Not-So-Frequently-Asked-Questions

Every family’s story is different, but we believe it is best to transition before arrangements become impractical and dangerous for all involved. Many people delay because of guilt, grief, and promises made. However, postponing can take its toll on our elders and caregivers, straining the relationship and even leading to emergency admissions in the case of  serious injuries and/or caregiver health issues. While you may think your loved one is “not at that stage yet”, we recommend making these decisions while you still have time, options, and clarity of mind.

We have great caregiver-to-elder ratios  of 1 to 6 or 1 to 7, depending on the facility, far exceeding the state regulation of 1 to 15. These ratios do not include Activities Directors, Medical Assistants and other leadership members who are on the floor helping in every way throughout the day. 

New hires start their career with us with an initial 40 hours of training in our very own Vista Academy training program. Our program is designed to far exceed regulatory requirements and focuses heavily on ensuring everyone on our team is comfortable doing their job. Different people learn in different ways, so the training is a combination of hands-on practice with caregivers and other leadership, videos, tests and demonstrations of understanding. Beyond initial training, we support and encourage a culture of continuous improvement, consistently working to get better at what we do by challenging the status quo. Our entire team, from maintenance to executive directors, continues to participate in monthly training.  Every month there is an emphasis on dementia and related issues such as safety, emergency procedures, end of life and other critical topics. Monthly training is a combination of classroom time, educational videos and visits from outside professionals such as physical therapists and hospice agencies. While we take our work very seriously, we want to make sure our employees have fun and stay motivated in the workplace. We have an Employee Recognition Program that encourages teams to work together to create a more creative, fun environment for everyone at their home. This program includes compliments, training, fun competitions, and more. It involves all employees and helps promote healthy camaraderie across our teams.

Yes, our leadership operates on a rotating schedule to ensure weekends have leadership. On their weekends they are not found sitting at their desk. They work the floor, spending time with caregivers and elders. Even our Executive Director’s work in this rotation. This philosophy goes with the idea that no job is too big and we take pride in our culture of operating as a flat, less hierarchical organization. While care partners and managers have different responsibilities to provide the best care, everyone is engaged with our elders. From Maintenance to Executive Director, they can all be seen passing out medication, participating in activities, and enjoying our elders.

We provide care around the clock and are happy to bring someone a cup of tea after a nightmare, accompany an elder on a bathroom run, sit with someone who just wants to talk, and more. We have our full team on-site during regular business hours, and 2 caregivers that stay on-site through the night, as well as a manager who is on call. We constantly make rounds to make sure everyone is comfortable through the night. 

Every single day. No one in our homes has a desk job. Our Executive Directors, Social Service Directors, and even maintenance are active with elder care.  Everyone in our home knows the elders. Whether passing out medications, fullfulling their on-call or weekend duties, or helping to calm an agitated elder, our directors are constantly checking in on elders and working side by side with other staff to ensure everyone’s comfort and safety.

Many families find their way to our homes after trying larger, more corporate facilities.  Aside from seeing your loved ones excel in our homes, it warms our hearts to receive feedback on our communication.  Much to new families' surprise, our Executive Director and other leadership members are always available and willing to talk. Whether holding family conferences to check in, educating families on the disease process, or simply being a friend, we pride ourselves on being accessible to our families.

Yes, very much so. Our ownership has multiple calls with teams throughout the week, participates in all committees in order to have relationships with employees beyond top leadership, and always answers their phone to help address any issues that arise. They are accessible to families and engage with them every month during the Living Better Together Zoom Calls. They actively participate in program design, staffing, training policies, and all other aspects of the business. Like the rest of the team, the owners are in this business because they chose to be. It is their passion to care for those living with dementia, supporting families through the journey and providing opportunities for some of the best workers in the world.

We pride ourselves in being the absolute best when it comes to caring for those living with dementia. We believe our connection with families is what sets us apart. Dementia affects more than just the elder. In some cases, it affects the elder the least. Being there for families going through this difficult journey is what gets us out of bed in the morning. Whether taking the time to share a funny moment of your loved one via text or calling to see how YOU are doing, we are committed to being a support for your family as you cope with the difficult transitions of this journey. 

Vista at Home is our home care program that creates a loving and supportive relationship between our capable staff and your loved one before they progress into full time care. This allows both your elder and family caregiver to journey towards the next steps in the comfort and security of your own home. Our expert staff will educate you on the disease and support you every step of the way. When the time comes for your loved one to move into our home, we will know them like family.

We also have a counseling division called Vista Listens which is based on our Vista FAMILY Values. Vista Listens is dedicated to supporting all those impacted by aging and dementia. Vista Listens can support you through a variety of flexible services. Individual, group, couples, or family sessions can be provided in person or via Zoom.

In our experience, the vast majority of our elders adapt quickly and integrate into the community. We want our homes to feel like a family and our staff help elders find their unique role.The relationships between staff and elders is just as important as the relationships among elders and their peers. Our staff will try to learn as much as possible about an elder before their admission to make them feel at home. Some elders like to help take care of our pets, others will want to help out in the kitchen, and some will lend their green thumb to our gardening programs. Allowing our elders to stay true to their interests is the best way to help them transition.

Yes, family support is one of our core values at Vista Living Care. We can connect you to other VLC families to hear about their experience with their loved one’s care and we also have resources available for caregivers and families in the form of support groups, educational opportunities, and events to help the whole family in their journey.

Your loved one will be fully taken care of in our homes. We provide room & board, meals and snacks, unlimited housekeeping, laundry, unlimited access to our activities, transportation, social services, case management, and care around the clock. This is all included in our flat rate pricing model. Unlike level-of-care pricing, we will not increase the price as elders ’ needs change. At Vista Living Care, we commit to providing the care your elder needs.

Yes, we have a variety of rooms in our homes to meet the needs of elders throughout their journey. This includes private rooms and shared rooms. Shared rooms are shared by 2 people that are matched according to needs, interests, schedules, and sometimes as requested by elders who become close friends.  We understand families want a private room for their loved one. After all, most people have their own room throughout their adult life, with the exception of sharing with a spouse. With dementia, however, things can change. While counter-intuitive to some, shared rooms can bring great joy to an elder with dementia. It can create a feeling of safety and belonging and provide social interaction, reducing loneliness, helplessness, and boredom. For this reason, housing is flexible and can be adjusted as needed. As we get to know your loved one, we communicate our observations and work with you to ensure their living environment is best suited for their social, emotional, and safety needs.

Meal time is more than just nutrition in our homes.  Breaking bread with family and friends is a significant part of ones life. For this reason, meal time is one of the most important activities of the day.

We provide 3 meals per day and 3 snacks per day, with additional snacks or meals available as needed. The weekly menu can be sent to families upon request. Meals can be modified to accommodate Kosher diets, vegetarian diets, allergies, individual preferences, no added sugar/sodium diets, and more. Everything is homemade in our kitchens with fresh ingredients and we offer a variety of meals to keep mealtimes exciting. Elders are welcome to join us in the kitchen like a real family, helping with the cooking or helping to set the table.

We can’t accommodate  feeding tubes, IVs, or therapeutic diets that require calorie tracking, but we are willing to work with our elders’ doctors and/or nutritionists to meet their health needs.

Activity is key at Vista Living and we offer a variety of activities and experiences to fit different needs and interests. There are routine movement and exercise classes in-home and robust creativity and art programs that our elders can participate in. We also have planned trips and parties. Each home has a vehicle that normally takes elders out for grocery shopping, short day trips/tours, museum visits, and more. 

After the COVID pandemic shifted the way we view the transmission of illnesses as a society, we are hyper-vigilant in making sure that our outings are safe. Additionally, we have invested into our in-home experiences. We have great community partnerships that continually help us expand our activity offering.

In our creativity programs, elders can paint, make pottery, make music, write poetry, and develop their inner artist. There are also plenty of opportunities for daily engagement at our homes: gardening, playing with our pets, helping staff cook or set tables, etc. We like to offer a variety of different activities at a time so our elders can have options that suit their interests. 

We want all of our elders to feel at home as they adjust to a new environment. While they may bring their personal items, it is best to work with our directors to make sure everything will fit in their room and is in the best interest of the elder’s comfort and safety. 

We understand the desire to stay connected after admission. Some of our elders have these in their rooms,and others do not. While having a phone or TV in the room might seem second nature, they can sometimes lead to further isolation of an elder, especially during the initial adjustment period. This is of course something you can discuss with your director to meet your elder’s unique needs.

Former caregivers can visit as a friend, but may not carry out the duties of a caregiver. We understand it can be difficult to transition to a new care system and say goodbye to a long-term caregiver, but we find that it’s best to reestablish the relationship as elders transition as to avoid confusion and make for a smoother process.

As much as you would like! We do our best to help elders stay in regular communication with their loved ones as we know how important it is to stay connected. Visitation is preferred during regular business hours, and it’s best to check with each home’s director before any visit to find the time that is most suitable for your loved one’s schedule. We discourage visiting during mealtimes as it can be distracting for other elders in the community. However, if you want to eat together, we can arrange a family meal for you.

When elders move into our home, they become family. We live with them, care for them and get to know them deeply. We love them. We aim to provide a safe and stable living environment for our elders as long as possible and we take great pride in being with them until the end. Not only does it provide our team with closure, it helps to ensure they are cared for with the love and dignity they deserve. We can provide and coordinate hospice care, palliative care, and more to accommodate changing needs. In the rare case that behavioral changes make elders a danger to themselves or to others, or healthcare needs change such that they need care 24/7, we will consult with the family to plan the next step.

We have in-house nurses assigned to each home. They are also on-call after regular business hours.  We do not have in-house doctors, instead we allow elders to continue to work with their existing doctors. While not nurses or doctors, our team of Executive Directors, Social Workers and Medical Assistants are very experienced with the disease, associated medications and are very involved with care. This involvement has created strong relationships with local doctors, putting the elders' wellbeing first at all times.

Our staff and caregivers are at the heart of what we do at Vista Living Care. Our work is to create peaceful, joyous, caring spaces for our elders, and it starts with us. We are a friendly bunch and we respect each other above all else. When someone joins our team, we want them to flourish and keep growing with us.This is why we have ongoing training and learning opportunities, language learning incentive programs, and career development check-ins. Of course, our caregivers’ health is very important to us and they need to be taken care of before they can care for others. Aside from our health benefits, we also prioritized counseling for our staff during the pandemic. To see our full employee benefits, check out our careers page.