The Hickman

From the moment we met Renee and the memory care staff we knew this was the place for mom. Renee is a very special person and the Hickman is lucky to have her! Thank you for being so patient with my dad and family.

The staff is amazing and they are always so helpful and encouraging to my Mom and my sisters and I.

My mother resided at The Hickman in assisted living from June 2023 until February 2024 when she passed away. We moved her there from independent living when she got quick-onset dementia. We had to move quickly to find a place. She was able to get around well with her walker but needed help with personal care. Reflecting on her eight months there fills me with sadness. While I encountered a few exceptional caregivers, the overall quality of care was disappointingly inconsistent. Despite spending eight months at The Hickman, my mother's basic needs often went unmet. Almost weekly, I would have to send an email to the managers of the staff to remind the caregivers to charge my mother's hearing aids and remove her dentures in the evening. Even after hanging large signs, her basic needs were not met. I would walk into her room and the TV would be blaring because she couldn’t hear. Often I would see her at meals without her dentures. Having hearing aids charged and in correctly is crucial for a decent quality of life at age 95. If you can’t hear, then you are unable to participate in the only few activities you are able to do at that age. We had numerous issues throughout the entire time she was there with the nighttime routine. She was left in her chair one night and never put to bed. She was put in bed with her water bottle which leaked all over her bed. We found medicine on her floor. Sometimes medicine was not given. Often the pagers didn’t work. In addition, it is extremely difficult to get through to anyone in the evening on the assisted living floors. The phone on each floor is located in an office that is not used. It is very inefficient and frustrating. If someone does answer the phone at the front desk in the evening, which is rare, they can only page or walk to the floor to find the caregivers and give them a message. In November, we started looking for a new place for her to live but it is so difficult to move someone when they are at that age and also in the winter. Management continued to tell us that they were hiring new staff and implementing new procedures and gave us hope that positive changes would be made. However, at the end, we were still talking about the same problems and issues. I realize that the constant turnover of staff makes it impossible to provide good care. Every new caregiver struggles to familiarize themselves with the residents' unique needs. For most residents in assisted living, including my mother, The Hickman serves as their final home, a place where a simple smile or friendly conversation can make all the difference. While the Bayada staff and a handful of Hickman staff members exuded warmth and compassion, the prevailing atmosphere lacked the loving feeling one would hope for in such a setting. Rarely did I witness any additional expression of kindness or time given to my mother during her stay there. Initially drawn to The Hickman due to its positive ratings and proximity to my home, I now regret the decision, recognizing it as the one aspect of my mother's care that I wish I could have changed. Those seven months were marked by frustration, worry, and difficulty, leaving me with a profound sense of sadness. I struggled whether to write a review for many reasons. I realize the industry is understaffed because it is driven by profit. There were also a few caregivers who did go over and beyond to show respect and love to my mother and I don't want to dismiss that. However, I felt strongly about being a voice for our elderly population. They deserve respect, kindness, compassion and patience. If you are unable to provide that then you should not work in that industry.

Our entire experience with The Hickman has been nothing but excellent. Everyone here is so kind and caring, they have helped our family walk through some very difficult steps in getting my father settled and have shown nothing but the utmost compassion. The facilities are beautiful, the food is fantastic, lots of activities, overall this is just a wonderful place! Having my father settled here has been like a big giant hug and sigh of relief.

A very happy place! The residents are always joyful and full of life.