Seven days before my wife was scheduled to move in, they sent an interviewer to my wife's current Memory Care facility for a surprise interview. My wife had no advance notice, nor did I. She did not know who was there, why, or that she was from Orchard. She asked many questions. My wife hates surprise questioning (reminds her of WWII). I then got a call saying that my wife was "not the kind of person" they want at the Orchard. They have not responded to my emails or phone calls. Beware!
We toured both the assisted living and memory care sections of Orchard at Athens. We went there twice for two different tours, and they're very efficient and very nice. Everything was top notch. The staff, the appearance, the tour guide, and the food they served were fantastic. They gave us a tour inside the different apartments.
They do everything for the residents, including preparing their meals and doing their laundry. They had a paved path around the entire perimeter, and they had lights down the hallway that the residents could control. The staff was great with communication too. They've emailed me back and worked with us on the price. They took off a significant amount per month. They had five different activity directors, so they had a large variety of activities. We saw them painting where they did these dots with little crystals; you press it on and make a picture. They had gardening, fountains, rocking chairs, musicians who come in to play, a movie theater, ice cream every Saturday at the ice-cream shop, special events, stretching in a chair, and devotion time once in the morning. There were just so many things to choose from. When we were there, they had a bus, and many of the residents would go into town to eat out at a restaurant.
The environment was beautiful, and the two times that we were there, I saw the same visitors coming in to visit their families. All the staff members greeted them by their names. It is expensive, but it's extremely high quality with excellent care. The memory care facility was beautiful. There was lots of light coming in from all areas, and it's not a depressing environment. Then they had the whole square that meets in the middle of the building, so you could just walk around and walk to that square, and you would feel like you've gone somewhere when really you've just walked 100 feet, depending on where your room is. It's easy to find people to talk to or things to do, versus being in your home by yourself with nobody to talked to.
I liked the lady who gave us the tour, Mary, and that's who I communicated with multiple times. Everybody stopped what they were doing and greeted and welcomed my parents when we were touring. The front-desk lady was also great. They gave us a cheesecake, and I liked the way that they had the food displayed. They had it all laid out on two trays, so each day you can go into the dining room and see it. The presentation of how they do their ordering and the selection was great.
I don't know where to begin to extol the virtues of the Orchard. We literally had looked at well over 30 communities, both in Florida and Georgia, for Memory Care that was suitable for my mom, who is quite physically active at 95 but has dementia. No place even begins to compare to the Orchard. It begins with the environment - bright, light, airy, modern, warm, inviting, green spaces. And then there is the staff - beyond compare. Kindness, Compassion , Understanding of the Disease, Humor, Energy, Warmth, Hugs and most importantly, LOVE. They truly KNOW and love their residents, and you know it the minute you walk through the door. If you have looked for memory care, you are aware that it is virtually always a separate area, away from the other residents and quite confining. My mom is a mover and a shaker and at the Orchard, she is free to roam the entire community, as well as having access to seven different beautiful and huge outdoor garden areas. It is beyond description. If you are seeking the most wonderful life you can provide for your loved one, you need look no further. The Orchard is, hands down, a one-of-a-kind community that will give you complete peace of mind that you have indeed, made the right choice.
Very caring and attentive staff in a beautiful facility. Would prefer more activities for the memory care residents especially on weekends and holidays. Otherwise, Orchard Athens is a gem!
