Ida Culver House Broadview

Michelle R.

My Mom was diagnosed with mild vascular dementia several years ago. For years she was able to live completely independently, but with time, her disease progressed to the point where we decided that she would do better in a supportive community. But where to move her? The choices seemed overwhelming. Over the years I\'ve had experiences with a wide range of retirement communities, rehabilitation facilities, nursing homes, etc. involving family and friends, so I\'d seen both the best and others I wouldn\'t wish on anyone. This experience was really helpful, because when Mom could no longer live on her own, I already had an idea about what I wanted for her. We ultimately selected IDA CULVER HOUSE BROADVIEW for its reputation, range of services, location, gorgeous campus, and most importantly, its memory care unit. We couldn\'t be happier. Here\'s why I chose them. First, I spoke to a lot of professionals in the field, friends, and colleagues when the (somewhat frantic) search began and was surprised how many had parents or knew friends\' parents who lived at ICHB and they all raved about it. That was a great first sign. Second, it\'s locally owned and operated and is not part of a national franchise, so it feels less corporate and more home-y than other facilities with a wonderful focus on the residents. At the same time, it\'s an expansive 8-acre campus with a range of living options and is beautifully manicured with gorgeous trees, flowers, paths, both indoor and outdoor seating areas, a beautiful second floor library with big picture windows, and a dining room with beautiful views of the water and mountains. Third, high staff turnover in this business is pretty common. So I was pleasantly surprised to learn how many staff members have been with ICHB for 10 or 20 years or longer. It\'s a testament to how the company treats its staff. Personally, it\'s important that the folks who are looking after my Mom like what they do, care about the residents, and that the relationships she builds will be lasting. This is especially important for those with memory problems. I\'ve spent quite a bit of time interacting with staff over the past five or six months and continue to be impressed by how caring, helpful, and personally invested they all are. Fourth, ICHB is a great choice if you have a parent who wants to find a place to retire and age in place. Three options are available: 100% independent living in studios, one-bedroom or two-bedroom apartments; independent living with assisted living services added as needs increase; and memory care. The last thing I wanted for my Mom was to move her into a place only to have to move her elsewhere for memory care when the time came; I wanted more certainty and stability for her. ICHB was a great fit for this reason. When my Mom first moved in, she had a gorgeous, brightly lit studio apartment with a view of Puget Sound and the Olympics with trees right outside her window. Everything was new and clean. It was amazing! There were lots of planned activities, classes, social events, and options for staying busy, making friends, and pursuing hobbies (I receive regular courtesy emails with lists of planned and upcoming offerings). Given her needs at the time, we arranged for her to have assisted living services to provide her the extra help she needed. When her dementia progressed, the Nurse Director helped us transition her into ICHB\'s memory care unit, called the Terrace. The staff in the Terrace is experienced with Alzheimer\'s and dementia and know how to provide specialized support to the residents. Her days are filled with activities and she seems happier than ever. I recognize this has been a really long review (hopefully it won\'t be a tl;dr kind of thing) but I wanted to share this in the event it might be helpful to others who are where I was when our journey began. The thing that has made the most difference to me is the peace of mind I now have knowing that Mom is being well taken care of, is happy, and that if either she or I ever need anything, the staff at ICHB is there for us.