The Terrace at Glen Eddy

The Glen Eddy is an absolutely marvelous place. My first impression was, “Wow, this is really nice.” It looked very good and modern, and the people we saw were very active with games and lots of activities. It was just very nicely setup. They had an art room, a swimming pool with a hot tub, they have a hair dresser, a barber shop, and the restaurant is excellent. It just had a lot to offer, and the person who gave us the tour was very nice.

While the Glen Eddy has the appearance of a higher end facility, a closer look is warranted. From basic things such as food, one notes a menu that has little variety from week to week. A resident who is not my relative recently told me that every Wednesday is a particular menu item. Looking at the menu myself on several different days, I noted that there is a set pattern to the offerings that provides a limited variety of choices. Fresh fruit appears scarce and a staff person could not clarify whether vegetables were fresh, frozen or canned. By comparison, other facilities of this same caliber offer more choices in both variety of menu and dining locations. The pool that other reviewers mention is not in the building where many of the residents live. If they have difficulty ambulating, the pool is not accessible to them. Staff do not assist in this type of activity. Other opportunities for recreation are lacking when compared with programs at other similar facilities. While staff do knock before entering residents rooms, they do not wait to be invited in. My relative indicated that on more than one occasion, he/she has been using the toilet when staff entered. I personally have witnessed the short knock when visiting. Privacy is a basic tenet and should be valued. The institutional practice of the short knock that seems to have evolved is a mere symptom of the culture of Glen Eddy. I have overheard conversations between the staff and my relative during which staff may not have been aware I could hear. A particular situation involving my relative was handled with condescension and a lack of basic respect for a process that should have involved problem solving. Instead, my relative was told how things were going to be handled rather than offered possible alternative solutions. Again, this is a symptom of a culture that does not value the rights of the individual in decision making. Of utmost concern is the practice amongst staff of not listening to residents and thereby misinterpreting or missing meaning. Sharp listening skills are a critical skill in any human service position, but absolutely essential when one is responsible for the day in and day out care of the ekderly. I have now been the bystander to multiple conversations where my relative noted legitimate concerns about care (both self and others) and was ignored. Finally, the medical care is probably the most concerning of all. I noted first hand scheduled medications being delivered as much as 45 minutes early or late and only delivered on time when the resident pointed out the problem. It appeared it was a matter of convenience to staff rather than an anomaly. When queried, my relative expressed that this had happened often and had come to be an expected part of living at Glen Eddy. Before placing a loved one here, I would explore other options. The expense associated with this level of care and the importance of confidence in turning over your loved one's care necessitates careful consideration of all options. Your loved one deserves the best care possible. That care extends far beyond the outward appearances of the facility.

Glen Eddy was the nicest facility that we've found; that is why we chose this facility. The place is very clean. I can say the rooms are very good, but not great. They had very nice people that were very helpful and accommodating. It was geographically convenient for us.

Glen Eddy is very nice. They also have a lot of activities: painting classes, cooking classes, a pool that residents could use, and they even have Zumba. They have a little cafe where the residents can go down in the morning. It's a little cafe marketplace, so if you ran out of something like paper towels or laundry detergent, they have a few of items there available. They also have graduated levels of care. It's located in a nicer area of Schenectady. It's beautiful.