Independent Living Communities in Harlan, IA

"My grandmother was put into this assisted living facility in March of 2011. I have been very pleased with the caretakers here. We have had family problems regarding where she should go, but in the end she ended up here. At first I was very leery about this because I had another place that I wanted her to go, but it was not all my decision. I go up there 2 times a week and visit her. I always call to make sure she is available and if there is a party or a wedding I would like to take her to I make sure to tell the caretakers so that they are aware she will be gone. I do this because of the family problems we have been having, and the caretakers have been very cooperative with me about this. I have been very satisfied with this place, I know my grandmother is in good care here. The facility is always clean and looking nice, there is always something going on there for her to do. "

"Two weeks ago, my grandpa had a mild heart attack. He spent three days in the hospital and got cleared to go home, but while he was there it was suggested he go into a residential facility so he could be monitored. He is 87 and doesn't like to use "new-busy body stuff(aka-technology). He refused a first response transmitter and a cell phone with one touch emergency calling. I offered to cover half the cost of in-home nursing care, but he said he would rather "save" me the money and live at a facility. I scheduled walk throughs in a couple of places, one day was in Watertown, SD where he was and the second, per his request, was near my home in Atlantic, IA. We walked through a facility near him where he had a good friend and if he had stayed there he would have picked there. However, when we came up, we walked through a couple of nursing homes, then we went to Park Place. Really, Park Place is more like apartments with an RA(like from college), they check up on you and make sure you and your room are ok. He liked the independence of his own room and his own property(you rent a room rather than pay the facility and get assigned one. They are near a park as well as having a nice commons room with tons of stuff, like a nice TV, a couple of computers, tables for cards and a bus daily to the YMCA. He ultimately decided on Park Place, because it wasn't too invasive, but he had the security of having people around. Because of this he accepted a little alert pendant that beeps when you push it to call for help. Now my kids can visit grandpa and my grandpa is closer to me which is what he wanted.The staff was nice, but as I said, they are more supervisors and RA's then in touch nurses. They all are nurses, but they also have a Doctor on call 24 hours a day in case of emergency. He moved in Wednesday of last week after all of the paperwork went through. We talk daily and he seems to be liking it, he enjoys not having to deal with "meddlers" all the time and likes his privacy. He knows he has people around so he won't get lonely. He seems happy after a week. "

"Longview is in a residential area at the top of the hill. It looks out on distant views of the Missouri River Valley. It is simple in decor, clean, neat, and there are many staff in all the areas. My sister and I went to visit our uncle, an Alzheimer's patient who was in the last stages. He had only been there for a few weeks. Until then he was cared for at home by my aunt, and his children who visited regularly. For the last several months he also attended a day care program for Alzheimer's patients in Council Bluffs, Iowa.He had a lovely room with a view when he first checked in at Longview. Soon it was clear that he needed constant attention, and was moved to a double room near the nurse's station and a few steps from the common room where there were chairs, tables, a tv and a view of birds at a bird feeder outdoors. This was where he spent the day.When my sister and I arrived he was still "asleep" which was unusual. It turned out that his condition was changing, and they brought in a nurse who asked us to come into the room if we wanted to be with him while he was being examined. I noticed how gentle she was with him, and how she explained to him everything that she was going to do and why as she approached him with examining equipment. He was struggling for breath, so she adjusted his oxygen supply. She left the room and returned to say that the immediate family had been called in, because he had moved into the last phase of leaving the world. We sat next to him and at the foot of his bed, talking gently to him and singing until my aunt and cousins arrived. We were so happy to be there when his condition turned, and to be present during the examination, and be able to reassure him as we waited for his darling wife, our aunt. The family was by his side every minute for the next two days. He was peaceful and able to receive love. The staff was sensitive and took positive steps for the family to be together at this important time. "