Bryant Square Apartments

commercesd

We looked at the Bryant Square Apartments, near the park of the same name in South Minneapolis, because of its convenient location. Most of my great grandmother's family lives near the area, so it would be easy to visit her. We have always loved visiting nearby Lake Calhoun and all have many fond memories there. The foyer of the main entrance to the office was nicely decorated and felt warm. The options they had included a small home, an apartment or a single room and all were very nicely decorated. The bathrooms were larger than most we've seen and easy to navigate with grab bars. Our great-grandmother really liked the temperature controls, as she tends to like to adjust that herself, often changing it during the day. We were told that she could have some of her cherished personal furniture there and it seems like there is adequate room for it. For example, we gave her a small occasional table that she would like to keep with her. The kitchenette was nicely equipped and it was easy to reach the cabinets. We also liked that some of the units are large enough to suit two people, as our great aunt may decide to either live with her at some point or visit frequently over night. The family appreciated the cable and Internet service hook-ups, which is convenient for those of us who need to check in at work. Some of our family run small businesses and this will make it easy to have a carefree, extended stay. Our great grandmother really likes to have her family around as much as possible. So this convenience will give us that opportunity. The caregivers all seemed very friendly and genuinely interested in helping their residents. This is also very important to us. Their social services department includes financial assistance, which is also very convenient. Our great grandmother's only issues are ambulatory ones "“ she uses a walker. The spaces are all easy to navigate and the outdoor facilities are really lovely. She loves to get outside each day and could easily do this here, weather permitting. For those times when it is hard to get out on her own, there are plenty of activities to occupy her sufficiently - both inside and at other places. The formal dining room offered us a choice of lunch which was as good as anything we've eaten in a nice, casual restaurant. Our great grandmother has very simple tastes, and it looks like she will be offered the foods that she likes best. We were able to eat in the semi-private casual dining room and found it to be more private than many we've seen. Our great-grandmother really enjoyed the fireplace and library. They also have an arts and crafts and music room. The facility also shows films weekly for residents and has a video library where they can choose their own films to watch. Overall, we really liked this facility and could see that the residents are happy and well cared for.

commercesd

The Birchwood Care Home is conveniently located in the heart of the city and Uptown area of Minneapolis, where my great-aunt has lived all of her life. Most of her family is there, so it will be very easy to visit her. Because it is right near Calhoun Square, Lake Calhoun and Bryant Square Park - they offer many outings to those lovely urban areas. The main areas were well-appointed and easy to navigate. The private rooms are decorated in neutral colors, so it is easy to add your own personality to make it more personal. The bathrooms were nicely done with grab bars near the tub and toilet areas. The closets were a nice size. There is individually controlled heat and air conditioning, which our great aunt really appreciates. Also, there are hook-ups for cable and Internet service. In addition to medical licensed nursing, they have therapeutic and social services departments. The one service we hadn"˜t seen elsewhere, is the trust account management and financial assistance with budgeting. Since our great-aunt can be forgetful, this feature will help her to maintain her resources, which she sometimes worries about. The facility makes the effort to tailor their services to suit each resident's requirements. They create individualized service plans, coordinated by registered nurses. The staff was very friendly. The formal dining room served delicious food, had great choices and had a nice, communal vibe. The semi-private dining area is great for guests. The fireplace lounge was really charming. There is a music room, arts and crafts and library area. Our great-aunt really liked the video library, as she is an avid film watcher.