Assisted Living Community in King County, Washington

JulieH

Stop before dumping loved one here. I have lived here over one year. Arbor Assisted Living is critically over booked (too many Residents), constantly short staffed. Mgt says"Ratios" meet State Regs - not true. Providing 1 Caregiver 3rd floor, nearing 20 Residents is constant occurrence. Nighttime is 1-2 Caregiver and 1 Nurse for entire Building. Weekends, Building is commonly dangerously short staffed. Left w/o notice: running w/o vital Nursing Dir. Dozens of Residents go w/o showers for 3 weeks at a time. Residents constantly complain "no response" when push vital "Help” communication wrist device. Firsthand interview with several Residents of abuse; they are afraid of contacting State for fear of retaliation. Meals are a constantly repetitive menu plan. Food portions are small. plates loaded with cheap carbs & starches; protein portions are below FDA regs; proteins are overcooked; rare to serve fresh fruits & veg. Chef budgeted to provide max $2.75 per meal/Res: unhealthy outcomes!

TinaP

I helped a friend get their grandmother into this home, by authorizing a ONE TIME payment to cover the first month's costs ($14,500). I wrote the exact amount, and did NOT check the box indicating that it would be an unlimited amount, or recurring. Imagine my surprise when I looked at my bank account and saw they had charged me the next month's full rent of $8,000. Unfortunately, it ran the same day my Q1 taxes for 3 of my businesses (State L&I, ESD and DOR + FEDERAL taxes for each)., and payroll were due to be paid from my accounts. This left me negative and hit with fees for not only the overdraft but also penalties and interest for the payments that had insufficient funds to process. I called Covington, who told me they "usually get the authorization form that tells them if they can use the card for future payments, but just didn't this time..." (so, you just decided to assume, and set it up anyway???) and, rather than offering me a refund, I was instructed to call my bank to dispute it. This floored me... I was telling them I was overdrawn and in a scenario that was caused because of their error, and they wouldn't even offer a REFUND. I had to take more time I don't have, and wait way longer than just simply having it returned to me and the rest fixed later. When asked, they didn't know how to handle the rest of the issues they caused for me. I told them they needed to figure out how to resolve them, and fix the massive (and expensive) issue this caused me. I was told they would contact a higher-up and that I'd hear back the next day (this was Wednesday - it's now Saturday). Needless to say, they haven't picked up the phone. I have to run this week's payroll tomorrow and won't have the money for that now, either. I contacted my bank to dispute it (which I shouldn't have had to do), and was told there was an additional $14,500 due to come out later this month, as well... Apparently, Covington not only wrongfully set up my account on an autopay that I didn't authorize, but they also made the mistake of setting the STARTER payment AND monthly payments to both run as autopayments. I don't know the first thing about how they run the actual facility itself, what it looks like, or how they treat their residents... but, if I could judge based off of these very LARGE oversights, and how they handled it? I would tell everyone to run far FAR away from it. Mistakes are one thing... how you handle them will tell me everything I need to know about a business. I'm sure I won't see a dime from them, offering to help right what they wronged. However, I'm happy to update if I do.

Erin

My mom received wonderful kind care at Victoria 1. My mom entered Maria's (owner) care Sept 2022 with moderate to late-stage dementia. Maria made the transition as kind/safe as possible for my mom and as transparent/gentle as she could for me. They adapted quickly to my mom's changing needs, always supported her getting out into the world, and keeping her moving. My mom's dementia progressed quickly (common at her stage) and I always felt that Maria kept me in the know and ensured my mom felt safe and loved. I know loved is a big word for a paid caregiver but I genuinely believe Maria appreciated my mom as a person not just a patient. Maria met my mom at her "least like my mom" and still saw a lovely wonderful person. The home was always impeccable, her room was clean, and she was tidy and put together. Maria made wonderful food, celebrated birthdays and her Christmas joy is unmatched. I am confident Maria did everything right by my mom...and our family. Feel free to ask for my name as a reference. (Erin Cox)

MDonovan

I've lived at Traditions for almost 2 years. In making the decision where to live, one of the things I really liked about Traditions was the security. I love it here but it is getting more and more dangerous to live here. There is a resident that is letting homeless people and prostitutes into the building. Just today, there was a homeless man bathing in the dog bath area in one of our garages. Management is aware yet this resident is still here! They have him on camera letting people in or leaving a door open so they can come in. Yet, he is still here!!! I received a rent increase in November of almost $200 and this is what I'm paying for?????? I have to carry pepper spray to take my dog out!!!!!

Me

DO NOT PUT YOUR FAMILY MEMBER IN THIS FACILITY. 1. First of all, it’s in a neighborhood with crackheads, crime and heavy police activity. The facility was shot up in a hail of gunfire hitting 3 rooms with residents inside. 2. The facility is constantly understaffed due to a high turnover rate and staff’s frustration with management. It’s a constant revolving door of new hires. 3. They hire staff that don’t have a solid working knowledge of English to relay pertinent medical information to paramedics (which can determine the life or death of your loved one). 4. They have staff that don’t know the correct way to administer CPR to save your loved one’s life. 5. Needed repairs go ignored for months and for some residents a year or more, leaving some residents to live in squalor. 6. There is no initiative taken in updating residents or their families on repair issues or why they can’t be done. 7. They have kitchen staff and CNA’s that are emotionally and verbally abusive to residents. 8. The Administrator, Leanna, lacks essential leadership skills leaving a poor organizational culture, has inferior communication and problem solving skills, lacks empathy and compassion towards residents she does not like and takes no responsibility for her lack of leadership, leaving residents devoid of high quality service and care. 9. There is a constant malodorous smell in the facility. 10. Residents consistently walk around with EXTREMELY offensive body odor (urine and a wicked stench from not bathing). 11. Dietary Aids and kitchen staff don’t follow state laws for washing hands. I’ve seen trash cans being pushed before being served food without a hand wash . 12. There is deep resentment and retaliation towards those residents who call the state regarding the facility’s neglect. 13. And that’s not even everything. It’s is a run-down facility on it’s last leg. Even visitors can tell the place is poorly managed. That place is a slum and needs to be shut down.

Loti, visitor

Professional, caring staff. Happy residents who are respected and directed to activities they enjoy.

Anonymous

Birch Heights is a 4-story building with 125 people and one elevator. There have been numerous injuries of people trying to navigate into the one elevator particularly after meal times, where a 100 people give or take, are trying to go up 2 to 4 floors. Probably 50% of whom has some type of walking device, either an automatic or manual chair, a cart, crutches, or canes. The elevator can accommodate maybe 6 people, and when they all have carts it may accommodate 4 at the most. A couple of months ago, a woman had her foot broken by somebody with a motorized cart driving over her foot while she was in the elevator, and sent her to the hospital. While that was an uncommon incident, there were many other injury incidences that are common. The elevator breaks 6 to 8 times in a year. Three days ago, the elevator broke again, and it immobilized the 3 people that are in wheelchairs and most of the people that had carts because they couldn't get into an elevator to go up to the 3rd or 4th floor to get into their medications or to do whatever else they maybe wanted to do. This happens frequently in this facility, sometimes twice in a month, sometimes 3 months go by without it happening at all. The local management here has no control over policy that takes place, that's the big part of the problem. The staff is excellent; the management is terrible. The local people have no control over doing anything. They always have to check the corporate office. The local management tries very hard to accommodate the residents here, but they can't do anything. The elevator situation is borderline horrific. People are having broken bones by using the elevator. The local management is not the problem, it's the corporate management. When people can be easily injured in a facility even if other things like the quality of the food or the cleanliness of the building, those things become somewhat irrelevant when there's something that's very overwhelmingly wrong with what's going on.

RUSSELL W. KEYES

It is not often that I write reviews. However I remember how hard it was to find a place for our Mom when she needed more help than my sisters and I could provide. We first had her at one of the large locally owned care facilities and it was Ok but with several patients per staff we wanted something a little more personal. Dan and Sonia were exactly what we had hoped for. They and their staff treated Mom as if she was one of their own family members. The facility, food, and staff could not have been better. If you want a place that cares for your family member the way you would this is the place

Michelle R.

My Mom was diagnosed with mild vascular dementia several years ago. For years she was able to live completely independently, but with time, her disease progressed to the point where we decided that she would do better in a supportive community. But where to move her? The choices seemed overwhelming. Over the years I\'ve had experiences with a wide range of retirement communities, rehabilitation facilities, nursing homes, etc. involving family and friends, so I\'d seen both the best and others I wouldn\'t wish on anyone. This experience was really helpful, because when Mom could no longer live on her own, I already had an idea about what I wanted for her. We ultimately selected IDA CULVER HOUSE BROADVIEW for its reputation, range of services, location, gorgeous campus, and most importantly, its memory care unit. We couldn\'t be happier. Here\'s why I chose them. First, I spoke to a lot of professionals in the field, friends, and colleagues when the (somewhat frantic) search began and was surprised how many had parents or knew friends\' parents who lived at ICHB and they all raved about it. That was a great first sign. Second, it\'s locally owned and operated and is not part of a national franchise, so it feels less corporate and more home-y than other facilities with a wonderful focus on the residents. At the same time, it\'s an expansive 8-acre campus with a range of living options and is beautifully manicured with gorgeous trees, flowers, paths, both indoor and outdoor seating areas, a beautiful second floor library with big picture windows, and a dining room with beautiful views of the water and mountains. Third, high staff turnover in this business is pretty common. So I was pleasantly surprised to learn how many staff members have been with ICHB for 10 or 20 years or longer. It\'s a testament to how the company treats its staff. Personally, it\'s important that the folks who are looking after my Mom like what they do, care about the residents, and that the relationships she builds will be lasting. This is especially important for those with memory problems. I\'ve spent quite a bit of time interacting with staff over the past five or six months and continue to be impressed by how caring, helpful, and personally invested they all are. Fourth, ICHB is a great choice if you have a parent who wants to find a place to retire and age in place. Three options are available: 100% independent living in studios, one-bedroom or two-bedroom apartments; independent living with assisted living services added as needs increase; and memory care. The last thing I wanted for my Mom was to move her into a place only to have to move her elsewhere for memory care when the time came; I wanted more certainty and stability for her. ICHB was a great fit for this reason. When my Mom first moved in, she had a gorgeous, brightly lit studio apartment with a view of Puget Sound and the Olympics with trees right outside her window. Everything was new and clean. It was amazing! There were lots of planned activities, classes, social events, and options for staying busy, making friends, and pursuing hobbies (I receive regular courtesy emails with lists of planned and upcoming offerings). Given her needs at the time, we arranged for her to have assisted living services to provide her the extra help she needed. When her dementia progressed, the Nurse Director helped us transition her into ICHB\'s memory care unit, called the Terrace. The staff in the Terrace is experienced with Alzheimer\'s and dementia and know how to provide specialized support to the residents. Her days are filled with activities and she seems happier than ever. I recognize this has been a really long review (hopefully it won\'t be a tl;dr kind of thing) but I wanted to share this in the event it might be helpful to others who are where I was when our journey began. The thing that has made the most difference to me is the peace of mind I now have knowing that Mom is being well taken care of, is happy, and that if either she or I ever need anything, the staff at ICHB is there for us.