I toured Blaire House of Milford Assisted Living and got some information. I was very happy. The woman was on time, explained things, and answered a lot of questions. I actually had someone else with me, so it was nice. She took her time to answer the questions from the other person as well. She gave us this nice hard covered book when we left. It was just a nice, extra thoughtful gift, and something that wasn't related to the nursing home. It was just something they found inspirational for this time, as we are trying to figure out how to help a family member and loved one. I appreciated that. We weren't rushed. We took our time. It's a very nice facility and very clean. It's a little above my price range for my dad, but definitely one that I'm considering. I just did the memory care there.

When I toured Blaire House of Milford Assisted Living, they took me to see the assisted living, including the memory care floor, which would be perfect for my mum, but they also do self-care there. They showed me the nursing home since that would be more of what we would need. But even though they said they don't have us on the waiting list, I would have to make sure she has Medicaid and everything first, or she could be evicted when she runs out of money. The community was very nice. It was clean. The residents seemed to be kept busy. They had a lot of things they could do to stay busy. The rooms were very nice. They could have their own chair and TV in there if they wanted. My mom was in another facility in January, and between that place and here, I did notice that they are very short-staffed, which I understand is a major problem in most nursing homes and assisted living. They don't have as much staff anyways, but that was one of the reasons why they figured it didn't work for my mother, because she needs more help than what they could offer in assisted living, besides the fact that it would have to be self-pay. They told me about a lot of activities and amenities. I only saw one group going on, but they told me about the other ones they have during the week, and what the different rooms and areas are that they could go and just do what they want, like a puzzle or whatever, or read, just someplace quiet if they want to get out of their room and not do it in their room. So, I mean, it seemed like they had a lot to offer. People were in the hallway, and they seemed to be happy. The only problem I had was the short staff that they seem to have. The facility was very nice. It wasn't huge, which made it kind of cozy. It's very clean, and they had a lot of privacy for the residents. They could go in their room. I mean, they weren't single rooms, but they did have a lot for them to go. They have a lot of areas so that if they didn't want to stay in their room, they could either be by themselves or join the group or, you know, meet other residents in different areas. They seemed to make it very comfortable for them.

My father recently moved on to the Memory Care unit of Blaire House about 4 months ago. My Step-mother, who had fallen and broken her hip, was living in a skilled nursing setting. The plan was to move her to the nursing care unit at Blaire House so that they could be closer together. From the time my father arrived, he was given warm and supportive care. His goal in life was to spend time with or talk to his wife. The staff did what they could to help him with whatever transportation we could set up, and to keep him engaged in activities as much as possible when he couldn’t be with her. Unfortunately, my Step-mother passed of co-vid before they could be reunited. It was a particularly difficult time for our family because we live in Canada and could not cross the border to be with him. It was at this point that we felt the caring support of the family-owned Blaire House encircle him. Travis, the director, spent time with him, as did other staff. They had the obituary printed and framed for him. The morning of the service, Dad was agitated because he couldn’t find a tie to wear. Travis arrived at his room with a tie for him. Travis took the time to take him to the cemetery for the graveside service, and took some pictures so that Dad would remember that he had been there, and had participated by leaving flowers. Since we are not able to care for him ourselves in our homes, I could not imagine a better place for him to be. Beth, admissions officer, helped us to organize the move and get him settled. Sheilah, the director of nursing, has made us feel like part of a team working together to make Dad’s life as meaningful as possible. Communication is particularly well done at Blaire House. During this co-vid crisis, Travis has been clear in his e-mails to family about the status of residents and staff. This has helped to alert us to the potential dangers but also to reassure us that they were doing everything in their power to keep everyone safe. The staff also have a Facebook page where they regularly (3-4 times a week?) post pictures of residents involved in special activities, or just in regular fun. I always make a point of checking to see if Dad is shown. There are two pictures in particular that I cherish because they show my Dad just being my Dad – smiling, waving, holding up a sign saying what he is thankful for. I should also mention that the physical surroundings are lovely. Dad is very content in his studio apartment. He can’t always remember what he’s had for dinner, but he always knows that he enjoyed it. In summary, I would heartily recommend Blaire House’s Memory Care unit for a family member who needs a safe and structured environment. I thank them for their care and concern for my father and my family.