The Atrium at Cardinal Drive

I would highly recommend the Atrium at Cardinal Drive in Agawam, MA for your loved ones with dementia. My twin sister was diagnosed several years ago and I moved her to several other places in Western MA (from her home in NH) until we found the Atrium. What a blessing this place exists!! Allison Baker, Dir. of Community Relations and Exec. Dir. Liz Skerry - Hastings made the process much easier than anticipated! The entire staff are a joy to work with. The nursing staff keeps me updated with her medical issues. And, the activity staff keep her busy most of the day from in-house programming to trips and visits to special places in the area.I can't say enough about the caring and compassionate aides who assist with all of her daily personal needs! They are a godsend! My sister tells me regularly that she loves it there and the people are so nice. And, the food is great! I try to visit regularly and if I can’t we talk on the phone. That phone call (and visit) keeps us connected! I like the idea that the model of care is based on the needs of the resident - from the lowest care needed to the highest care - up to hospice. Most places will only take you if you "fit" their guidelines and then they have to be moved to another site for more care, if needed. We know that my sister is at the right place for her. Your loved ones will thrive at The Atrium at Cardinal Drive, too!

My stepfather Bob had advanced Parkinson’s Disease and dementia, and the care he received at the Atrium was exceptional. As my brother said: they set the bar very high for our expectation of the care they would provide, and then they exceeded our expectations. Bob was treated with kindness and compassion by everyone. The resident care staff really gets to know each of the residents, so they can meet their individual needs. We witnessed this directly with Bob, as they learned his preferences and quirks. Most importantly, they recognized and appreciated the parts of his personality that still shone through. The in-house nursing staff is also terrific. They frequently recommended things to make him more comfortable, like specialized wheelchair pillows, that we wouldn’t have known about otherwise. The neighborhood style set-up of the residence area is unique to what I’ve seen, and it really makes sense. The residents all come together in a central “living room” area for activities that keep them engaged and entertained. I also saw residents doing familiar things like folding laundry and reading the paper. Finally, I want to mention the care they provided to us: the family. Communication with them was excellent. We could call anytime and check in with someone about how Bob was doing. As he declined and we were spending a lot of time with him, they checked on us often. They thoughtfully brought us carts of beautiful fruit and snacks, and even lunch or dinner on occasion. It was an unexpected kindness, and it made a difficult time a little bit easier for us. If you are looking for memory care for someone you love, I highly recommend the Atrium.

I am delighted to share our family experience with the Atrium. The facility was our top prospect based on the positive experience of a close friend of Mom's and the feedback from her kids. We looked at another facility, but the neighborhood design of the Atrium was far more welcoming. Since Mom moved in the staff has been amazing, from the nurses to the aides to administration. I hand it to the staff for the enthusiasm with which they approach daily programming for the residents, enhanced with periodic outside entertainers / musicians. I highly recommend the Atrium based on our experience with my 95-year-old mother. Dementia is difficult in so many respects, but it's a relief to feel that Mom is safe and to see that she is happy.

The Atrium is in a great location, beautifully decorated and meets our family's expectations. The initial idea of moving a family member into a memory care community was difficult to work through. Between the sales dept, care staff and activities team we walked out of our initial tour with a clear expectation and relief. The experience has been positive and we now can spend time with our grandmother rather than caring for her.