The Firs

I hold back the fifth star because until recently, they only had a small residential van w/​out a lift. They now have a new larger van with a lift. They have begun using it. They continue to use the small van with out the lift. This concerns me as I have watched my elderly mother work to use the steps to get in the small van. She’s the type of person who will do what she thinks is expected of her and not complain. I don’t want anything to happen to her.
NOW: The Firs strengths: There are many. The staff is wonderful. They are warm and caring, respectful, not imposing, quiet and they address each resident as the resident chooses as far as I have witnessed.
When my parents first moved to the Firs, they were both in shock. Sure they chose to move there but they had lived in their own home since the 1960’s. Moving to senior living was a shocking event. They still feel it now and then. The staff has been great at helping my parents make the adjustment in their new home.
If the resident is ill and cannot come to the dining room to eat, staff will bring the residents meal choice to their apartment. Residents are allowed to have guests come to the dining room and eat with them. There’s a fee to the resident for it.
The people in the dining room taking orders and bringing out the food are not waiters/​waitresses. They are servers and they know the residents names and use their names within a week. The servers age range from high school through college. They truly are a remarkable group of young people. They work for the experience they receive working with the senior population, and working in a busy dining room at the same time. My hat’s off to them as well as the chef who consistently comes up with AMAZING healthy meal choices.
As a server is ready to leave, another youth is ready and eager to become employed and learn from this senior population.
There are friends to be made here and my parents continue to do that. There are interesting activities to do if they want.
All in all, I believe the Firs is a good place for my senior parents as long as they think so. It HAS to have been a tough adjustment for them. I’m sure it is for anyone making such a change in their life. I was surprised when they told me they were going to do it!
Wade don’t jump… go slow.

I am a geriatric counselor and consultant in the community and I wanted to take the time to thank the Firs, especially Marilyn Richards, for playing such an active role in our community in serving older adults. Marilyn has hosted several gatherings from non profits that serve those with memory impairment, to educational meetings for skilled nursing facility social workers. It is people like Marilyn and organizations like the Firs that support local professionals coming together to serve elders that make our community so special.