Aspen Ridge Alzheimer's Special Care Center

Lynelle

I've toured Aspen Ridge Alzheimer's Special Care Center. It felt more like a nursing home. You go in and there are people in their walkers and their wheelchairs. It did not give you a warm, fuzzy feeling at all. The one room that the staff showed us completely smelled like urine, and it was horrible. Right away we said this is not on our list. I definitely would not ever consider putting my parents there. They have all the amenities, they have all the different rooms and everything you want, and the security is great, but just the overall feeling was depressing. The staff I met wasn't as informative as the other places that we went to. She just kind of gave us the folder and said, 'Here you go. If you have any questions, let me know.' She didn't go over everything with us. The building itself was kind of depressing. They have a restaurant like the other ones do. It was just unimpressionable. You don't bring your own furniture to that one. In every other place, you bring in your own stuff. This one, you don't, so that would make it another unfamiliar place. My parents would need familiar surroundings.

Maggie

I toured Aspen Ridge Alzheimer's Special Care Center. They were great about follow-up. They had a very nice, clean facility. The only downside with them was the rooms were much smaller. It was just kind of a different environment. It was still very nice and clean, and they seemed to have some activities, but most of the people were kind of far gone. They have activities like birthdays and some different games and things like that, but they didn't seem to have as much going on because of the nature of the residents. They had an interior courtyard. It was a little bit small, but it was nice.

Carol

My husband is a resident of Aspen Ridge Alzheimer's Special Care Center. It's been a great experience, I'm more satisfied than I thought I would be for a facility for my husband. The staff are just great, you can tell they're very caring. It's not just a job to them. They go out of their way to do whatever is necessary. Compared to another facility he was in, it's just night and day. They're just a great group of people, and there's nursing 24-7 in addition to the aides. There are activities, it's just really a nice place to be and my husband really likes it. I rate them a five, absolutely. They're not perfect, there are issues but overall, they're just really wonderful. The food is very good there. The facility is very relaxing and home like. They strive to keep it looking like a home as opposed to a care center. Its overall sense is very relaxing. It doesn't feel institutional, it feels very home like. They work really hard. They have bats and they hit the balloons around; It's kind of like balloon tennis. They have parachute games where they move around. They have entertainment come in. They snack in the morning, afternoon, and the evening in addition to the meals. They listen to music, watch TV, bake cookies, and plant things. They do activities with their hands, and they have guessing games and bingo. They just do a lot of stuff. They really tried to include everybody from people that aren't functioning very well anymore to people who are still walking and getting around pretty good, still mobile. So, they really try to include everybody.

Karen

We toured the whole facility of Aspen Ridge Alzheimer's Special Care Center in Grand Junction. The staff was very friendly, but I didn't like the shared living accommodations. My dad is still very able to take care of himself and there, he would have to be living in common with people who are deteriorating quicker than him so I didn't like that part. The facility itself was nice, but that's why we chose not to go there. I didn't want him sharing a room with anybody and he was way more active. I don't care to have a shared room, I wanted a private room for him. All the rooms were nice and other than they were shared, they looked clean. Their outdoor area was very nice too. The dining area looked good but there was nobody in the dining area when we were there. They are getting ready to turn everything into restaurant-style dining and it was done very nicely. They had a salon and, if I remember correctly, a small fitness room. They did a good job at keeping it up, it wasn't dirty or anything. The staff was very pleasant and the lady that gave us the tour, her name was Yvonne, was great. I think that the facility is great for seniors who are more than just in the beginning of Alzheimer's and more further along in their decline of the disease.

Kellie

Aspen Ridge Alzheimer's Special Care Center was very clean and welcoming. We would have probably chosen that for my mom if we could afford it. The staff gave me the information that I needed and answered my questions appropriately during my tour. It's a memory care and the place felt homey. They had a beauty salon there and the dining room was fine. They had it set up so conversations could take place.

Buglady

My husband has ALZ and I have spend a lot of time learning about the disease and what to expect and the important points of proper care. All of the care givers and staff practice these points. My husband has been there a year now and he is healthy and safe. For my health, knowing that he is well taken care of has been a godsend.