took care of dad and got him settled in his room. i felt good knowing that my dad was in great hands and the staff at the plaza had it all under control. i slept well that night knowing that my dad was being taken care of. thanks so much for all you do and will do for my dad.

My mom is very happy with the care at this community. It is a like home family environment. She loves that chef and the good meals that are available. I like to know that my mom is happy here and getting involved with the nice activities that are good for her. We would recommend this community for the great care and value for a loved one.

Large rooms, nice outdoor spaces, friendly well-trained staff. Day care and respite care available.

This is a very nice facility! It is very clean and the staff seem to cater to my loved one's needs. There are many activities for my loved one to participate in, such as bingo and church services. She stays very busy! Overall, my loved one is pleased with her stay!

My mother is having a nice stay at Sterling Inn! The facility is well maintained and the staff is friendly and polite. Though my mother does not participate in too many activities, she enjoys playing bingo from time to time, and there are also many other activities offered for her. I would recommend Sterling Inn to a friend!

This community offered many nice amenities. It felt like you were on vacation. We decided another community because it was too large.

My mom has been a reisident since fall of 2014 and the staff at Creekside has been amazing! It has been difficult at times but staff has been like family in their care, love and support in our journey with Alzheimer's/dementia.

My siblings and I began a search for a memory care facility for our father in the fall of 2016. It was becoming increasingly obvious to us that not only was Dad getting worse, but that Mom was not coping well as his primary caregiver. We narrowed the search down to two options, and The Hampton at Salmon Creek was our top choice if we could convince Mom to place Dad into memory care and remain independent in their home on her own. When things came to a head in March of 2017, we had to move somewhat quickly and Courtney at The Hampton was instrumental in convincing our mom that the right thing to do was to place Dad as soon as possible. He moved in at the end of March. In the weeks since his placement, the transformation has been, in a word, remarkable. My father, who was previously a ball of anxiety most of the time and could become verbally belligerent at the drop of a hat, is now easygoing and calm. When I see him, he is happy and good-natured. He may not know anyone’s name but he thinks the caregivers and staff are all great people and thinks the place is very nice. We do too. The atmosphere is always so serene and calming, the environment is clean and neat, and doesn’t feel at all like an antiseptic medical facility. It reads more like a home - one that is safe and full of people who care. It’s clear that the caregivers are attentive and very much present - there is always someone close by or just around the nearest corner. As much as my father is thriving in his new home, the bigger impact has been felt by my mom. For more than three years she had been unable to leave the house alone and in the past year hadn’t even been able to use the bathroom by herself due to my father’s anxiety from his Alzheimer’s. In a short while she’d appeared to have aged ten years and looked exhausted and defeated most of the time. In the last few weeks she has been able to return to her bridge club that she adores, has gone out of town for overnights, and has been able to catch up on home maintenance that had been slipping. She is getting more and better sleep and because she isn’t constantly worried about her husband. She is able to relax because she knows that the caring staff at The Hampton at Salmon Creek has his best interests in mind at all times and is providing the care he needs so that she can be his wife again and just enjoy spending time with him. I could not be more pleased with how he is doing and all that the staff has done to help him get to this point.

This is a good place for a respite stay. Mom has stayed here a few times and the staff have been friendly and helpful. She likes the daily activities including the music and dancing. She loves the food and they keep the community clean. They have nice grounds to enjoy. They take pictures of your loved one participating in the activities and send them to you.

When the time came to find a full time skilled care center for my Dad, I visited many facilities in the area. While they were all very nice, I knew that Silver Creek Inn was above all the others. I met with [Removed] and they took time to find out what we were looking for and answer all my questions. When I took the tour of the facility I was amazed to see that the decor was more like a nice hotel than a hospital. There are many comfortable sitting areas, TV/Movie rooms and a dining room with real dining room chairs. The decision was easy. Since Dad has moved in and made his transition, we couldn't be more pleased. The care that every staff member shows the residents and the family is awesome. His room is very comfortable and we've been able to decorate it with some of his favorite things. With any change like this, there are times when one of us may need a little extra understanding or just a hug. There is always someone to help or just listen. I join Dad for some meals which are great and give me a chance to interact with Dad and other residents. When I visit I am always greeted as a member of the family and updated on anything related to Dad. I was fortunate to meet the President, [Removed]. We chatted for some time and it was clear that the caring atmosphere of Silver Creek comes from the top and that Aaron is fulfilling his parents dream. I wish I could name all the staff that have positively effected Dad or I, but it would be the entire employee rooster. While the decision to move Dad to a facility has been very difficult and stressful, the staff makes me realize he is in the best place to get the care he deserves.

I would simply like to share my experience these past number of years while my mother has been at Creekside. Starting with the Director of the facility to the entire staff of nurses and care givers they have all been wonderful, caring, loving, patient and kind individuals. We could have not have gone through these past years without the support they not only provided my mother but to us as her family. They encourage all family members that want to be involved to do so, they welcome us all to come and enjoy time at their facility with our loved ones. They provide activities that are truly loved by the residents and family members alike. Some of my most fondest memories of my mother was the joy I saw while we sang and danced among many other things they do there. Way too many things to list. I can say – 100% - Everything they do, everyday, every second is because they truly love our loved ones that happen to be stricken with this terrible disease called Dementia. I can only suggest that you take the opportunities when possible to educate yourself about this disease, spend as much time as you can with your loved ones so while you are there you can begin to build the respect you should have for those that make taking care of our oved ones throughout their remaining years their priority which is what I’ve seen and felt these past years while my mother has been at Creekside. Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts. I’m just so thankful to all of you at Creekside for making such a positive difference for my mother during her last years. Much admiration and love to all of you at Creekside. [Removed]

The tour here for care was nice. We liked the staff members. The community was clean and the community was nice for others to enjoy the outdoors. The menu of the variety of healthy meals was appealing. The list of activities would have been enjoyable. We would recommend this community for families to tour for the care of a loved one.

sterling commons is a wonderful place the staff is always very helpful, kind, and understanding My mom is in the day program and I feel at ease knowing she's in good hands the atmosphere is very calm and soothing and my mom is happier she loves to socialize and interact with the other residents as well as the staff whom she often refers to as her friends the staff is very attentive to the needs of both my mother and I and always willing to go the extra mile to help me cope with our daily challenges I would like to thank the staff for their care and compassion