Tiffin Tidbits – The Dos and Don’ts

June 15, 2015March 22, 2014 by Justin

My Dad, who has Alzheimer’s and lives in the moment, has lived at Tiffin House since October. The other day we took him out for lunch. As we were driving him back he asked us if he was going home. He meant Tiffin House! That is what it is – a home. It looks and feels like a home! He said I get to do whatever I want here and it is so peaceful and caring here. Dad loves his favorite chair, the front and back yards, the beautiful porch, and the familiar home decorations for his generation like the antique pictures of farms and children and animals. As Dad walks through the hallways he looks at each painting and describes the story in it. Justin is driven by his love for the residents and his passion for excellent care. It sounds corny, but when you meet him and Lori and everyone (RNs, caregivers, activity director, quality care director, etc, etc) you know it right away! They are always coming to me all excited about something they got for Dad or a funny movie he enjoyed, or just sharing a special time in his life that day. They read him his devotions he loves every day, provide him with opportunities to do what he loves like watering the plants, watching birds, walking outside, singing, reading the newspaper, going to the store and just visiting and laughing with his buddies. Bottom line, they love him like he is their own Dad and he knows it – and I know it! After these 5 months I am still amazed at how wonderful Tiffin House and this awesome family of caring people are for Dad! Chris Gebert

Sometimes in life we get beautiful roses to make the thorns easier to deal with. This is how I would describe my incredible good fortune to have found and selected Tiffin House to care for my wife, a victim of dementia. I had cared for her for nearly six years at home with some respite help. She stayed for two months at another memory care facility during this period while I recovered from surgery and we found her care to be sub-standard. So when the daily responsibilities of caregiver finally overwhelmed me, I was terrified of the prospects of finding a facility that I could trust with her care. After searching the web, Tiffin House became one of my top-rated selections. I was impressed with the staff/resident ratio, the home-like facility, no a la carte charges, organized activities including activities outdoors and a staff that interacts with the residents on a personal basis. My deepest thanks to Uyen, Nancy, Nereida, Marla, Aimee, Barbara, Kayla, Sara, Lilian, Brandy, Yesenia, Uri, Tomasa, and others; plus the supervisory skills of Tencia and Tasha for their personal attention to my wife. They make being there fun! A visit to Tiffin House will show the excellent professional and loving care that I have witnessed during every visit. My wife has been in residence for more than a year and is currently in hospice care. The Tiffin staff works smoothly in conjunction with hospice staff in planning and executing her care. I can tell that my wife is happy: She smiles when hearing or seeing the caregivers. My family and I highly recommend Tiffin House. Russ Nesseth

My mom spent her last days at Tiffin House and the quality of care and attention she received was excellent. From the moment she arrived, the staff worked to make her feel comfortable and at ease. A few examples we experienced are: giving us the ability to make it "her room" by bringing in items from her house, letting our dog visit her (he was always a calming influence for her), staff being at her eye level when communicating with her and "let's get you out of that hospital gown and into something you look so pretty in.." when she first arrived. When restless, they noticed that music would calm her and so music was played and medical interventions were not needed. This type of personal attention made our family rest easier every time we left. Even after receiving "the call", we were met at the door with a hug and those who'd worked with her made personal contact with each of the family that had spent time at Tiffin House. Every person we met, no matter the time of day/evening went the extra mile and had time for us and my mom. Our only regret is that Mom didn't have a longer period of time with them. The staff was professional, but so caring and compassionate to our whole family, during what was a difficult time for us. Questions were answered thoroughly and everything was approached with a sensitivity and attitude of a loving family. We highly recommend the Tiffin House and their staff to provide a quality of care we had only hoped for. Our thanks to each person associated with this organization - Kudos for the loving family atmosphere that prevails. We cannot thank you enough. Blessings to you all- Sande Powledge

Tiffin House holds a very special place in my heart. The company itself feels more like a family than just an employer. The level of care and compassion that is displayed at the two houses is absolutely incredible. The residents are not just cared for but truly LOVED. From letting them wake up when they're ready, to making sure that while getting ready for the day that they get to go at a pace that is comfortable for them, it is clear that the comfort of the residents is the top priority. Being an employee here felt like I was showing up to my grandma and grandpas house to spend quality time and take care of them, not just "going to work" and I loved that. The days are spent doing things that the residents like to do, such as watching movies from their time period growing up, doing puzzles and crafts, dancing and listening to their favorite music from when they were young, and even going out on walks or sitting out on the patio to have a snack. Another thing that made me feel so proud to work at Tiffin was that the residents are always kept clean and changed immediately even if there's just a stain from lunch, they are always smelling and looking good which made me feel good knowing families could walk in at any time and their mom or dad/grandma or grandpa was well groomed and happy with a full belly at all times. I made some of my best friends from working here, and I tell anyone and everyone I know or meet who is looking for a place for their loved one to look into Tiffin House, you definitely won't be disappointed. Michaela Ellis