Rakhma Inc

Rakhma provided loving and compassionate care for my family member. The home style group atmosphere worked so much better for us than a large institutional setting.

This is a synopsis of the thoughts I gave at my mom's memorial service in January. She had lived at Rakhma Joy Home for just over 2 years.

It was a difficult decision to move mom from her beloved Fargo to St. Paul. She was not necessarily a willing participant, but understood the difficulties that I was having commuting on a regular basis to help her out in Fargo.

Suddenly our mom, who had never had difficulty meeting friends and maintaining relationships, was sad, depressed, and lonely. It was heartbreaking for us and draining for me personally and hard on our family with me running over to spend so much care time with her.

When I contacted Rakhma, we were immediately enveloped into their family--all of us. From the moment I contacted them, I was told they not only had a room for her in their cozy St. Paul Joy home, but that that they would hold it for her until I went through the heady process of signing her up for Elderly Waiver and Medicaid.

I understand that Rakhma means "unconditional love" and that is what mom and we all felt since the moment she moved there. They had never known the person that we all knew and remembered, but they loved and accepted her anyway and knew her heart, the kind and loving essence that we all knew to be her. We can't thank her caregivers enough for the love and gentle care you gave her. It allowed me to again be her daughter for her final two years and reestablish that bond.

Even the residents have a very special bond there. One of the caregivers told me he witnessed a beautiful moment of one resident coming in to gently hold her hand while she was alone in her room during one of her final days. He told me mom had done that very thing when two other residents passed during the past year. He also said that another resident, after she passed, went to the front closet, found her coat and carried it around the rest of the day. Another resident, comforted her by rubbing her shoulders and telling me that "when someone passes, a new baby is born to continue the circle of life." Sure enough, when I went home the afternoon she passed, one of my high school friends posted on Facebook that he welcomed a new granddaughter that very morning.

I just wanted to say thank you to Rakhma, especially the Joy Home, for adding to our family the past two years. We love you and will be forever grateful.

I have been associated with Rakhma Homes for 20 plus years. Staff are caring and for the most part consistent. There's not a huge staff turnover. The smaller size of the houses allows for much better specialized and immediate care than a large facility. The residents seem happy, clean and well fed. They do many special events, activities and outings. There is nearly always something going on, and someone visiting. Family members are included in activities, and often keep coming back for special events even after loved ones have passed on. It truly is a "family" welcoming program both for residents and their family and friends. Rakhma homes are an excellent alternative to traditional Nursing Homes and care facilities.

My grandmother lives in the Rakhma Joy Home in St. Paul. My family and I are so grateful she is able to live in such a caring and love-filled home. The staff are welcoming to family and friends when we visit and they show genuine respect and care for the individuals living there. Rakhma is a beautiful place to live, each resident has their own comfortable and cozy bedroom. The yard is large and well-kept with gardens, seating areas and a nice front patio where we like to share snacks and have coffee with my grandma. My grandma enjoys walking around the yard looking at the flowers, as she was a gardener her whole life. Rakhma provides numerous events and gatherings for family and friends to come spend time with their loved one. During the warm months this year Rakhma hosted several barbecues that were always fun and filled with laughter and good home cooked food. The residents are frequently taking day trips to museums, going on river boat rides and having guest musicians and other visitors.

Before my grandma lived at Rakhma she was living in a medical nursing home with much more of a bleak hospital-feel. The staff did not understand how to work with those with Alzheimer's and it was hard to know she was staying in a place that was inadequate. On the other end of the spectrum, Rakhma is an incredibly special place for those with Alzheimer's and their family. I feel relieved to know that my grandma is surrounded by people who love her. It's clear when you enter the home that the staff build genuine relationships with the residents and nothing could be better than knowing my grandma is safe and cared for immensely where she lives. The staff at Rakhma have a thorough understanding of Alzheimer's and dementia and how to work with those who have the disease. The staff makes a true effort to know my grandma and what her life was all about. Rakhma is a wonderful caregiving home and I feel lucky that my grandma is able to live there.

My mother moved into Rakhma Peace house when her Alzheimer's symptoms made it unsafe for her to live alone. The staff went out of its way to give us an accurate understanding of what her day to day would be like, how her special needs would be met, and how we could best prepare for this transition as a family. Inevitably in the three years she was a resident there were challenges when staffing would change and when her health declined. In all cases I found our questions and concerns to be readily addressed, and the staff went well out of their way to make my mom comfortable, happy, and busy. We especially appreciated the special outings and in-house events that kept the residents' days from becoming too routine. We were always welcome in the house, which added to our own peace of mind. My mother spent her last years as happy as her illness allowed. I strongly recommend Rakhma to those who are looking for care for their family members with memory disorders.

This organization was a God send for my mom, we were ready to use a conventional care facility and then found Rakhma. This is the best situation we could have hoped for, excellent staff and the "at home" living made this transition smooth for all involved. They really do what they say they will, just the best situation for those with memory issues!

My grandmother lives at this residence due to her advanced case of dementia and the people here are always very kind, helpful and welcoming. They put on many events for the residents and the families which are always fun, and on top of that, they take the residents on outings very often. It feels good knowing that my grandmother has such great care like this and that I am always welcome there to give her a visit!

I volunteered at Rakhma for a mission trip a past summer. And it was amazing. The ability of the workers to care and take in people so compassionately is amazing.

Rakhma provides compassionate care to patients and their extended families. Each patient is treated with dignity and love, true to their mission. We would not want our loved one anywhere else.

The best loving care an adult in need could receive! Would not want my mother in law any where else and believe me we have tried other homes. None come close to the personal care she has at Rakhma !

This a warm and welcoming home. We enjoy our visits with the residents. The staff here is a great group of kind and compassionate people.

I volunteer at Rakhma Peace home once a week and have been doing so for about 2 months. I love the staff at the home and the women are wonderful! Everyone is so great and comforting and caring for all the women who live there.

Rakhma was a wonderful place to volunteer. I saw firsthand the wonderful staff at work, making the lives of these women as comfortable and enriched as possible. If you are searching for the right fit for your aging family member, this place is a blessing!

If I still lived in Minnesota, I would definitely still be volunteering here. Such a wonderful experience all around!

Mom had to leave her home and have 24 hour care. She had lived alone for 30 years. She loved being with people but by 90 was unable to get around and became solitary. We were lucky enough to find the home like setting at Rakhma Peace and mom now has activities and has friends in the residents, wonderful care staff and uniquely talented volunteers. The administration staff even found a Czech speaking volunteer to come in to speak with my mom in her native language. The loving atmosphere of Rakhma Peace Home is the best for my mother and I thank them every day.

My mother-n-law was lucky enough to get into this wonderful setting. The homes are everything they portray in their mission statement and in the beautifully written book about Rakhma. We are truly blessed as a family to have the emotional support from Rakhma along with the excellent care they provide for her. They treat each patient with the dignity they deserve and every family is like a member of their care team.

I like volunteering at Rakhma Home. The Nurses and Staff are all friendly and helpful. I enjoy hanging out and entertaining all the ladies at the Peace Home...I have been around Alzheimer's most of my life...my Great Grandmother and my Grandmother both had Alzheimer's and now my Grandfather has been diagnosed with Dementia. I believe this is one of the worst diseases that Elderly get. It is very scary for those that are losing their memory and very hard on the rest of the family. The most we can do for the patients is to make them feel loved and at home everyday!!

I have been involved with Rakhma for just over a year. Everyone I have met, from Board to employee to volunteer is completely resident focused. Each house has a warm, inviting, caring atmosphere. I am proud to be a part of such a wonderful organization.

The classic homey atmosphere of Rakhma sets it apart from any other care home in the city of Minneapolis. Since my volunteer day start in March, I've enjoyed the staff and residents. Looking for many more years to come spending time at Rakhma.

I am so glad I was able to find Rakhma. My mother has Alzheimers as well as being blind. Her living at Rakhma is a perfect fit. Wonderfully caring staff and volunteers are here. She is safe. All her wishes and needs are met. The entire Rakhma team is outstanding.

This past June I had the chance to volunteer at one of the Rakhma Houses when I was on a mission trip. It was a lot of fun. The workers gave us clues on what to do if we needed help and all of the residents were so happy. They would cheer us up and always bring a smile to our faces. It was the best time I had in a long time. The week with them was amazing. I would love to go back and volunteer there again.

My mother has alzheimers and we were so worried she would live when her needs went beyond our ability to care for her. She is as spunky now as she was before the alzheimers, which made her a great escape artist and someone in need of constant social interaction. She had to leave one facility for these reasons and our family spent a lot of time searching for a place that she would be safe and not feel like she was institutionalized. We were so fortunate that a caring social worker heard of a space being open in one of the Rakhma homes and our mother now gets to life in a family-like situation - in a house, with people who care about her, and she gets to go out in the yard in the summer and garden. Rakhma house organizes field trips, which she enjoys wholeheartedly no matter if its at a museum or boating. Her life is still meaningful and she gets the interactions she craves. Rakhma house is as supportive and caring for the families as well as the people who live there. They helped us adjust to this new situation and keep us informed and engaged in the care of our mother. I can't say enough about them. I am so grateful that they have brought a culture of loving support to people who need so much.

A year and half ago, my Mother "caretaker" fell and broke her pelvis and had to go to a rehab facility for 2 months or so. Meanwhile my Father was forcibly removed from his home and went to the hospital to be "observed" while the social worker tried to find a place close to our home. There was nothing available except a large locked unit which was horrible in everyway mentionable. My Father started to have behavioral issues and was sent to Bethesda for observation. What a gift! The social worker at Bethesda found the most wonderful, loving, caring group home for my Father. His behavioral issues got much better and he's so much happier with this wonderful Rakhma Joy House. The staff are unbelievably patient, kind and truly, I MEAN TRULY, care for their clients. It's just like a family. Actually the staff are like my family!!! Recently and very suddenly my oldest brother passed away and the staff, you know who you are, were their for us in every way possible. I just love them all!!!!! Thank God for Rakhma, the home of unconditional love.

Our entire family is so blessed that Rakhma homes exist. True to the vision they started with over 3 decades ago, Rakhma homes offer a safe, nurturing environment for people suffering from memory loss. Not only do they treat their residents with dignity and compassion, but care givers also extend themselves to family members by getting to know each person who walks in the door. There is a real sense of fellowship within each house and a plethora of meaningul, engaging activities for the residents which can be attended by friends and family members. Communication via social media, email, and phone calls is ongoing with the utmost respect for each situation. More of these residential homes should exist in every community across the United States.

I work for a non-profit that trains nursing assistants and then helps them find good places to work after their training is completed. We have had a continuing relationship with Rakhma for the past 3-4 years as we have placed some excellent caregivers with them. In all of my interactions with Susan Eckstrom, the Executive Director, Bethany and other staff members, I have been very impressed with the integrity and the true heart motivation that I have seen to give the most compassionate, respectful and individualized care to their residents as possible. They are not a huge organization but do a wonderful job in providing nurturing care and a supportive environment for both their residents with dementia and for their families. If it were necessary for any of my loved ones to need memory care, I would certainly entrust Susan and her staff with their care.

I experience wonderful caring love with Rakhma and my friend who is a resident at Rakhma. I know she is well cared for. They have a wonderful caring environment.

I have been a board member at Rakhma since 2008 and have been continously impressed by the Rakhma team. The homes have done a great job of not only providing the home-like setting for those suffering from Alzheimers and Dementia, but also in creating new and engaging programming for the residents.

There is running calendar of events for residents that are enhanced by the participation of staff, volunteers, and family.

The Rakhma homes are a special place and will continue to be so.

In September 2012, I responded to a Craig's List posting on behalf of the 3 Twin City Rakhma Homes. They were looking for a volunteer Musical Worship Service presider to come and bring music, worship, meditation and spirituality reflections.

It happily and immediately resonated with me and shortly afterward, I met with the Volunteer Director at one of the Rakhma homes, had my first tour visit and met my first Rakhma residents. Some were open, curious, welcoming, listening, child-like and animated. Others were shy, reticent, withdrawn, pacing, sleeping, disconnected or 'somewhere else.' In all 3 homes, I find that the committed continuity of staff itself is the golden glue in the homes and its the devoted household staff that makes it all work and come together.

I had heard of the Rakhma Homes over the years and was always drawn to its name: Rakhma, in the Aramaic, it means 'unconditional love and caring.' On this visit, I saw ''The Rakhma Story" book on a bookshelf and they gave it to me to learn about the beginning vision-mission-history of the Rakhma homes in the Twin Cities.

Suffice it to say that the founders, Shirley Joy Shaw and her colleagues, were way ahead of their time, paying attention and responding to the signs of the times to come, the esalating increase of Alzheimer's-Dementia needs in Minneapolis-St. Paul, and the nation at large.

As a former-current Hospital-Hospice Chaplain and trained pastoral counselor for health care issues, I come to Rakhma as a volunteer and also as a professional with expertise in the needs, concerns and disease progressions of folks struggling with Alzheimer's-Dementia, having experienced and working with both on deeply personal as well as professional levels. Most of the past and current research focus is on the medical-cognitive-organic processes of what is failing, gone or missing.

However, my love and recognition for the Rakhma residents and staff are far more about the spirit of music and the music of spirituality...which touches and moves all souls, no matter what stage the resident's memory might/might not be in. I come to Rakhma to respond to and engage in what still remains intact and alive in those whose memories are so fragile, the stuff that is not gone or missing, yet. I come with my background in Music and hail its universal creative value with its power to move body, soul, and even memory itself. And it does!

That's another word and meaning that I love. The word, "Memory," is to remember, to be able to recall past experience--which reminds us of who we are. In my 9 months of volunteering, the Rakhma residents and some of the staff have taught me about my own understanding of memory: that 'once lived experience is buried in there somewhere' because it was once real lived experience, and remains so.

When driving to one of the Rakhma Homes to provide musical worship services, I often hear myself humming the words to Barbara Streisand's incredibly soul-filled and bitter-sweet song: "Memories, like the corners of my mind, misty watercolor memories...of the way we were. Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind, smiles we gave to one another...of the way we were."

The Rakhma Homes and this song...is about the story of each and all of us!

I have been volunteering weekly with Rakhma since I moved to the Twin Cities in the fall of 2012, and it has been a wonderful volunteering experience that I would recommend to anyone who's interested in volunteering with older adults.

First, the organization appears to be very well administered and organized; communication with and within the organization is easy. The staff is very understanding of my schedule and (unfortunately frequent) last-minute cancelations. And they're friendly and they do a lot to make me feel like my volunteering is appreciated.

Second, and much more importantly, I love the feeling I have when I'm in the home. The residents seem comfortable and happy and the staff seem very capable, caring, and conscientious. Being here feels like visiting in someone's home -- it doesn't feel "institutional" at all. And because the staff take complete care of all of the residents' needs, I get to spend my volunteer time simply chatting with the residents, watching movies, playing catch, etc. It's a lot of fun.