Westgate Assisted Living

Westgate can be a pretty good option for someone who needs only a little bit of assistance with the tasks of daily living. The building is pleasant, and there’s a least a little sense of community among the residents.
Despite the «Best of Omaha» awards they’ve been getting, you need to ask some questions before choosing Westgate: 1) What is the minimum number of staff on duty at night? How do you know they’re not sneaking out? 2) Can you show me the procedure for changing the care level for a resident as their needs increase? 3) On holidays, do you ever serve «box suppers» which include items such as unopened canned food? (Ask the kitchen staff, not the marketing people!) 4) Some aides come from cultural backgrounds where they’ve never even observed the activities they’re expected to perform for residents (laundry, bed-​making, bathing…). What are you doing to provide the additional training they need? 5) If several residents soil their bedding at once, how will the laundry get done with just two tiny laundry closets?
Protip: Before choosing any care facility, you should make a few unannounced visits *outside normal business hours* to observe staffing levels.
(These comments are based on observations made prior to this year, so some things could’ve changed. That’s why I’m suggesting questions to ask rather than saying outright that the problems still exist.)