Kindness at Mentor Way in Mentor, Ohio

My father was at Mentor Way for about two months before he died. I'm not in the health care field, so this is purely a layperson's outlook, but the people here were amazing.

Oh, yeah, and it was clean, and didn't smell. And the rooms were less tiny than they are at some nursing homes, and they had nice lounge rooms. The facilities were fine, although I always wish these places would have different colors in different wings, so you could find your way around better.

But it was the people that impressed me most. They were overworked, as people at nursing homes always are, but they always, always were kind. It was a very upsetting time for my mother and me, but the staff at Mentor Way made it as okay as it could be.

I've had more to do with nursing homes than I like, as my mother-in-law was at several, at different times. She was a doll; even her dementia was mild and sweet. Everyone loved her, and treated her well at the places she stayed.

But my father had more serious dementia. Sometimes it was as if an evil alien had taken over his body. Yet the people at Mentor Way were just as kind to him as everyone had been to my mother-in-law.

As a visitor, you have a lot of questions. You don't always know if you're allowed to snatch an extra milk for your relative, or how to get someone to change him, or if you can get yourself a cup of coffee. Trivia, but important at the time. So you stop some poor, tired worker, whose feet are obviously hurting, and you ask.

And at Mentor Way, you're answered with a smile.

The people were helpful; they were polite; they didn't even hint that my questions were a burden to them. They took loving care of my father when he was friendly, and also when he was extremely unfriendly. They went above and beyond - called me at home when my mother, visiting, obviously needed some support. Called me even though she told them not to. That is true compassion. They seemed to know that Mom and I weren't quite - neither of us was quite all there during that time.

The stress of watching a loved one die can make you kind of stupid. No one looked down on us for that, but everyone gave us the help and support we needed.

I am so grateful.

Recommend Mentor Way highly.