Touched by A White Dove Assisted Living

The community is wonderful and you couldn't find a better one. The room sizes are good. the food looks and smells good. They do a lot for the residence to keep them engaged. I would definitely recommend this facity.

It would be near impossible to find a place that takes better, loving care of their residents. My mother had an immediate smile one her face when she walked in and sat in her recliner. She told me that she'd never been more comfortable in her life. Testimony doesn't get any better than that. [Name removed] and [name removed] are beyond awesome. Our family was blessed to have Mom here.

Carmen and Curtis of Touched by a White dove are truly God's angels. They took care of my most precious gift, my Grandmother at a time when I felt no one was there left to help her. Well in came Carmen and Curtis and turned our lives around. My Grandmother was treated with true love and compassion. She was a member of their family, not a client as is everyone who stays there. There are not enough words of gratitude for them. If you are considering a place for your loved one, you need not go any further. This is the place. Not only for your loved one, but the peace of mind they give the family is amazing. They work closely with a great hospice family and can meet the needs of your special person with the respect and dignity the deserve. They will always be a special part of my life and heart. You will see that when you've been with them for 5 minutes. I am eternally grateful that God put our paths together.

The woman (I’m sorry I don’t remember her name) was kind and compassionate and I trusted she could do Pat’s insulin regime but it was a very small place and with all of Pat’s issues, we ultimately decided that he would do better in a different setting. We equated it to some people love going to Bed and Breakfasts and love the intimate interactions, and some people would be miserable in that setting and prefer staying in a comfortable hotel where they can have their space and quiet time when desired. Pat is definitely a “hotel” guy and we found a wonderful “hotel” environment for him. I read the reviews and comments on Touched by a White Dove and felt like it would be a wonderful place with a compassionate couple but just not the right setting for Pat.

I do not think I can adequately put into words how much I appreciate what Carmen and Curtis provided for my dad and entire family. The two are truly wonderful, compassionate and knowledgeable people. My only regret is that we did no find them sooner. My father was a difficult Alzheimer’s/Dementia patient that had been in and out of a assisted living facilities and home care places. He came to Carmen and Curtis bruised and banged up. He created long and difficult nights for them until the disease caught up with him and he was bed ridden for his final few days of life. Throughout it all they were patient, compassionate and communicative. Carmen called me everyday with updates and we would discuss my dad laughing and sometimes crying together. It felt as if my dad was in the care of a long time family friends because they took an interest in who my dad was a person, his interests and his dislikes. Carmen and Curtis have YEARS of experience in this work and this was evident in their knowledge of what patients need, particularly Alzheimer’s/Dementia patients. I live out of state and my sibling were in Santa Fe. Our journey with my dad had been so difficult, but we finally found peace here. My dad was only there for a short time before his passing, but in that short time I appreciated the individualized care, the feeling of finding a home for my dad, and lengths Carmen and Curtis went to in order to make my dad and our family feel taken care of.

I am a physician who moved my 96 yr old mother here because the care for a bedridden mentally intact person was inadequate in a high profile institution in Albuquerque. She lived until passing in her sleep at age 102 years, and was happy and fully mentally intact the entire time. She transferred here with bedsores, which Carmen and Curtis Hudson healed virtually overnight, and never recurred in 6 years of care. There highly skilled care was provided with love and thoughtfulness unmatched in our extensive experience. Don't be fooled by other places with country-club look, etc, , if you wish your disabled loved one to live out her life with the best, most loving skilled health care, you will come to value this couple. There care is 24 hrs a day and 7 days a week, and are totally dependable. I have visited a number of other Assisted Living centers in Albuquerque and find two significant problems that all have with the exception of "Touched-By-A Dove": 1) Changing staff every 8 hours, and/or differing staff several days a week. Elderly patients depend upon familiar caring faces, and become anxious and frightened by new faces. Thus the staff do not get to know the patients, or the patients to know them. 2) If the patients call for assistance in the middle of the night they are met with an unfamiliar strange person who is totally unfamiliar with them or their health limitations. Carmen and Curtis Hudson are the constant familiar faces around the clock. Really an amazing facility. This is what really counts, not a swimming pool or other such amenities for elderly people disabled and confined to a bed or chair.

I am a physician adding to my review concerning my outstanding experience at Touched-by-a-Dove for my bedridden but mentally intact mother age 96yr who passed away at Touched-by-a -Dove at age 102 yrs. [Removed] adding comments about other Assisted Living places if I have experience to assist others who are searching. Not only have I visited at least seven other places in Albuquerque, but I consulted Geriatric physicians for advice. They recommended Touched-by-a-dove highly for several reasons: 1) No staff turnover (very difficult for elderly people to adjust to new faces every 8 hrs, or several days a week, a huge problem causing anxiety, etc. 2) Elderly disabled people seek touching-caring love in family atmosphere. ( they can't use swimming pools, movies, crowded entertainment, etc. They see comforts of home and family.) Carmon and Curtis have a dog that visits each person regularly which is highly appreciated by their patients; they have grandchildren that drop by with happy chatter and reminders of family life as an ongoing reality. In a very personal way they celebrate birthdays, etc.

My mother currently lives at White Dove, and is one lucky lady! Carmen and Curtis are her loving, skilled and Spirit-filled caretakers. She came to them one year ago--confused, suspicious and poorly nourished. Today she is calm and content, sleeps and eats well, and has the companionship of therapeutic animals, peers, family, and of course, Curtis and Carmen. White Dove has been such a positive experience for our whole family. They have not only taken care of Grandma, but have given us moral and spiritual support as we go through the emotional ride that is dementia. I truly cannot say enough good things about White Dove. If you or your family are looking for end of life care, please visit Carmen and Curtis. Few people can do what they do, and even fewer can do it with such love.

My mother has been living with Carmen and Curtis for almost three years. Placing Mom there has been the best decision I have made since taking over my Mother's care four and a half years ago. I do not have to worry and constantly check up on her medication, her laundry, her eating. There, she is always clean, feed and well cared for. And more importantly, she is loved and happy. She is part of their family. Even the male teenage grandson will load Mother in the wheelchair and take her outside for a walk or hang out on the back yard. At her previous care facilities, Mom's medication was a mess, she was overweight, and diabetic. She was often left alone, sitting by herself. I had to drop into her care facility several times a day to check up on her. I constantly had to deal with everything, laundry, food, doctors. Carmen and Curtis took over all of that and worked tirelessly to put her on a healthy path. They give each resident and an immense amount of individual attention. They have carefully gone through each stage of my mother's dementia, carefully working with both me and my mother. A tremendous amount of stress and worry has been lifted from my life by placing my with Carmen and Curtis. Mom was much more aware and mobile when she first moved in with them. They took her shopping or on earrands or to get a manicure. They planned outings for her so that she was always part of the outside world. They individualize everything for each resident. In Mother's room, she has family photos and the space has been made to feel like her old bedroom. Everything is done to make her feel at home. Yes, this is a house, with knick knacks, dogs and plants and family visiting. It is not an institution. Everyone in the family treats my Mother as if she was their own grandmother. The house and yard are always clean and safe. She is never alone. Mom always loved being with people. At Touched By Angel, she is part of the family. She watches television with the family in the den. She eats with them, she celebrates with them. She is always encluded in everything. I am always confident that she is being well cared for and she is in the best of hands, as her desease progresses. For me and more importantly, for my Mother, Carmen and Curtis and their family have been the best thing for her.

Where to begin after reading some of these reviews.. so here we go with my experience.. we will all go through some kind of health issue before we die. and when it is a loved one you want the best for them.. I lived in Fl. at the time and would travel back and forth to see my Mom.. at first she was put in a hospital type senior care.. OMG It was horrible.. their care is to put them on drugs and keep them zoned out so they aren't too much trouble. I would always call her and they were very good about getting her to a phone but she was soooo drugged up and at times I couldn't believe the fear in her voice, and sadness and the way they acted like it was just Her... we finally had been directed to Carmen and Curtis.. they were able to accept her in their home.. I went there for the transition.. and I immediately liked them.. and when they got her there and Carmen saw the drugs they had her on, she could not believe it.. a mixture of drugs, that nobody should be put on.. so, began the process. she studied all about my mom, met us who were there in Alb. and mostly her medical charts and began a slow process of weaning her OFF drugs... What a difference... wow my mom became aware again, she felt safe and there was Love immediately.. we as a family were welcome there always. I didn't have the sadness and fear for her I did before.. Yes, it is in their Home.. and they had great home cooked meals, and she was bathed and changed each day. My mom got to feel herself, even though she could not do things on her own ever again.. she had lost my Dad, her best friend forever.. but with losing her home she also had no pets which she missed. her kitty had run away long before.. So, here we went one day and they had go my mom a cat. ? omg my mom was sooo happy.. animals are great love for people in these conditions and they knew.. and next when she started with the Dementia it would scare her.. We took personal stuff of my mom's for her room. Pictures, books, and made sure she had her rosary.. I told Carmen that if she gets scared, let her hold it and she would feel comfort.. and Carmen would sit with her, pray with her and talk to her and my mom would always then go to sleep. or relax. then the time came when she would be awake at night and sooo scared. and Carmen would go sit with her ect. But one day went down to the Catholic store and bought a Glow in the Dark Rosary... that melted my heart. That shows the love she has for these folks in her home. and my mom would hold it and Carmen would sing and hum familiar songs to her.. I am not an organized religion type person, but my Mother loved her faith in the church and well, Carmen and Curtis kept it strong for her. No pushing nothing.. Her birthday was on the 4th of July.. and she had her bed by the windows, and she could see flowers outside and plants inside and well there again these things comforted my mom.. she lived that life too. and on her birthday Curtis would go outside her window and light sparklers, and make her day special as we all did for her life.. Carmen would make her favorite cake, cookies, everything special.. at the time when she could no longer get up and sit in a chair, and had to be in bed, Carmen would get lavender oils and good things to massage in her skin to relax, and to avoid bed sores.. My Mother was bed ridden for quite awhile and NEVER, AND I MEAN NEVER HAD A BED SORE.. wow how awesome is that.. then when the time was coming for her to go on to Life's next adventure, they came and told them they would take her to the hospital. and they said NO. along with our saying NO. who wants to die in a hospital or in a place where nobody cares, they drug you up to shut you up.. not with them.. Carmen and Curtis kept her there with them. Carmen again holding her hand, giving her her rosary, singing to her and comforting her til she left us.. now not only was I impressed for my mom, but the other ladies there. yes, if they were able to go sit outside and enjoy the flowers and sun and stuff outside it was great. There was also another lady there. who also could not get up. and everyday her sweet husband would be there to sit, hold her hand and be with his wife.. along the way, this gentleman became where he couldn't take care of himself either.. soooo, the room next to hers where my mom was at one time, became his room. next to his wife's room.. melted my heart to see what they do for the people in their care.. I truly Love these two and I look at them as my Angels when we needed to go through life's steps with mom, they were Truly my mom's Angels.. I love them, I would recommend them to anyone who wants love for their loved ones. and when the day comes I have to leave this world and move on, I totally hope I am as blessed as my mom was. Thanks is never enough, but seeing them do all of this out of Love for people, how can anyone not want that for their loved ones.. They are extremely Special in our hearts forever ?

The folks at Touched by a White Dove were a godsend. Mom lived with them for the last 6 months of her life, and was loved and cared for as if she was their own grandmother. I don’t think we could have found a more loving environment for our Mom, who had Alzheimer’s and suffered the disorientation and confusion common to that ailment. We are happy to recommend Touched by a White Dove without reservation. Mom had been living in a large, national-chain facility where she was lost in the shuffle — she was bumped and bruised, clothing went missing, she was not kept clean, etc. She seemed isolated in spite of being with others. Her Alzheimer’s had gotten to the point that organized activities and sing-alongs meant little, and the care and loving reassurance she needed was not happening — she was just another client, not a real person to the rotating staff. We knew she was not getting the care she needed, in spite of constantly escalating costs, but didn’t know where to turn. When we found Touched by a White Dove, we felt such relief! I think Mom felt like we had brought her home. The White Dove family learned what she liked and needed, learned her schedules and understood her inability to learn new things, and accommodated themselves to her needs. She was included in all the normal events of a home, encouraged and helped to take part in activities that were geared to her, and generally treated with so much respect and love. It was wonderful to know she was in a home instead of “the place” where she’d been living, that she was part of a family, not a client. The folks at White Dove were able to merge seamlessly with the other services Mom was receiving (she was on Hospice). The communication was excellent, and we really appreciated the texted updates and photos. Visiting was so much simpler than it had been when Mom was at the big facility, and we were always made to feel like part of a loving family. As Mom neared the end of her days, her caregivers kept in almost constant touch with us, and were so kind and helpful. We appreciated the support that they gave to all of us, not just our Mom.

This husband and wife team seem very dedicated, but this location is not a good fit for us. The other two residents have fairly advanced dementia and health problems, and I don't think my mother would feel comfortable here. The room available for her is small, and there are a few other structural issues of the home that caused us concern. The caretakers never really asked about my mother's condition or what they could do for her. That troubled us. And after visiting a few other locations that offered a structured routine and activities developed to manage dementia issues, this location just didn't hold much appeal to us.

It was a residence. I definitely didn't like. Three residents with a husband and wife taking care of them. They didn't want visitors after 5 pm because of sun downers. It was way too restrictive. I thought that it would be really isolating for my mom.

The lawn has a big angel on it - should have been my first clue. It was not OK. Cleanliness was bad. The people were lower socioeconomic class. The manager or owner shared way too much personal information that I didn't care about. The back of the place was bad. They kept saying that they were going to fix everything, but it seemed like a bunch of excuses. It was very religious. There were crosses and religious pictures everywhere. One of the people loves plant and there were plant all over the place, so bad that it didn't seem healthy. Basically, it was infested with plants and religious memorabilia.