I recommend Bethesda Gardens all the time. My mother is the resident there, and I'm the caregiver. Bethesda Gardens supports the idea of living independently without living independently. Nobody invades her privacy, and the support they off does not focus on disabilities but instead is all about what abilities she does have. For example, it is very difficult for her to walk on carpet, so rather than keep her out of the carpeted activity room they put a chair in there that is her own chair. They don't make a big deal about it, they just make particular, subtle adjustments so that nothing is threatening or embarrassing.
My mother, Effie Nash, is 89 years old now. She lived through the depression, and her generation is a very proud generation that likes to take care of itself no matter what. Bethesda Gardens is very accommodating to that generation. They provide the experience of being able to live independently while not living independently. There is a lot of security for them, as well as for the family, in knowing that they have a safe environment where again they can live independently without living independently.
I think it's wonderful that my mother was able to make the decision to choose Bethesda Gardens. We didn't have to make the decision for her, she knew it was time, and she tells everybody she knows that she is happy. She's got one of those personalities that is very inviting. When we were growing up, her house is where everybody came, and now at Bethesda Gardens, everybody comes to her there too, which is very rewarding for her, and also very rewarding for me. I live 2 hours away, and while I can be there in 2 hours, I don't have to worry about her feeling like there is no family around, as she has some of her best friends and family right there.
Brenda Voll
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