Wesley Homes Lea Hill

My elderly parents (95 and 90) and I were told that at Wesley Lea Hill (WLH) they could live together in an apartment, and that as my father’s condition progressed (dementia), WLH would be able to accommodate his needs, and that my parents could stay together, with options including one or both of them getting higher levels of care, or moving to memory care, or other adjustments as needed. However, in less than a year (in Dec 2018), my parents were abruptly asked to leave by the end of the month! My father had begun to have more difficulty eating and swallowing (sometimes coughing and choking), which required changes in where he ate, what he ate, and how it was prepared. That kind of care was only offered at WLH in the nursing care unit, which he did not require, was much more costly, and my mom could not go there, but she could not remain by herself in her apartment at their current rates of payments for care (she’d have to pay more for care she didn’t need). The memory care unit was full. The staff of WLH, after observing one of my dad’s coughing spells, abruptly told my parents they had to move out. My 90 year old mom was asked rudely, did she want to see him die right in front of her? (An apology was made a few days later.) My parents moved to a different and wonderful facility in Renton (Chateau), where they have been happily for nine months, and where the staff and management have be able, easily, to accommodate my parents with their needs. They still live together in an apartment, and go down the hall to a small supervised eating area, or get meals brought to their apartment. I know of one other person who similarly had to leave WLH because of their inflexibility in accommodating the needs of a resident with specific challenges.

by Bill Jaeger, Oct 2019