I have been to New Hope Assisted Living LLC. You have to be ambulatory to go. It’s very nice, but people who are not ambulatory or can’t walk, or use a cane or a walker, they can’t live there because of the small staff. It’s very nice though. They only have like 12 to 18 people or something like that. It’s very nice. It is out in the country, and a lot of the people have their little birdfeeders so they can watch the birds, flowers, and trees. It’s very nice for an elderly people who like the country or has always lived in the country. I like it, but it wasn’t what I was looking for.

New Hope is a small community that houses about 20 elderly people. It is a privately owned center. There is always at least one staff member on duty. The owner is very active in the daily routine and maintenance of the home. The home is very well kept and brightly decorated. The staff explained to me that they tried to do a craft or visit the community center at least once a week with a group of clients. Each client has their own room with a bathroom and special bed that can be raised or lowered. I remember a client who was not very coherent and couldn't stand on her own. The staff helped her to the bathroom, helped her take a shower, and did many other things for her. The staff were very friendly to this client and treated her with a great amount of respect. Routine is very important to this center. All meals are served in the common dining area. If a client skips a meal, they are not allowed to have any snacks until the next meal is served. I thought that was a little harsh and demeaning. I could also tell that some of the clients were very bored. I sat with one client at a table and we talked about her family and children. Then we literally stared at the wall (it was painted into a raised texture) and looked for patterns or objects. Kind of like how you stare at clouds and look for things in them. Overall, the home seemed like a very pleasant place to live.