The Atrium at Veronica Drive

The Atrium at Veronica Drive is an assisted living facility in Danvers, MA. Danvers is one the safest towns in northshore area of Boston. I visited this facility in January after my patient was admitted to the Atrium due to memory loss. The Atrium's buildings look like well maintained single homes and the gardens are lawns are beautiful. The Atrium is well secured and visitors are required to log in and out. The room designs and decor were well suited for patients with memory problems. The rooms were also clean and spacious. Staff was available to assist me with locating my patient's room. I accompanied my patient to the dining room and noticed that there was a chef that prepared delicious home cooked food. I noticed that staff engaged senior residents in recreational activities such as playing bingo and bridge. I would highly recommend the Atrium at Veronica Drive to families of seniors with Alzheimer's and other diseases that cause memory loss.

For the most part, I really liked to Atrium. I have friends who work in other nursing homes and I've seen elsewhere cases of severe under staffing and consequent neglect, and I'm glad to say that the Atrium doesn't have this problem. Also, the staff were very friendly and helpful. I will say that I often worried that people weren't being engaged enough, but a lot of that probably has to do with the nature of dementia rather than the activities department. Certainly, many activities were offered everyday, and live entertainment would come in about twice a week. Also, the layout of the Atrium was very nice. It was private or double rooms off of three hallways with a wide open area in the middle (a dance floor). Rather than staying in their rooms all day, most residents choose to spend time in the main area listening to music or doing activities. A nice courtyard and dining room as well. Unfortunately, the reason it was so nice way because it was so pricey. If you can afford it though then it's definitely worth it if home care is no longer and option. Very friendly to visitors and the staff were always willing to answer questions or address concerns.

Atrium is a small facility exclusively devoted to memory care, housing about 50 residents. It's in a somewhat odd location"”easily accessible by major arteries, but it is in a turn off the highway"”and those visiting can easily end up at the nearby Marriott or run-down strip mall. The outside grounds are very pretty and the facility as a whole is well maintained, with nice artwork on the walls inside. A small reception area at the front is nicely furnished and provides coffee and cookies. Also, the reception desk is staffed by lovely, caring, attentive women who know all the residents by name. The dining hall is adequate and the food is excellent, with a good chef who prepares several choices daily. But the service in the dining hall somehow seems chaotic, and there are frequently dishes piled up and left on tables. There seems to be no organized process to how and when people get their food, and residents complain about that. There are several nice touches to the design and detail inside. For one thing, there is a big board with monthly happenings posted on it"”everything from food and activities to awards for staff. The two hallways housing the residents are hung with huge black and white photos of many of the residents, which are absolutely fabulous. When they walk by, they notice them"”and for those who are able, they become talking points. Another nice feature: Little stations are set up in the corridors with sewing machines and clothes, military garb, and a baby doll and changing table. The displays, which are changed frequently, are meant to be evocative and engage residents. They look great and encourage interaction. I see a client who loves hats"”and he often wears those he's picked up around the facility. A woman proudly takes care of the squishy baby doll. Housing is divided into two parts, according to the level of care needed. The rooms, which are of ample size, are all well maintained and residents are encouraged to decorate them with personal items such as family pictures and books. More than most places, you can learn a lot about the residents at Atrium by looking around their environs. Shadowboxes outside each of the rooms also identify their interests and sometimes provide good talking points for visitors, staff and residents. Many residents spend lots of time walking the hallways"”and there is also a lovely secured garden area and yard and path that they can use for walking. There is a TV and music room and activities on both wings include art projects, flower arranging and cooking; there are also some nice outings with van transportation provided, such as forays to a nearby dairy farm for ice cream. The one thing that gets most people involved seems to be any game involving a ball. There is often music playing"”of varying styles and types. As for staff, the admissions staffer and financial officer are terrific, although the director does not seem very hands-on. And there is a new activities director who's dynamite and very experienced"”and very committed, with her heart and soul in the right place. And there are several CNAs who seem to know their stuff; staffing ratio is about 4 or 5 to 1 resident. The staff is unusually diverse"”by race, ethnicity and gender, which is a good thing. But this is the most unclear staffing structure I've ever seen. It is very unclear who's in charge of what. If anything happens, such as a resident falling, they all rush over"”and all other activities stop. It can also be difficult to find a staff member when you need one. There is no social worker, and they could use one. This confused staffing structure leaves some feeling that all of the residents may need more care than they're getting. Recently, Atrium has switched the staff more to work on both sides of the building, so that they know all of the residents; unclear whether this is a good change"”especially for residents who prize routine and prefer to deal only with those they know well.