VNA of Eastern Massachusetts

I can’t say enough about the VNA Assisted Living facility. Twelve years ago it became clear that my mother needed additional help, and the Lowell Street location was a perfect choice for her. She is an independent person and because of the staff’s sensitive and caring approach she was able to maintain her independence while living there. Her apartment was lovely, a beautiful garden available, and help always when needed. She passed away two months ago and I am grateful for the excellent care she received and friendships she formed. She was very happy living there. My family had profound peace of mind knowing the quality of care she was receiving.

My father lived at the Lowell Street VNA for three years, until his death in hospice. He and I very much enjoyed being in his comfortable, sunny apartment and sitting together in the outdoor spaces during warmer months. The staff was friendly and caring, the food was very good, and the residents were welcoming. I visited him almost every day and he often expressed to me how comfortable he was, despite his difficulties with congestive heart failure. My younger brothers and sisters and I loved our father very much and truly felt that we could have found no better home for him in his final years.

My mother fell during an ice storm in February and broke her hip and pelvis and was severely incapacitated. I called the good folks at the Visiting Nurse Association in Somerville and was immediately scheduled for physical therapy. The nurse and therapist that were assigned to my mother were extremely, competent, caring and compassionate. They were always polite and on time and my mother looked forward to seeing them during her convalescence. In addition, my husband's dad was a guest of the VNA facility on Lowell Street in Somerville and was afforded the same level of care and compassion during his stay at their facility prior to his passing. The facility was clean and well appointed with a first class dining room and menu, a hair salon and boutique store for small purchases. Whenever we came to visit his father, the staff were always very friendly and helpful and we always looked forward to these times.

This center could improve in certain areas The staff is nice and attentive but the residents are not nice too them. Some staff lost their job because of that. My mother felt uneasy. It was so unfair …

I'd like to thank everyone involved in the care of my former husband during his recent stay at the VNA assisted living facility in Somerville. His progressive Parkinson's now requires 24/7 level of care which a son is arranging for him at home in Rochester, so he is moving there. This wouldn't have been possible without the support and care he received at the VNA. His stay there stabilized, for a long period of time, a more rapid downhill course. The staff were consistently caring and respectful as we dealt with a myriad of medical issues. As a physician myself, and having dealt with other family members who progressed through assisted living to higher levels of need, I can unequivocally state that what matters most in any type of similar facility is the staff that deal day in and day out with multiple challenges. Those at the VNA who care for and oversee its residents go above and beyond to meet their needs. Karen M Bell MD