it is devastating when your loved one receives the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. You’re never fully prepared to truly understand the journey ahead, or the care that they will require during their journey. It is left to their loved ones to navigate this journey. Over a year ago and with a very heavy heart, I realized that I could no longer care for my husband at home and I began the exhaustive search for the best facility for him. After visiting many different facilities, I chose a facility that I thought would be perfect for him. I realized soon after I moved him in that it was not at all what I had hoped for. I knew that moving him at this stage of his Alzheimer’s may cause him further confusion, but I knew after struggling for a year that I had no choice but to move him.

After visiting several facilities, I walked into Artis and was welcomed by the receptionist who made me feel so comfortable. The reception area is small and quaint, unlike some of the other facilities with the fancy chandeliers and shiny marble floors. I could already tell that this place was very different from where my husband lived. As I toured the facility and met with different staff members, they told me that they truly enjoyed working there, most of them telling me that they had worked there for several years. This says a lot in an industry where there is a lot of turnover.

Touring the 4 different neighborhoods, the common meeting area, and the beautifully maintained outdoor space and walking trails, I noticed the care and attention that the team takes to make sure that everything is just like home. When they brought me into the neighborhood where my husband would sleep and have his meals, I met two amazing Care Partners whose job it is is to make sure my husband’s personal needs and meals were taken care of. Both of these women had been working at Artis for several years, which made me realize that they loved their jobs and were treated well by management. I spoke to the wonderful nurse on duty who, also, had been working there for several years. She was just as kind as everyone else that I had met.

I have enjoyed eating several meals with my husband. The chef prepares meals that rival a fine dining restaurant with all fresh ingredients (no frozen vegetables and fruit are ever served)! No wonder the food is so good. He is a trained chef, graduating from the Miami Culinary Institute. Artis does not skimp on anything!

Something that I had never encountered in all the different facilities that I had visited is a woman whose job it is is to make sure that everything is handled the “Artis Way”, following the high standards set by Artis. She spends the first two days of a resident’s arrival showing them around their new home and taking them to all the wonderful activities they plan each day. My concerns about my husband’s transition to a new facility were no longer a concern.

I needed to look no further. I had found the place where my husband would be looked after as if I was taking care of him. it couldn’t have been a smoother transition. He has now lived at Artis for almost 6 weeks, and I cannot find anything negative to say. I visit him often and always leave with a sense of calm, knowing that he is in a place where he gets the compassionate care that he deserves.