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When a parent falls ill it can mean a change in their living situation. As was the case for Larry Schovan’s parents. Larry had begun the process of looking for an assisted living community that could support both his parents’ needs after his father was hospitalized. His parents resided in Traverse City and he knew they needed to be closer to Larry’s home in Ada. Larry began researching assisted living communities in the Grand Rapids area. When his father passed away in September of 2021, Larry knew it was the right time for his mother to make the move to Clark. Looking back, Larry is glad he made the choice and is grateful for all the care Lois has received since moving to Clark.
Larry did his homework by researching as soon as his father was hospitalized. It was important to him to find a place where he knew his parents would be well cared for. After visiting over ten assisted living communities in Grand Rapids, his heart told him Clark was the right place. And he knows now he made the right choice.
After deciding Clark was the right community, Larry was a bit overwhelmed by how to move all of his mother’s belongings and furniture from Traverse City to Grand Rapids. Clark’s team was there to support Larry and his mother all along the way. Theresa Wilson, one of Clark’s Senior Living Advisors, connected him with a wonderful moving company specializing in senior moves. They were easy to work with and made the move seamless. Next, the moving company worked with Larry to set up Lois’ new home to recreate her former home – from artwork and photos to the placement of furniture and memorabilia. The Clark team worked diligently behind the scenes the entire time, making the transition as smooth as possible.
Throughout their entire journey, what has consistently set Clark apart is the depth of care provided to his mother. Whether he was interacting the Life Enrichment team, daily caregivers or the nursing staff and leadership – the level of care and engagement went above and beyond. The staff took a genuine interest in Lois and it was clear to Larry how much they cared for his mom. One day when he was visiting he ran into multiple staff members who kept stopping him to share their favorite story about Lois! When Lois fell ill and needed to be hospitalized, one of her daily caregivers visited her in the hospital on her day off of work. It has been clear from day one just how much the Clark staff cares about their residents.
Naturally, one of Larry’s initial concerns was making sure his mother’s quality of life was high. Life at Clark has been rich for Lois. She has beautiful live music in her room weekly with a guitar player and other musicians stopping in as part of Clark’s Music Therapy Program. The staff regularly takes her for coffee in the cafe and outside for fresh air in the gardens. Clark’s staff sends Larry pictures of activities Lois is participating in, such as cake making and flower arranging. But, her happiest day of the week is when she is in the salon getting her hair and nails done. Her appearance is an important part of her identity. She always has her hair perfectly done, lipstick and jewelry on, dressed in a Chico’s outfit. When she moved to Clark, the first thing on her agenda was scheduling a hair appointment at the salon!
Larry is grateful he chose Clark and acknowledges the heavy responsibility of making a decision like this for his mother.
“My success or failure of being a good son rests on Clark. And they have delivered.”
When asked what advice he’d give to other families looking for the best living options for their loved one, Larry said “Consider Clark first and compare it to the rest of them. If you start with Clark, you’ll save yourself a lot of time searching. The level of care is higher at Clark.”
If you think your loved one could benefit from Assisted Living or Memory Care at Clark, contact our Senior Living Advisors at marketing@clarkretirement.org or 616-278-6520 or fill out the form below to schedule a personalized consultation to discuss your loved one’s situation and see if Clark is the right fit for your loved one.