Sugar Hill Assisted Living Community in Dalton, MA

My husband and I moved into a cottage so we do not spend our days and nights under the care of the certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and nurses in the Mansion. We have observed, however, a daily pattern of watchful eyes and knowledgeable responses towards their charges.

On the other hand, both of us have experienced an emergency and were assisted by the professionals. My husband Rex was leaving the dining room one afternoon after lunch and he became weak. I asked the two dining staff there to grab hold of him and they got him to a chair in the side entry hall. A CNA immediately appeared and then a nurse. The ambulance and EMTs arrived shortly. We had similar episodes in our home but this was remarkably smooth and far easier to handle. At lunch one afternoon, I noticed small brightly colored boxes floating in one eye and was concerned. I was able to ask a nurse about this and she gave me some information and had the office set up an appointment for me with my eye doctor. (It turned out to be a reaction to blinking lights, such as on my large modem.)

Residents enjoy many activities such as exercise and chair yoga, social hours often featuring live entertainment, woodworking, and master art classes, monthly birthday parties, and special occasions. Both Betsy (chair exercise and walking) and Doreen (chair yoga) personalize their programs for individuals through prior consultation and on-the-spot signals. Ann, our social worker, presents medically-based talks from experts to residents and community members. One recent program was on head injuries presented by a woman who had experienced a severe concussion. She received several new appointments later as a result of her talk.

Dave is a maintenance worker who has helped us put together several items we purchased for our duplex. Our wooden file cabinet came in a trillion pieces and the outdoor set on our porch needed assembly as well. Drivers, Dave and Glenn, are available for medical appointments during the week for short trips as well as longer ones. For the past two years, Mary, a resident, is driven weekdays by the regular drivers to be with her husband in a nearby nursing home. On Saturdays, a person from the office takes her. When the cadillac is not available, Dave and Glenn use the Sugar Hill bus for appointments. The bus generally is used for groups to go to events, for shopping, or for sight seeing.

The wait staff members are very helpful in assisting us with our walkers, explaining the menu (of which we have copies, but often need the help), or suggesting alternatives. Angela is a member of the kitchen staff as well as one of the housekeepers for the mansion and cottages. She enjoys her jobs and says she loves the residents. In her free time, Angela writes fantasy novels. We held Rex’s birthday in the small dining room and had a wonderful time. Sugar Hill has proven to be a stable environment for seniors to live fully. It goes beyond that to bring elements of pleasure, knowledge, and self improvement. To sum it up, Sugar Hill is amazingly nice for residents, staff and visitors.