Frequently Asked Questions | West Michigan Compassionate Living

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q. How did you start taking care of the elderly?
A. Our 81 year old friend and neighbor fell one day at the chiropractor and needed to enter an assisted living facility for care while he healed. When we went to visit, we were disappointed with the level of care he was receiving and the quality of his living conditions for the price. We love people, especially the elderly, and always felt that they deserved special attention and care. We soon decided that we would like to create facility that focused on caring for the elderly in a home like setting. There are so many individuals that need a safe, loving, family like, environment in their golden years.

Q. How much does it cost?
A. The price depends on the level of care needed and the type of room the resident and their family select. Potential residents can tour our facility and see the types of rooms available and our professional staff will do an assessment to determine the level of care that is needed. We do our best to work with families with a variety of income levels and forms of payment

Q. How many people do you have on staff?
A. We have 1 full time live-in staff, and three part time staff who do not live on the premises.

Q. What are your visiting hours?
A. Most any time! Family is always welcome. But most of our residents retire early so to be considerate we do prefer if guests let our residents retire by 8:30pm, so those sleeping are not disturbed. Visitors are welcome to come and stay for meals, but we prefer to have advanced notice.

Q. Do you know CPR?
A. All our staff are trained in CPR and First Aid procedures.

Q. Do you distribute Medication or let them take their own?
A. Under state guidelines it is our responsibility to properly distribute all medications to our residents.

Q. Do you take your residents to their personal doctor appointments?
A. Not usually, but we can take them for a fee if you are unable to do so.

Q. I have heard of other larger facilities charging "A La Carte" what is that?
A. Many large facilities charge a basic rate and then charge a fee every time they have to visit your room to help you, those fees can range from $5.00 to $40.00 per trip to the residents room. We do not charge "a la carte" our fee is based on care level and is all inclusive.

Q. Do you have doctors that come to your facility?
A. Patients can be seen by physicians in the home if that is what they prefer. We can help contact physicians for appointments, but ask that the resident and his or her designated representative seek out a visiting physician of their choosing. We have contacts in the area that we can suggest.

Q. What if I need help during the day or in the middle of the night?
A. We have Emergency Call Buttons that residents wear during the day and are placed on the beds in the rooms at night. You just push the button and it alerts the staff that you are in need of help.

Q. Will I have my own bathroom?
A. We have one room that has a private bathroom and two semi-privates for residents to use. We have a "family home" atmosphere and therefore we do not have the same features as an institutionalized facility. With a capacity of only 6 people, our semi-private bathrooms will work for most residents.

Q. Do you celebrate Birthdays and other holidays?
A. Yes, we do! We always bake a cake and have a party on a resident’s birthday. If you have a special request for a dinner or have a favorite meal, this is your day! Other holidays are recognized as part of our monthly events. Christmas, New Years, Easter, The 4th of July, and Thanksgiving are examples of important holidays at our home. We try to create a holiday theme on and around each holiday for our residents with special dinners, decorations, and crafts.