Beth Sholom Home Of Virginia

Sholom

The place depressed me. It always looked dingy and smelled bad. The residents seemed particularly unhappy. There were activities to keep the residents entertained, but the activities were all terrible; bingo and whatnot. I know some of the residents enjoyed the activities, but I'm of the opinion that they would have "enjoyed" anything at all to keep themselves busy. That doesn't mean people enjoy playing bingo more than anything at all.The place didn't allow residents to get out and about. They spent most of their time indoors and rarely left. It reminded me of the Simpsons episode where the snow melts after a blizzard, all the old people are happy they can leave again, but then they realize that they're so used to life inside their facility that they're too scared and cold to leave. That's not how people should be living in an assisted living home. They should be able to get out in the world, there should be activities to get them into the community, they should be sharing their experience and wisdom with young people. It's kind of odd that I went to visit them instead of the opposite - what did I have to offer them?

Ginka's Daughter

Beth Shalom Lifecare Community is undergoing a transformation, and it is about time! Although this is one of the top-rated assisted living and nursing homes in central Virginia, the original facilities are old, run-down and depressing. It is supposed to have one of the top rehab centers in the area, but when I went to check it out on behalf of my mother, I was not impressed with the building, the decor, the staffing or the food. I was encouraged to bring my mother there for her six weeks of rehab, but I knew that after touring the rooms, the activity area, the dining hall and the physical therapy unit, that my mother would be unhappy and miserable in the environment. So I chose another facility that may not have had the best physical therapy program, but which had a more cheerful and upbeat atmosphere. After all, the mental health of the resident and patient is just as important (if not more so) than the physical health.Since my tour of Beth Shalom, they have opened a new wing for their assisted living residents - Parkside at Beth Shalom. Out of curiosity, I took a tour. I have to say that there is a major difference between the old buildings and the new one. Those who choose to move to Beth Shalom and are placed in the new facilities will be quite happy with the rooms, the accessibility, the calendar of activities and the food. Unfortunately, the older wing still exists, and it still is dreary and depressing.Although it is a facility that caters mainly to those of the Jewish faith, anyone is welcome to come to Beth Shalom. The kitchen is Kosher, which means that you will not find traditional lasagna on the menu, nor will you find an ice cream sundae for dessert after a hamburger dinner. But the new area sparkles and the residents seem to be happy there.I would consider Beth Shalom if my mother needed to be placed in a rehab, assisted living or nursing home environment, but only if she were able to stay in the new wing.