Spending some great time together!

"It is so reassuring to know that Mom is surounded by people who want to help, who want her to be happy and well." ~ Suzanne - (Family Member)

Happy Mother's Day

"In June, 2009, my mother, Faytine Allen, decided to move to Monticello West on a month to month basis to see if she liked it.  When she had lived there a few weeks and I was visiting her on a Wednesday, I left her room saying "I'll see you tomorrow".  She asked, "What time are you coming by?"  I told her my day was flexible but 4pm was an option.  She responded that she preferred that I come at a different time so she could attend the "Name That Tune" activity. 
Faytine thoroughly enjoys the many activities which are offered at MW.  Having been the "Mrs." of Mr. and Mrs. Aerobics at Cooper Fitness Center in 1995, she has been very active and feels better if she starts her day with some type of exercise.  She has found that "Seniorcise" at MW each morning at 9:15am satisfies her desire to keep active at age 94. Mother feels like she has attended church when she goes to chapel or Hymn Singing.  She enjoys many optional activities at MW but most of all, she enjoys the staff and the other residents.  Happy faces and smiles are contagious and Faytine is happy to now call Monticello West "Home". 

Submitted by Jeanne (Family Member)

Happy Birthday and Happy Mother's Day!!

"  I wanted to say thank you for the help last Friday when I took Mother to the doctor.  Her appointment was at 9:30 and although I left early enough to arrive for any "what ifs", I was so relieved to be handed a list of her meds to give to the doctor as I stepped off the elevator.  Jackie, LVN, had already taken her blood sugar, which was a bit low, so she had given Mom  some orange juice to help bring it up.  She was running to the apartment to check her Blood Sugar one more time before we left.  The nurses are awesome.  They help my day go a whole lot easier.  I don't know what I would have done had they not been on the ball.  My hat is off to all of you.  Thank you so much. "     ~Yvonne (Family Member)

"Name That Tune - is great! It reminds me of my youthful days." ~ Mary - (Resident)

"Two of the darkest days of my life were the day I put my Mother into Monticello West and the day she died there ... 20 months later.  The first day was about my guilt of taking her away from her wonderful dog and lovely home.  I was removing from her 90 years everything that she loved, everything that she knew.  I was putting her into a world where she knew no one and had no compass to learn.  She and I had made a promise years before that I would never make such a decision.  I had to break that promise to keep her safe.
That guilt lasted no more than a week because I saw the care and compassion the staff of Mayfair offered her.  Those two commodities, both in abundance on that third floor, were given to her consistently for the next 18 months and 28 days.  Their dedication to keeping her healthy, active, loved, and most of all safe never waned.  Never.  Not once. 
While I knew the nature of Alzheimer's, her descent into the darkness of it was far more graceful because of what those women on Mayfair did to ease that burden.  They continued their mission in her last days at Monticello West.  Those were long days and nights for my mother.  Such an undignified disease was made far more dignified because of the decision made on that first day day 20 months ago.  And I shall always be grateful to the staff at Monticello West for bringing it into the light. "              

~ Jeanie (Family Member)