A home for ted

Ted was an engineer in his younger days and had that singular focus in whatever he did. When he was no longer able to take care of himself at home, he moved into a big assisted living facility that seemed to be a perfect fit for him. However, even with lots of folks around him, Ted become more withdrawn and moodier. Several health problems landed him in the hospital, and he bounced between the assisted living facility and the hospital and didn’t seem to get the proper care that he needed both physically and emotionally. The family was at a loss as to where he could get the right care where he could thrive and enjoy life once again.

A family member was told about Family Tree, named Atha at that time. It was a large ranch-style home with individual bedrooms for the folks living there. Ted visited to check it out and everything seemed to click. He had his own bedroom, but since he was confined to a wheelchair, he had free rein to wheel up and down the hallways and visit other residents and, most important for Ted, he had 24/7 access to the kitchen to snack away anytime of the day in between the wonderful home-cooked meals. The family was thrilled to find this gem of a place. Ted moved in and enjoyed the company of his fellow compatriots in a homey atmosphere.

Ted also had access to the best healthcare and his every need was catered to by caregivers who not only worked there but really enjoyed their jobs and genuinely cared for their clientele. Ted made fast friends not only with his fellow guests at Family Tree but also with his caregivers.  Family Tree was now part of his extended family. Ted participated in meal planning, holiday celebrations and field trips. Family members and friends could drop in and visit him anytime.  And, he had transportation for his medical appointments as needed. Occasionally, Ted would have a health problem and be taken immediately to the hospital for treatment and given a ride home. Ted had found the perfect home.

Throughout the years as his needs increased, he was given more care at the right level suitable for him. Family Tree made it known that this was his forever home and that he could live out his life comfortably in the environment to which he had grown accustomed. When the time came, hospice personnel worked seamlessly with the Family Tree folks to provide additional care and Ted grew to know the friendly hospice folks as well. We can’t say enough good things about how perfect an environment this was for a finicky engineer who was not always the easiest person to be around. It didn’t matter. The Family Tree folks and all his caregivers loved him and his quirky mannerisms and cared for him as if he were one of their own. And, in return, Ted loved them all as well.

If Family Tree had a 1-to-5-star rating scale, 5 stars would not be enough to show how wonderful this facility truly is. The warmth and care given to Ted were more than we could possibly ask for, and all of the caregivers became our friends as well as Ted’s. They even held big annual birthday celebrations for Ted which he enjoyed immensely.

Shortly after his 100th birthday, Ted passed away peacefully in his bedroom of four years with caregivers and family around him. It doesn’t get better than that.