John Brennan
Apr 2024
I knew my mother was in better hands at Carmelo Park than her previous big corporate care home. Any apprehension I had about the move was unfounded, even before my mother arrived. As I got to know the people dedicated to the simple and respectful care of their residents, I wish we'd chosen Carmelo Park from the start. As her son, I felt a difference too. At Carmelo Park, I was talking to people, not corporate representatives who had protocols and scripts. I trusted the communication and the people at Carmelo. Compared to the corporate care facility, my mother was as close to home as she could be at Carmelo Park. We were paying for a lot of services at the previous corporate care facility that my mother could not take advantage of. I knew that when we placed her, but I had false hope that she might be able to avail herself; that the activities she was missing out on might motivate her toward more mobility, interaction, and joy. Instead, she needed simple care. Carmelo spelled out their price without a lot of formulas and named their anticipated price increases in the contract. The other care facility ultimately saw my mother as an algorithm-driven source of profits. At her former corporate care facility I felt like I was one phone call or bill away from a big surprise, and not a good one. Instead, I got the surprise in person, a nearly 50% increase in her care costs. Additionally, I did not feel welcome. Courtesies were offered in passing, or I was talking with someone who was busy and seemed like they wanted to being doing something else. Carmelo Park Is a care facility that was perfect for my mother and gave me a sense of satisfaction that it was the best place for my mother.
