The Hickman

My mother resided at The Hickman in assisted living from June 2023 until February 2024 when she passed away. We moved her there from independent living when she got quick-onset dementia. We had to move quickly to find a place. She was able to get around well with her walker but needed help with personal care. Reflecting on her eight months there fills me with sadness. While I encountered a few exceptional caregivers, the overall quality of care was disappointingly inconsistent. Despite spending eight months at The Hickman, my mother's basic needs often went unmet. Almost weekly, I would have to send an email to the managers of the staff to remind the caregivers to charge my mother's hearing aids and remove her dentures in the evening. Even after hanging large signs, her basic needs were not met. I would walk into her room and the TV would be blaring because she couldn’t hear. Often I would see her at meals without her dentures. Having hearing aids charged and in correctly is crucial for a decent quality of life at age 95. If you can’t hear, then you are unable to participate in the only few activities you are able to do at that age. We had numerous issues throughout the entire time she was there with the nighttime routine. She was left in her chair one night and never put to bed. She was put in bed with her water bottle which leaked all over her bed. We found medicine on her floor. Sometimes medicine was not given. Often the pagers didn’t work. In addition, it is extremely difficult to get through to anyone in the evening on the assisted living floors. The phone on each floor is located in an office that is not used. It is very inefficient and frustrating. If someone does answer the phone at the front desk in the evening, which is rare, they can only page or walk to the floor to find the caregivers and give them a message. In November, we started looking for a new place for her to live but it is so difficult to move someone when they are at that age and also in the winter. Management continued to tell us that they were hiring new staff and implementing new procedures and gave us hope that positive changes would be made. However, at the end, we were still talking about the same problems and issues. I realize that the constant turnover of staff makes it impossible to provide good care. Every new caregiver struggles to familiarize themselves with the residents' unique needs. For most residents in assisted living, including my mother, The Hickman serves as their final home, a place where a simple smile or friendly conversation can make all the difference. While the Bayada staff and a handful of Hickman staff members exuded warmth and compassion, the prevailing atmosphere lacked the loving feeling one would hope for in such a setting. Rarely did I witness any additional expression of kindness or time given to my mother during her stay there. Initially drawn to The Hickman due to its positive ratings and proximity to my home, I now regret the decision, recognizing it as the one aspect of my mother's care that I wish I could have changed. Those seven months were marked by frustration, worry, and difficulty, leaving me with a profound sense of sadness. I struggled whether to write a review for many reasons. I realize the industry is understaffed because it is driven by profit. There were also a few caregivers who did go over and beyond to show respect and love to my mother and I don't want to dismiss that. However, I felt strongly about being a voice for our elderly population. They deserve respect, kindness, compassion and patience. If you are unable to provide that then you should not work in that industry.

Our entire experience with The Hickman has been nothing but excellent. Everyone here is so kind and caring, they have helped our family walk through some very difficult steps in getting my father settled and have shown nothing but the utmost compassion. The facilities are beautiful, the food is fantastic, lots of activities, overall this is just a wonderful place! Having my father settled here has been like a big giant hug and sigh of relief.

We recently made the very challenging decision to have my sister move into The Hickman’s Darlington memory care unit. She is only 68 and had been cared for at home but was declining and needed greater care. We toured the unit and at The Hickman’s advice had my sister join us. We were hesitant about this but it was fabulous advice and my sister was enthusiastic about her new “apartment” and all the activities she observed. Renee and all of the staff have been so wonderful in helping us adjust and making my sister feel welcome. They are excellent at getting her involved in activities quickly and she is thriving. Somewhat surprising to us she has already made friends with the other residents. The Hickman follows Montessori principles for Senior Care which emphasize respect for individuals and their unique needs - this is very evident as each resident is given choices and their individuality honored. We started this process very worried if this was the right decision and if my sister would adjust. Not only has she adjusted but she seems to be thriving. The Hickman has also ensured she gets outside; to the hair salon; had her nails done; and is being well cared for each day. We are very thankful to the Hickman and staff for their excellent care, compassion and constant updates and communication.

My Mother moved into The Hickman as she was recovering from a long but successful battle with pancreatic cancer. Her personal fight for her life was courageous but very private. She is fiercely independent. When surgery and chemo left her unable to walk and breathe without the support of oxygen, she finally agreed to move to a senior community. My family and I researched many facilities. During our tour I could sense right away that The Hickman was the IDEAL community for her. I had worked with The non-profit called "A Place for Mom" which prepared me to ask the right questions and determine what would be suitable for my Mom’s personality and personal care, as well as within our budget. The team at The Hickman worked with her and miraculously transformed her. She started walking after 6 months and she is breathing normally again without oxygen. The Hickman’s food is also really great! My mother taught culinary arts for 25 years and is hard to impress. Even after chemo she is finding things she enjoys as she slowly gets her taste buds back. The chef personally introduced himself to her on her first day and asked her preferences. She loves the ice cream especially. She didn’t like ice cream before. The groups meals are a big part of the routine to keep the community together and to keep everyone’s daily life on a schedule. The games, events and entertainment are well thought out and fun, even for an introvert like my Mom! The personalities of the people who live on her floor are a hoot too so that helps her stay engaged and connected. Her quality of life has radically improved over how she was feeling living on her own. The community and the activities bring intellectual stimulation and companionship everyday. She exercises regularly which has helped her gain her strength back and improve her mood. The personalized care The Hickman team gives her is beyond what my family and I could of ever provided on our own. The nurse and daily support are well trained and personable. She has become very attached to them- I suspect she prefers them to my family and to be honest - I should be jealous : ) The Hickman has made all the difference. If I could give them a 10 star review on here I would. I wish the very best of luck to anyone reading this- it’s a tough transition for a family and takes a lot of work to make a big decision for your parents. I recommend going on a tour of The Hickman to get a sense of what the best quality care looks like so you can make an informed decision.

Our family was searching for a Personal Care facility in the Chester County area that would be a good fit for my sister-in-law who recently had a stroke and was no longer able to live independently in her own home. During the initial phase of our search, the Director of Admissions, Jennifer Harris, was extremely helpful in answering our questions about the admissions process and transparent in explaining admissions criteria and costs. Based on this information, we took a tour of the facility and were very impressed with the new Anna T. Jeanes building and the services available. The move-in coordinator, Renee Adams, did a fantastic job organizing all of the details involved in having the selected apartment available and ready-to-go, even within a very short time frame. And she has been a great resource of information even post move-in, making sure that any questions were answered. It has been several weeks now since my sister-in-law moved in and we have been extremely pleased with The Hickman and particularly the staff who have been supportive and friendly throughout. The exercise and activities have been a lifeline for my sister-in-law. Finding and selecting a personal care facility for a loved one is an arduous task and can be very overwhelming. We are deeply thankful to The Hickman for demonstrating an on-going commitment to their stated Quaker principles, mission and vision. It shows!!