Village of Southampton

Choosing a new community for my father was one of the hardest decisions I have had to make based on previous community experiences and evolving circumstances. Reading Dr. Atul Gawande’s *Being Mortal* (must read) beforehand would have helped me set more realistic expectations sooner and avoided my heartache at previous facilities: no facility, however well-marketed, can replace ongoing, active family involvement, even if it all falls on you. The best outcomes have come from treating staff as partners, not substitutes for our own oversight and delegating other appropriate responsibilities, if possible. The Southampton team has been attentive and caring within the scope of what any senior living community can reasonably and realistically provide. Like any large organization, quality varies by leadership, individual, shift and by need, and families should expect to stay closely involved as care needs evolve, not “set and forget” or “warehouse”. For families willing to remain engaged active partners, the Southampton can be a good match yet they cannot replace competent, loving family. For those expecting full delegation without active involvement by family and coordination with outside resources, it won’t be a match, and that’s not any community’s fault. It has been my experience with every community. After 18 months, I am grateful for the genuine moments of connection and dignity the Southampton staff and our private caregivers have offered my father to insure he continues to live the quality of life he has defined for himself and we seek to create for him.