Olympic Alzheimer's Residence

It was very difficult and stressful choosing a place for mom that she would do well and be happy. All our prayers were answered after we came to the OAR. The staff is very compassionate and professional. Mom has been here for 8 months and she is happy. From the planned activities and the daily interaction with staff and residence we are so pleased with how things turned out. Definitely consider the OAR for your loved one
Steve and Denise

Our mother was living in an Independent Living facility when it became obvious that she needed to be moved to a memory care unit when she got into a strangers car and told them that she "needed to go to the bank." We called Olympic Alzheimers Residence (OAR) in Gig Harbor, WA and they sent Kathy to evaluate our mother for placement at OAR. We were assured that they could deal with what they called "exit seeking behaviors" and that she would be safe and secure. We were told that it would take 4-6 weeks for our Mom to adjust to the move and new environment. We could finally go home and take a deep breath and rest in the knowledge that we had done the right thing for our mother. Now, 3 weeks later, our mother is being evicted for "exit seeking behaviors." She is able to open the UNLOCKED gates and walk out. The director, Diana, initially told us that it was a fire code that the gates [at an Alzheimer's facility] could not be locked. After informing Diana that we spoke to the Fire Marshal who happened to be at OAR doing an inspection, and were told that there are several options for securing the gates, she changed her stance to “it's an old building, and would be costly to put those new locks on."

Now, our mother has to go through the trauma of an additional move in quick succession, which those with any knowledge of dementia knows will be a setback for her. In order to keep our mother from walking out the unsecured gates while we find a new place for her, OAR has given her sedation to the point that she fell, hit her head, and had to have the paramedics called. This all could have been avoided with a SECURE environment as we were promised.

Though having the word "Alzheimers" in the name Olympic Alzheimers Residence would evoke confidence of a level of expertise on the subject, this does not seem to be the case with OAR. In our experience with OAR, if your loved one is in the late stages of their disease, or you are comfortable with them being 'chemically restrained' then OAR might be an option for you. If however your loved one is in the beginning stages or even in the middle stages of dementia this is NOT the place to be. In my opinion, the director, Diana, seems to have no working knowledge or perhaps tolerance for those suffering with Alzheimer’s/dementia.





V. Johnson