Fairmont Senior Living on Clayton

I toured this community this past weekend for my Mom. The employees seem friendly, and the Residents seem to be content. The facility was clean. There were Residents in the lobby decorating for Fall. They seemed really engaged. Unfortunately, we had to go with another facility because it was closer to our home, or this would have been our choice.

We decided Sunrise, now Fairmont would be superior to a nursing facility. And in terms of furniture/decor, cleanliness of public areas, and activities it is definitely better. Another positive is that there is a handful of employees who are excellent (Tara, Rikki, Melissa, Stephanie, Goldie, Karen and Christine. Christine who was a dynamo in the dining room. Somehow she had that place serving food on time! Sadly she was there only two months.) Unfortunately, the majority of the caretakers, those who are supposed to assist residents, do very little care. They mostly sit around talking/laughing loudly, gossiping or are on their phones, while residents wait to be taken to the dining room or assisted in the bathroom. (Granted I'm there midday; maybe they work really hard mornings and evenings.) Speaking of the dining room, the wait for food is 30-45 minutes. Today, I brought my mother food to keep her occupied while we waited for her lunch. We arrived at noon and left at 12:45; her grilled cheese never arrived. This happens 95% of the time. I'm only privy to lunch. Maybe the breakfast and dinner staff serve more quickly. It pains me to witness the neglect. I have found fecal matter on my mother's bedspread, and instead of being changed, the staff hide it by reversing it. But I know to check. I can only conclude that the staff is NOT assisting her to the toilet, even though we pay for the highest level of care. Over the past year, I have cleaned up many of the feces throughout her space. She has multiple comforters, blankets and sheets so there is no reason to not change soiled bedding. I wash these items at home. I keep my own gloves, vacuum cleaner and cleaning supplies in her room. Sadly, this type of neglect is even worse at nursing facilities. I could go on and on about my disappoints, and I feel terrible for the residents who do not have a local advocate to oversee their loved one's care. Bottom line, The Fairmont desperately needs to put more money into paying their staff in order to attract a higher caliber of employee.

A group of us visited a mutual friend who was celebrating his 87th birthday. We were assigned a private dining room, which was a bit small for the crowd we had, but there was no other choice. The place seemed clean and well kept. Friendly staff too. Of course we brought our own food and drink.

We knew when we walked in the door Sunrise felt like the perfect "home" for our mother. The staff is kind and dedicated. The management and nursing team extremely responsive. The activities director loves his job and the residents. They all encourage engagement and treat the residents and families with respect. Everyone is so caring and in tune to the needs of each resident. Our family is grateful our mom is getting the care she deserves.

My husband and I toured at least 10 facilities before we decided on Sunrise Clayton. During the tour the staff were so welcoming and polite. We spoke with a few and they mentioned they had been working there for a while and loved the place. My mom has been there for over 3 months on Reminiscence and the same welcoming energy that we got during the tour I still feel it every time I walk through the doors. Ricki and Tara have been a godsend. This was a hard decision for me and my family and I know we have made the right decision choosing sunrise. Those ladies are heros and they should be told every single day.