ArchCare

Kurt Thometz

When COVID struck the assisted living facility in Birmingham, Alabama, my wife’s mother was experiencing the first still gentle symptoms of Altzheimers/Dementia, then things fell apart. Seven months into the epidemic an exception was made to the quarantine allowing us see her and, finding her emaciated, frightened, stammering, wasted, we made arrangements to bring her Uptown, to New York City. We’d raised an autistic son so had some experience with care giving and cared for her 19 months until we couldn’t, when Archcare in Harlem paved our way to Archcare at Ferncliff. We were immediately impressed with their adapting Montessori methodology we’d applied to autism, successfully, to senior care, as impressed by their director and staff. We were struggling with financing, negotiating several government agencies and lawyers, while coming to terms with 13-hour days. The then director told us they could take the paperwork off our hands and support us keeping Mother home as long as she could. When that time would inevitably come their renovation of the Memory Care wing at their nursing home in Rhinebeck, New York would be ready. In the City, Archcare’s doctors monitored her, when she needed a specialist a car picked her up at our house and returned her at no cost. There were therapists who came to us, others via video, all of whom became friends. Now and then someone would stop by with a bag of provisions. It seemed to me caring for Altzheimer/Dementia mirrored caring for autism, Archcare’s Montessori model much like the Inclusion methodology that’d done my son such good; to make it a family affair and keep everyone at home together. Since Mother’s needs exceeded our capacity to keep her home, Archcare at Ferncliff’s been home away from home for us. Our first visit, after looking at the rooms she’d have to choose from she made her choice. On leaving that day she told us she’d like to stay, right then, and we had her back in a week. My wife and I were as impressed. The people in admissions were charming, as charming as the River Road approach to the grounds of the old Astor estate, one of the prettiest drives of the Hudson River Valley, a refurbished Gilded Age respite from City life. On visits I’d take my Southern belles out visiting Wilderstein, Montgomery Place, Clairmont, Blythwood, and to eat, Gigi’s, Beekman Arms, Le Petite Bistro, Del’s Dairy Crème, the summer farm stands. Good food nearby matters on visits. Archcare at Ferncliff is not without creature comforts itself, principle amongst a strong sense of community, of family, of harmony. One Saturday afternoon we happened in on the Memory Care residents assembled singing “You Are My Sunshine” in as close to perfect harmony as any of us might accomplish. The residents and staff look after, bravely care for each other, and stick together. It is not put on. It is clean. It is reverent, with church on Sunday for prayer. Clergy knows and visits everyone. All lovely but not what we came for. There’ve been several occasions where the elder’s needed medical attention and we’ve been impressed. Particularly with the hip operation, performed at the North Duchess Hospital four miles away, no stoplights, where anything in house doctors and nurses can’t manage is managed. We’ve had nothing but good experiences, particularly the Memory Care wing, 2-B, that are looking after all, all day, all night. The head nurse and occupational therapy pros are as impressive at teamwork as any trophy winning ball team. True care there’s impressive, precise, educated and personal. Watching the physical therapist train a 92 year old with a new hip out of the wheel chair back onto her own two feet, I started to think my own occupation lacking in purpose. Suffice to say when my time comes I’ll be checking in.

Jyoti Sodhi

no one answers or calls you back .

Efim G

Not professional ...i wish i can give a O...Star

Maria Durso

ARCHCARE A JOKE. WE HAD TO PAY FOR SOMETHING WE DID NOT WANT. WE ARE CATHOLIC. DID NOT WANT MINISTERS. PRIEST CALLED FOR LAST RITES. HE WAS CONFUSED. WROTE FALSE INFO ON REPORT FOR LAST RITES. DID NOT KNOW REPORTS WERE WRITTEN. WMC VALHALLA NY REQUIRES THIS. WE DID NOT KNOW. THE WORST HOSPITAL. MOM PREVENTED FROM HAVING LIFESAVING SURGERY. MURDERED D