Olympic Alzheimer's Residence

My spouse had early onset Alzheimer's and was a resident for 3 months. He was evaluated and we were happy when they assured us they could meet his ever changing needs. We believed the grounds and environment were the best we had visited. Three months later they could not meet his needs, made up instances that his behavior was not acceptable and he was evicted. He then spent 1 horrible painful month in the hospital while we searched for a better facility that could properly care, love and take care of him, which we did. I will NEVER recommend this facility to anyone and have given this information to both local caregiving companies and the Alzheimer's association. They have no idea how much pain they caused my spouse and our family and they do not care. They are only concerned with keeping manageable residents and their license.

I really liked Olympic Alzheimer's Residence. We liked the staff, and the facility was very nice. It was bright and cheerful. Because of COVID, you had to wait in the parking lot before you could go in, and the gentleman came running out with this big conga drum attached to him. He was maybe ten minutes late, and he said, "I'm sorry, I was doing a drumming session. We were singing. I wish I knew you were out here; we would've had you come in." That right there shows that obviously they do activities with the residents. Then when we went inside during the tour, there were some residents sitting around in a circle in one area, and a lot of them were interacting with him. One of them even said, "I love you. Where are you going, and when are you going to come back?" I like the way the residents interacted. It's our number-one choice mainly because of how they interact with the residents and also the precautions they take for Alzheimer's. Before entering different areas, we had to clean our hands, and then not only did we wear masks, but they gave us face shields before we could go anywhere in the facility. They're protecting the residents, and they're doing the best they can. Because it is strictly memory care/Alzheimer's, they focus their activities and things for people with Alzheimer's or dementia. It was very clean, and there were no smells. Every single place we went, there was not one area where you'd say somebody had an accident or it needed to be cleaned or something. The residents were alert and interacting. When we first got there, a chef or a nutritionist came in with this huge plate of freshly baked cookies, and they were really good. They said they always have fresh cookies for the residents in the afternoon, and they always give them a little snack before dinnertime.

Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease and having to find a reputable care facility for your loved one is a dauting task. Finding one that not only is extraordinarily professional, but has a staff of the most incredibly caring, loving, and kind people is a bonus! People that were just made for working where they are. The individuals at Olympic Alzheimer’s Residence in Gig Harbor, Washington are just those kind of people. This facility is staffed with the most amazing professionals. My husband and I have never worried about the care that Mom receives or any lack of attention to her. Not only is she so well taken care of but it is truly a place for peace of mind.

When I went to visit Olympic Alzheimer's Residence I met with the director or the manager, Angie. She was really nice and took me around. I could tell that the Medicaid would be the only concern for them, but they were nice. I thought it was a nice place and that the tour went pretty well. When Angie and I had our initial meeting, I told her that my mother was strictly on Medicaid, and her demeanor was kind of like, "Oh". So I felt that going forward, it was just kind of her telling me where they eat, where they can go walk, and so on. The tour really seemed kind of generic, and the tone seemed to have changed, although not rudely. We also discussed the financial aspect with regards to my mom being Medicaid only. I was a little bit put off by that, to be honest. I also ran into some issues with them later on. They reached back to me and said they had a bed available, and that we could come so they could assess my mom. They didn't handle the situation well at all. They crashed my mom so to speak, although they didn't do it personally, when they denied taking her. I found out later after some inquiries and talking to the social worker and DFHF that it was because they couldn't get an increase to her Medicaid daily rate. Even though they said that they based it on her behavior. They said her behavior was difficult so they were not going to take her there. I understand that, but that's not my biggest beef. I was very disappointed in the whole process because it was a dollar driven thing. I don't question their care for people in there. I question the process of getting people in. I wish they could have been upfront with me instead, but it lead me to believe that as soon as they got a Medicaid bed that opened up they would bring her right on. But that really wasn't the case. I'm disappointed with the whole process and that really bothered me a lot. However, the initial process and the tour left me with a good impression. It just took a turn because it wasn't handled really well. I was impressed with the place and facilities. They treated the people well, and the staff and the residents interacted really well. I didn't want to say it was all about the money, but when I mentioned Medicare it was like a very condensed tour. I was onlu there for a half hour. Their facilities were really clean, organized, and there were staff members everywhere. So that was very impressive to me. I would give them a five on that.

We couldn't be more thankful to have our dad in this facility. Everyone who works there from the Administrator to the nursing staff to the receptionist are all passionate about their care for our dad.

I am the responsible party for a friend with advanced dementia who has resided at Olympic for over 3 years. I live at a considerable distance, but my friend is visited about twice a month by others in her friendship network, who give me feedback. While there has been some variability in care and staff satisfaction, usually correlated with who was in leadership at the time, there have been no times in which I was concerned that my friend was being neglected. I call in at various times, including weekends, to check in on my friend and the staff are informed and concerned.. I am impressed that the staff treat the residents as individuals. They use redirection and other techniques to soothe residents and deescalate problem behaviors. This facility has somewhat more limited services than others that are 100% private pay. Given the resources available, I am very satisfied. My friend receives kind and appropriate care from the staff, her medical needs are identified and addressed promptly, the facility is clean and odor free, and the staff maintain an emotionally positive atmosphere.. I am relieved and grateful that my friend, who is now on Apple Health (Medicaid) is here as opposed to some other similarly funded facilities.

Everybody at Olympic was very polite and personable. The rooms were all shared and clean. The food was pretty decent, and the dining area was clean. They keep a full staff on at all times and have a lot of staff per patient who seemed to care, so I really liked it. They seemed to be able to keep the residents busy with puzzles and reading, and trip services, too. This is where we ended up placing my husband’s mom. They can improve by bathing the residents more often. Their security is good and locked.

OAR is an attractive facility with the worst care towards the elderly I have ever seen. My mom has bit off her teeth and is in pain. OAR caused her to not walk, talk, and did not notify family members. I have called 911 twice upon my arrival. OAR would not call for an emergency because they do not want to explain inflicted injuries by staff and lack of. She drinks a corn filler and does not ride the bus or partake in any activities. Her worst fear is living here. I will review each visit. OAR is only staffed mon though Friday so they can be inspected and attract new leases.