Testimonials

Thank you to all of our residents, staff, friends, family members, professionals and community leaders who have shared their thoughts about AgeSong. Your words provide us with renewed energy to continue our work.

To All the Wonderful People at AgeSong at Lakeside Park,
As you know, I have the Power of Attorney for Health for my dear friend, Marcia. Her dementia has slowly worsened for the last several years and is unable to live by herself. AgeSong was the most highly recommended of Assisted Living Facilities. We, Sergio and myself, spent a lot of time visiting various places in Alameda and Oakland. We decided on AgeSong.

This has been a wonderful choice! Marcia was very upset to leave her home. It took her a month or two to adjust but she Never speaks of going home! She is delighted to be here. She gets personal care all the time and everyone treats her with kindness and respect. The food is very good - she often mentions how good her breakfast or lunch or dinner is. There are always activities and she can take part in most of them. Not only is she welcome, she is helped if necessary - and in such a way that she feels good.

May I also say that AgeSong is extremely clean. It smells good, everywhere. One can go into any bathroom, and it is "fresh." That's a rarity and makes me feel good that Marcia is in such an excellently run place. Marcia is always clean and well dressed. The Hairdresser does a good job too and Marcia's hair is in good order.

The entire Staff is very professional, as well as being friendly and helpful. Any recommendations from Marcia's doctors have been followed to the letter. It is so nice to be remembered as one walks in the door - and everyone knows that I am here for Marcia. Every question we've had has been answered quickly and clearly. We have only praise for everyone at AgeSong.

We are just completely delighted to have Marcia living at AgeSong. Finally, after several years, I do rest well, knowing that she is having the best care and the best of life, in spite of her dementia. She is very happy. She likes to go out; but better yet, she is happy to be going "home" to her cheery room at AgeSong.
— Friend of Resident

Mom had repeatedly told us that she wanted to stay in her own home as she grew older. Although we did our best to honor her request, the day came when we no longer felt it was safe for her to continue living at home, even with several caregivers. We visited seven residences for seniors in the East Bay and AgeSong at Lakeside Park was clearly the best choice. Everyone we met there was knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. The rooms and the common areas are cozy, clean and pleasant. All of the residents have memory issues so everyone who works at AgeSong focuses on helping seniors like Mom adjust and thrive.

In spite of my confidence in AgeSong, the day we moved Mom in was one of hardest days of my life. The next day I spent worrying, crying and feeling guilty. It turns out I needn't have worried. The caring and well-trained caregivers helped Mom quickly adjust. The many activities at AgeSong keep Mom busy and engaged. She loves the food and thoroughly enjoys the music and singing that is part of almost every day.

Most important for me personally is that I feel like I have a group of caring, competent people supporting my Mom and me. What a load off my shoulders to be able to share the responsibility for my mother's well-being and happiness with others who are caring experts. When I recently asked to have a meeting with the AgeSong staff that work with Mom in various ways, there was no hesitation. We discussed Mom's health issues as well as things we could do to further enhance Mom's life. Walking out of the room, I thanked the staff supervisor, telling her how nice it was that there was no defensiveness on anyone's part during the meeting. Her answer was typical of AgeSong. "Of course not, we're all on the same team." What a gift for Mom and her children.
— Linda, Family Member

Dear Director,
My father, Cliff has had several misfortunes in recent years. In his sixties, he became a dementia and Alzheimer patient. To compound matters his health took a turn for the worse at the beginning of this year when a sore on his toe would not heal.

As the legal conservator of my father, I have faced a host of concerns that are at minimal very challenging; but when I had to make a critical decision to approve amputating a limb I was overwhelmed. For four weeks, my dad was a patient in the hospital. Although he has dementia, I know in my heart that he was fully aware and frightened about his condition. The hospital made a decision to keep him restrained throughout his stay because he tried to leave on several occasions. Needless to say, Cliff became very depressed refusing to eat and losing color and suffering from poor circulation.

Following the surgery, the surgeons and therapist in the hospital had written Cliff off. The inpatient social worker and case manager urged to place him in a full care nursing facility because they believed that he would not be a candidate for a prosthesis or therapy. They did not believe he would recover from the surgery, could not feed himself or do anything. The social worker said that they had to release him and he would have to find a place by the week's end. This was very upsetting to me and it was all too clear that the hospital is focused on turn over; too busy processing patients in and out that there is no time to ‘understand’ or take in consideration the special needs. I was devastated and had all but given in to the social worker's suggestion. However, when I spoke to Dinah, Executive Director at AgeSong, she began to advocate on Cliff's behalf as did Linda and Janice and everyone.

During his hospital stay, interns from AgeSong went to visit him. Just like a family member, Cliff would become very happy because his eyes lit at the sight of the interns. This was a good sign for him. By the following week, Cliff came home to AgeSong! His beautiful eyes lit up upon entering the foyer and he smiled to see the familiar kind and loving faces that joyously welcomed him back home.

I am so happy and pleased to know that my dad is in a caring a loving place. AgeSong at Lakeside Park has the most wonderful and genuine and attentive staff. Not only do they care about the residents, they care about the families too. They are the only family that Cliff and I have in the Bay Area and we are so thankful to everyone at AgeSong at Lakeside Park Lakeside.

In closing, I want to thank everyone for helping us through this very difficult period. I know that Cliff loves and thanks everyone as I do.

You guys are the best!
— Family Member

Our experience at Agesong has been very positive. When we first toured Agesong, someone said that they like to think of it as the resident's home and they just work there. Ultimately, we have found that to be the case. The staff is very flexible and personal---- always able to make time and special accommodations if something comes up.

One of our biggest concerns was that T_____ would not be recognized as the smart, fun person that we know her as. At Agesong, we have witnessed lots of interactions between caregivers that are attentive, engaged and personal. Residents are treated with dignity and respect as well as with a kindness that feels personal and somehow universal at the same time.
— Family Member

Why we chose Age Song at Lakeside Park, and why we're glad we did.

I have peace of mind, knowing my husband, John, has been welcomed into a place where he is honored for who he is. He's surrounded by caregiver staff members who not only see to his physical care, but who also provide a loving environment of dignity and respect. Interns and activity staff encourage his participation in a variety of activities, based on his own interests. (He particularly likes the music programs, the weekly bus rides, and the proximity to Lake Merritt for walks along the shore with staff or visitors.) Administrators have been very responsive, not only to my husband, but to me and our family as well. We feel like part of a greater family at Age Song -- from administrators to interns to caregivers, from medical staff to the maintenance team -- each one of these dedicated professionals embraces the resident as a whole person, nurturing each one as they would a family member.

We're glad to be part of this Age Song family.
— Joanne, Family Member

Despite my trepidation regarding my aunt's move to AgeSong at Lakeside Park, and her initial extreme displeasure, I am very happy with the outcome. She began calming down within the first 24 hours, and I feel she is in a much more healthful environment than she was in her home, both physically and emotionally. I am also very grateful for the good communication between AgeSong staff and me regarding medical issues that have arisen from time to time. I have to admit that I still have a little anxiety before I visit, but I always leave very happy and uplifted, not just because my aunt is doing well and it still "herself" but because I feel supported by the staff as well.
— Janet, Family Member

Having my parents at Age Song has provided me with a sense of peace in knowing that they are lovingly and respectfully cared for in a setting that promotes inclusion, engagement, patience and nurturing. The staff to resident ratio allows each resident to feel personally cared for and provides comfort to me in knowing that mom and dad are not looked at as "patients" but viable and valuable members of a community. Staff members take the time to get to know the residents in their neighborhood and because staff rotates between neighborhoods, you get the feeling that ALL of the residents are known personally by ALL of the staff.

I can't say enough about the incredible interns who spend almost a year volunteering at Age Song. They bring a new perspective to the mix and are full of energy, compassion and a willingness to overlook their "clients" disabilities and eccentricities and focus on their strengths, often discovering buried treasure in the character of the person they are working with.

Everyone who works at Age Song from the Director, office and front desk staff, the caregivers, kitchen staff, interns, maintenance and activities directors are there because they have a special place in their hearts for the care and nurturing of those unable to live on their own. I commend everyone for their dedication to excellence in providing the residents with a high level of care and the willingness to see each resident as a unique and interesting person with life left in them, memories to share and something to contribute to the community.
— Pamela, Family Member

Last February my parents' health took a turn for the worse. My father moved into the advanced stages of Alzheimer's and my mom fell and broke her hip. They had been living in their own home with 24/7 care, but now my sister and I realized that we could no longer meet their health care needs there. It was a difficult time as none of us children lived near my parents and we had no plan in place. We felt heartbroken that our dad would be placed in a locked Alzheimer's unit, and that our mother would have the same fate since they wanted to stay together.

Finally, after we searched for facilities in three states, my sister found AgeSong at Lakeside Park, just 10 minutes away from her home. I was in Illinois with my parents at the time, but from the joy in my sister's voice when she described it, I knew that she had found their new home. She talked about the garden and the opportunity for residents to spend time in nature and the unique philosophy of Agesong. She concluded with, "It's a place that you'd like to visit." And how many memory care facilities have earned that description? None other that I know of.

Since coming to Agesong, my father has become more calm and content and his medications have been dramatically reduced as a result. He is alert and walking with a walker and feels quite independent. My mother has made new friends and enjoys the garden and the joyful activities offered all day long at Agesong. The caregivers are attentive and take a personal interest in each resident. Many of the medical people we have met have said that the care at Agesong is the best they've seen. We are so grateful that our parents are living in such a loving, free and creative atmosphere. I have told everyone about this beautiful place, which offers hope to families of Alzheimer's patients and gives their loved ones an opportunity for a fulfilling life.
— Linda Egenes, author of Conquering Chronic Disease