Elderwood at Penfield

I have had a very weird run with this community. I say "weird" because I am sure how else to describe my experiences in this community. I remember my very first visit every one was so nice and so ready to answer any questions or assist me in any way I needed, they were so accommodating I had asked them to run to Starbucks for me, I'm sure they would have - I, of course, did not ask them to do that as it would be highly unethical I am just trying to describe how accommodating they are, and not just to each resident but also to family and friends and visitors as well. Also during my first visit, the entire community seemed to be running like clockwork, and all of the residents appeared so comfortable and happy.

Then came my second visit, I was not greeted by one staff member, the community was in circus mode - it was loud, things were out of place, there was a broken glass on the floor, looked like the glass from a picture frame, the staff members were running around like mad, the residents looked stressed out and upset, one resident wasn't even fully clothed. There was a lot more but it's giving me a headache remembering it all because it was just complete chaos.

My third visit was a bit better, was a little bit of both my previous visits combined and it has been flip-flopping every visit since those first 3 visits. I also should say that ALL of my visits are ALWAYS unannounced and at all different times so there when I pop my head in what I see is how it is, because they don't know I'm coming so they do not have time to make the community "look" a certain way. I have spoke with many of the residents throughout my visits to this Elderwood community and they say the same things about the commit, that some days are great, while others are hectic. They say on those hectic days more residents tend to stay at home with in the peace and quiet of their own apartments. I always tell them that the common areas are ALSO a part of their home and that they should be able to use those areas as a retreat just as they use their apartments as an escape. They shouldn't be driven out of the common areas because of all the drama and chaos.

I KNOW that the community CAN BE ran smoothly, I have seen it and it needs to run the way it did during my very first visit every day. I know the staff can manage it - they just need to be organized and productive and logical AND they need to work as a team.

I am always very curious about what my future visits are going to entail and it makes me miss the predictability and stability of some of the communities I visit. These residents here also need some predictability and stability in their community - they need to trust that the staff members can be relied on and that they will keep their home in order.