Mom's Journey ( Chapel View TCU)

On Tuesday April 23rd, Mom was able to go to Chapel View TCU for rehab. 

Walking into the building after almost 6 years since Dad passed away there, things felt familiar. There was the same receptionist at the front desk, and some of the same staff people on the unit that we knew from before. They recognized us, and remembered Harry and Joyce. It felt comforting. Mom didn't quite remember it in the same way, but I didn't think she would. It was hard to leave her feeling anxious in yet another new place, but I did feel like they would watch over her.

Therapy started right away in the morning, slowly because of the pain she had in her hip, but also because of her fear of falling again. Right away was the wondering if Mom would make enough progress to go back to live at Elder Homestead. Even though she'd lived there for almost 8 years, there weren't really any promises that they would let her move back. If she needed more than one person to assist her with transfers, or if she needed the help of something like an Easy Stand or Hoyer lift, they wouldn't be able to "meet her needs", an expression that I'd continue to hear from some of the other places we were looking at, too. 

I asked if her staying at Chapel View would be a possibility, but there were no beds available. 😔 So I continued to feel that pressure to find a good place for her if she needed to make a move from Elder Homestead, and it was hard to rest until I had some good living options for her. I understood from past experience with Dad, that when insurance money runs out, a transfer somewhere else happens quickly, and not always with the guarantee of a good place!

Labon was an aide at Chapel View who would often be caring for Mom. He told me about the other facility he was working at in South Minneapolis, Mount Olivet Carview Home. It's a five star facility, he said! They give their employees two sets of free scrubs to wear every year! And importantly, they accept people who might need to use an Easy Stand or Hoyer lift.

We decided to stop by at Mount Olivet for a tour. South Minneapolis is quite a bit further to drive to, but it was in a familiar area that Debbie and I used to live in back in 1980, actually only two blocks away from our apartment building, Creek Terrace Apartments. 😲 The nursing supervisor walked us through, and I noticed how clean and well staffed it appeared to be. People were friendly and smiling, it had a very good feel to it. We were disappointed to hear they didn't currently have any open beds, but she said we should call early Monday morning, and ask about a wait list. She also said that when looking for a place for Mom, we should find the best place we could that could care for her well, even if that meant a further drive for us. That spoke to my heart.

I followed through with that advice, and found out that a bed had actually opened up that Monday morning. They were doing some painting and sprucing up in the room, and it would be okay to wait another week until Mom was ready to be discharged from Chapel View. I felt such relief. 💕

Therapy continued on, with Mom drinking lots of Ensure, and receiving bacon with every breakfast because that was the one thing she would eat. They found some life like robotic animals for Mom to hold, which gave her a lot of comfort. 

Do you believe in divine intervention? I do.