The Village at Unity

From the moment my mom walked in, she felt “home”. It’s like an all inclusive resort for seniors! Non stop activities, social events and 3 restaurants to choose from (and a delicious bakery case!) Everyone from residents to staff is so friendly. Almost anything you need is a phone call or short stroll on the campus away! I highly recommend The Village At Unity for anyone with aging parents that may be struggling on their own! There are several floor plans to choose from as well!

Our experience with this facility was deeply disappointing. From the start, we asked for my mother’s door to be locked for safety, yet it remained unlocked, leading to two separate incidents where agitated male residents entered her room. One took personal belongings. On just her second day there, her toilet overflowed. Staff used her personal towels to clean it up, then left them wet and dirty in her shower, where we found them two days later. She had repeatedly told staff the flushing handle was too hard for her to push due to arthritis. It was never fixed and a family member ended up repairing it. Basic hygiene needs were often neglected. Her laundry basket was frequently full of soiled clothing left unwashed until we said something. Even when she told staff her bedding was wet, it remained unchanged. On more than one occasion, we took laundry and bedding home just to ensure it was cleaned. She wasn’t given appropriate cueing for her daily routines, missed scheduled showers, and wasn’t even offered meal choices during her COVID isolation, until we spoke up. When she got COVID for the first time, she was clearly wheezing over the phone, yet staff had no plan to seek medical care. Protocols were inconsistent at best. One visibly ill resident, who refused testing, continued dining near others, including our mom. Items went missing, including her phone and TV remote, with no explanation or follow-up. These safety and accountability issues led us to install a camera in her room - something no family should have to do in memory care. What hurt most was how her departure was handled. After weeks of confusion and contradictory messages about her care needs, we were forced to move her. We tried to move her into Villages at Mill landing, the sister establishment. When management of Opal at Hamlet talked to management of Opal at Mill Landing, Mill Landing refused to take her. On her moving day, there were no goodbyes or acknowledgement from leadership, except for the move-in coordinator. Only the activities coordinator treated her with consistent kindness and respect. She left visibly shaken. At her new facility, the difference was immediate: the staff are attentive, responsive, and truly caring. When she had an accident during our move in, they cleaned her and laundered a single soiled item without hesitation. They recognized right away the trauma she carried from her experience at Opal. It’s heartbreaking that she didn’t receive even close to the level of care we were promised - especially given how much she was being charged. We deeply regret trusting this facility with her care. *We have already had a phone and several email conversations and nothing was resolved. Just empty promises. Jenell, I never even met you in person until just before we left and you said nothing to me after I personally introduced myself to you. Every time we tried to meet with you, you were unable to meet at times convenient for us.

I had the pleasure to perform for the folks at The Village at Unity for an Irish dinner party. The residents were very engaging and really fun to talk with. And the dining room staff was fantastic; professional, poised, and polite. The staff also had some fun with the St Patrick’s Day holiday dressing up and being silly adding to the great environment for the evening. Oh, the meal was delicious, too. Thanks so much for including me in your holiday event.

For anyone with 70, 80, or 90 year old parents who might not be able to keep up their home anymore I highly recommend a senior living apartment like the one my parents are at. Nothing but fun! The complex has non stop activities and social events plus outings all the time. Even if you’re a hermit you can’t help but love this place. If your parent is resisting leaving their home and living in a senior living apartment tell them “don’t knock it until you try it!” It’s like going back to college! So many seniors think it’s just a bunch of old people, but trust me they aren’t bored. Do it before their home possibly goes into disrepair and they possibly lose their precious appreciation they have earned all these years.