GenCare Renton at The Lodge

Julie Wells the Vitality Director asked me to come do a class once a week. I have gotten to know residents and they have a wonderful time in the class. I see residents doing many different activities at The Lodge. They have chair volleyball, play Rumikube everyday, they have special activities as well, like a Casino Day, and other holiday events throughout the year. The residents look like they really enjoy themselves. Some of the less cognasent residents sit in the lounge together and Julie will go out and play memory games with them. They get Lodge Loot they can spend 2 times a year at a silent auction. This is a place I could see myself living at in the future. I've gotten to know some of the employees. They are likable and they treat the residents like family. Everyone has a great time there.

I came to Gencare 3 years ago to be a part time caregiver to one of the residents. This person suffered from severe Alzheimer's and dementia. She was the sweetest lady and I witnessed nothing but compassion and love from the staff in regards to her continuing level of care. Even after the family moved my resident elsewhere, I have continued to volunteer at Gencare. I polish the nails of the residents 2 days a week. I am usually at Gencare 2-3 days per week (2-4 hours a day). I don't always come on the same days or times, so I feel I am uniquely qualified to critique the facility. The highlight of my week is when I come to Gencare. I truly love the staff and I know how much they all love the residents- it's apparent in the way they interact with them. This is where I would like to come when it's my time for assisted living. I talk with the ladies while I am polishing their nails and everyone loves it there. They have so many wonderful activities and 'field trips' (haha!) and they have all made really wonderful friendships there. I LOVE Gencare

As a resident of The Lodge, I would like acknowledge our Vitality Department. They think of so many ways for us to take part and be entertained at the same time. Once a month we have a Vitality planning meeting open to all residents for input and ideas. This makes us feel we have a part in planning what we are going to do. Our Vitality Director is excellent at implementing our ideas for outings, games and events on a regular basis. There are mind games, physical games, outings and transportation to appointments if needed. All of this is featured each month in the Newsletter and Calendar. You can be as busy as you want to be!All of this is done with a lot of love from the staff not counting all the interruptions when something comes up unexpectedly. When I first moved in because of circumstances I was slow in socializing. Through the help of staff and friends I got interested in the games and meeting people. Those people became wonderful friends. It is great! I no longer feel alone, I feel loved. This is my extended family.

You hear stories about places like this hurting people who can't defend themselves and or neglecting them but I really thought this one would be different. The staff are heartless and cruel and have zero shame about it. If you happen to have a family member who is entered as independent you better hope they don't get hurt and need help because the staff decides who to help by the floor they are on. They have an emergency button to push when in need of help but no one came when it was pushed. I had to call the front desk to request help for my family member as I was snowed in on Christmas and couldn't get there myself. The rude front desk clerk or nurse, whatever they are could not be bothered with and rudely told me she would check on my family member who fell and sprained their ankle. She hung up on me before I could get another word in. When I called my family member to check on them as I wasn't able to get that info from the front desk I was told that they were made to feel bad about the staff checking on them. We were also told before this that the nurse there is unwilling to help elderly clients when in need of help. Lots of false advertising and the lack of shame over this behavior is truly amazing. My family member is avoiding the staff and stays locked in the apartment so she isn't bullied by them and or watching them whisper about her when she passes by. I strongly suggest talks no to multiple residents before moving your loved ones in here. The price they charge doesn't reflect the service at all. Btw they don't even serve a warm meal to residents on Christmas, a sandwich was her Christmas dinner since I was unable to pick her up in the snow.