At Prestige Senior Living, many of our communities offer respite stays, where a resident can live with us short-term while they recover from a procedure, or their caregiver goes out of town, or the caregiver themself needs their own medical assistance.
But Prestige Assisted Living at Marysville recently had a different type of respite stay. Jeri Portzborn was serving as the caregiver for her husband Mick, who had suffered several strokes and heart attacks. He needed care beyond what she could provide at home, so he went to live in our Marysville community.
To stay close to her husband and be an active part of his care, Jeri (and their dog Tia) also moved into our Marysville community with him.
“I’d been caring for him at home for a number of years with a little assistance. But then he had another stroke… I found Prestige, and they allowed animals, and they also had a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment that we could use so that all three of us could be together instead of Mick being by himself and my just visiting him,” she said.
With that, Jeri, Mick and Tia were able to stay together while Mick received the care he needed until his final days.
“It enabled us to be a family until the very end and have care for him. It also gave me a rest because I was exhausted, so our quality of life improved immensely by being here with the people and the care and the environment. And having the dog was extremely important to both of us,” she said. “It was a good choice, it was probably the best decision I ever made. Both Tia, the dog, and I were with Mick when he took his final breath. It was very peaceful. We were surrounded immediately by people who took care of things and the transition could not have been calmer.”
It also allowed Jeri to be taken care of while she recovered from her own medical procedure during that time. By staying at Prestige, it allowed her to focus on her recovery and enjoy the time she had left with Mick without worrying about day-to-day details.
“I would not have to cook anymore, all our meals would be provided. I had help with going to doctor’s appointments, which after surgery I needed to have post-op visits,” she said. “The facilitation of physical therapy, occupational therapy, outside nursing, was fantastic, and they all came to me, it took all the pressure off. Everyone that visited was comfortable here and enjoyed the staff as well.”
For Jeri Portzborn and her family, their time at Prestige wasn’t just about care; it was about peace of mind and being able to stay together as a family during a challenging time.
If you find yourself in a similar situation, you may want to consider a respite stay for yourself or a loved one. Whether you’re an older adult who wants to give assisted living a try, or a caregiver who needs a break, a respite stay at Prestige may be exactly what you need.
Our dedicated team handles all the care needs of our residents, while providing opportunities for joyful, fulfilling activities. We offer three restaurant-quality meals per day in our dining rooms, along with regular housekeeping. We handle all the details, while our residents enjoy all that life has to offer.
If you or a loved one needs respite care, contact the community nearest you to learn more or to schedule a tour.