Brookdale Hartwell

Being a retired physician, I’ve been in a lot of nursing homes but nothing prepared me for my mother becoming a patient in one. Mama, who is a young ninety six, had lived with my sister after our father died several years ago. She eventually moved to assisted living in her hometown. Increasing health problems required a nursing home and we chose one close to her hometown, friends, and family. Now my mother is an independent sort. One of her favorite sayings is “I don’t want to be a bother.” That attitude in a woefully understaffed nursing home led to problems. Instead of getting someone to help her she tried to do her own bath while sitting in a wheelchair or she would sit in a wet diaper until someone happened by which led to hygiene problems. She didn’t go to the dining room or to activities. It got to the point where she sat in her room with the door closed and the blinds down all the time and she started dying! Since she didn’t walk, she lost muscle mass and started falling- once suffering a forehead laceration. Thank God she didn’t break her hip. When she reached the point of episodic confusion, slurred speech and forgetting grandchildren’s names we knew we had to do something. At this point she was eating very little. My wife Laura and I visited Brookdale Hartwell. Cathy O’Brien was so concerned with our story that she and Jackie Heard visited Mama the next day and said they could help. Mama’s response was NO! She didn’t want to be further away from her daughter, her friends who visited and her hometown. Her condition continued to decline so as a family we all agreed to go against her wishes and we relocated her to Brookdale. She was madder than a wet hen with being moved so far from her home territory but within 24 hours her attitude changed. At Brookdale she walks to the dining room for three meals a day. She takes part in Bingo and exercise and talks with her new friends with a big smile on her face. Your loved one deserves every effort you can make to place them in a clean, nurturing environment staffed by loving and dedicated professionals like Brookdale. To Cathy and Jackie and all your staff at Brookdale Hartwell: Thank you. You saved my mother’s life. I realize she won’t live forever but while she is with us she deserves to be happy and comfortable. Respectfully, A W Daws MD

Amazed with the staff. They are very caring and nice. The facility is clean and organized. I didn’t try their food but at lunchtime, the residents were full of smiles and smacks. Most all of the residents seemed happy which is not what I was expecting when I visited a friend.

My mother lives in Hartwell. Though she is not quite ready to make a move to assisted living, the directors at Brookdale have been caring and helpful. While discussing mom's CURREENT needs with them the subject of home care came up. Kathy informed me that Brookdale does not offer home care services BUT did not hesitate to share resources and ideas that will allow mom to stay in her home as long as possible. I was given a tour of the facility which was impressive. The residents seemed genuinely happy and the common spaces were cheerful and clean. I have not looked at many assisted living facilities BUT I would say that this is one I would definitely consider.....for my mom OR myself :)

Brookdale Hartwell staff and facilities are warm and caring to my loved one. I know he is cared for and takes a lot of worry off of me.