The Stratford

I was given an hour tour to consider a home for my dad after my mom passes (who is in hospice care now). I liked what I saw. The building is overall very impressive, nicely designed, and the decor pleasing to the eye. The air about the place, "atmosphere," speaks volumes about any place like this, I noted when walking about I had a warm welcoming feeling. I didn't feel like this was a "senior facility," with all the negative connotations that term conveys. A main concern for me is my dad's security and safety. To that extent I was impressed at how the building is "locked down" to strangers, but the tenants/residents appear to feel so safe they move about without concern and they didn't convey that they were prisoners. That brings to mind something else I noticed, the residents I observed while I was there were talkative, meeting in groups chit chatting by the fireplace, dining (in what looks like a fine dining restaurant), and otherwise making the place look like a small town, everyone meeting in the town square. I am looking for a larger unit because my dad would be coming from a large home that he has lived in for 67 years. (It is a Kaiser home, that he bought in 1950 for $10,000!) The homes I saw were very nice. The layouts are functional and look very attractive with the personal touch of a new owner. When I went on tour I was helped by someone in sales management, first name "Althea" can't remember the last. She was a very pleasant sort, and most critical for me, she was extremely knowledgeable; Althea able to answer ALL my questions. I think she has multiple licenses and degrees, so she knows a LOT about elder care, senior needs, real estate, and possesses genuine compassion, which will make this difficult process manageable. (As you may suspect, my dad is initially not keen on the idea of leaving his home of almost 70 years. But the doctors have said he cannot live alone.) Anyway, I'm not looking around elsewhere because the Stafford, or is it Stratford (sorry, spelling was never my specialty) is as nice a senior living residence as I could ever hope to find. Seniors like my dad are not going to find a nicer place to reside. I can with confidence assure my dad this is a really great place (of course I will have to promise for us to walk to the close by restaurant district for dinner 2 X a week). Hope that helps.