Testimonials

“Thank you for your amazing care, love, and dedication to our Dad (Don) and Betty and all the residents at Columbia Cottage. Dad is healthier now than he has been in years!”

“Thank you for all you are doing to keep our loved ones safe and comfortable during this difficult time. You give new meaning to essential and we keep you in our prayers as it is difficult to find words to express our thanks. Sending a virtual kiss there to mom and please send our heartfelt admiration to all those providing care and nurturance.”

“We are grateful to all of you for continuing to provide such excellent care for all residents. Everyone at Columbia Cottage is giving so much of themselves.”

"I have only been to Columbia Cottage on a few occasions as I live in Vermont.  I am writing to thank you so much for your constant updates. I truly appreciate the challenges and problems running a residence like this can cause for you. You are handling everything to the utmost best that you can do and your communication with us is greatly helpful. 

You know we, and I’m sure all the families, would love to be able to meet our loved ones in person but we ourselves are sheltered in place for the most part and are so happy that she is in a safe environment throughout this terrible time. I thank you for keeping your residents and staff safe and I hope soon we can be past this all and be able to get in to see her.  She doesn’t understand anything much but we try to talk to her and help her through the days ahead."

"There are simply no words that can express our gratitude for the care, love, and friendship you provided our wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, Mrs. Mary Josephine Miller. She meant so much to so many people. Not only did each of you welcome Mary with open arms, but you welcomed our entire family. You deserve so much more than just a thank you.

We know your jobs are sometimes thankless, stressful, and frustrating, so we want you to know that we are deeply grateful for all that you did for Mary and our family. Saying thank you seems hardly fair considering all that you’ve done, but please know, your gracious, unyielding care for Mary meant the world to us."

“I wanted to thank all of you for coming to work during this scary and extra ordinary time to take care of my mom, Gloria, and all the other residents. I know you are all risking your health & safety to take care of my loved one and I want you to know how much I appreciate it! Although I don’t have enough words to thank you, I have enclosed a small token of appreciation. Wish I could do more. Thanks again & may God bless you and your families!”

“Hope your day is filled with smiles, laughter, and special moments to remember always. Happy Easter! Thank you for the heartfelt care you give, especially during the pandemic.”

“I just wanted to let you all know how much we appreciated the care and kindness that you all gave to Bill. I cannot think of one time during either of his stays that he was not greeted with a smile and cared for with dignity. Your support and kindness to our family during difficult times is very meaningful.”

“For all that you are doing for the residents during this challenging time, I send a heartfelt, Thank You! So many times, I find you in my thoughts. For nearly 5 years you cared for and watched over my mom. With genuine affection and good humor, you made her days better in every way.”

"At the end of a second shift, my dad was nearing his death. Members of that shift knocked on the door and asked if they could each come in and say goodbye to dad. One by one, they came to him, kissed him, hugged him, and expressed their feelings. The staff formed a half circle around him while my mom and I held dad until he took his last breath. After he passed, each staff person shared a story or a memory. We cried, we laughed, we remembered. The level of support and caring I felt that night was palpable."

“Hope and happiness, joy and laughter…and special people like you! We appreciate very much the excellent care you give to Mom and all the residents!”

To all staff and management of Columbia Cottage Wyomissing,

In past years at Christmas time the family of Ruth Eshelman brought a little artificial tree over to the cottage to decorate together. Seeing as that could not happen this year, I decided to decorate the tree before bringing it over. Pondering what to use for decorations, I decided that angels would be appropriate – angels to watch over our mom.

But as I brought the decorated tree up to the door of the cottage, I realized that the real angels watching over our mom are all of you. In a year when nothing is like it has ever been before, you have been the lifeline for not only our mom but all the residents living in your care at Columbia Cottage.

We especially want to recognize your care and support in helping to make our mom’s 100th birthday so special this year, despite the pandemic. Because of the beautiful weather, a few family members were able to enjoy a brief outside visit with mom on her birthday and share well wishes from other family members and friends who could not attend in person due to restrictions. Your efforts at the cottage to help her celebrate her special day - decorating her door and providing festive balloons and lovely celebratory birthday cake - were greatly appreciated.

But there was and still is a pandemic raging. During this time, you made and are still making sacrifices and difficult decisions every day to ensure everyone stays safe. It certainly can’t be easy telling loved ones not to come to visit, or carrying out your duties garbed in masks, gowns, and plastic shields. Yet you persist to follow protocol, ensuring that each person living at the cottage stays safe. And we recognize that comes in addition to the personal risk and sacrifice each of you face dealing with your own family circumstances. For all these things, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

So as this year comes to a close, we look toward next year with hope for some semblance of normalcy for everyone. But for now, we pray for your safety and good health and we support what you are doing to keep everyone at the cottage safe. And again, thank you for being the angels watching over our mom.

With love and appreciation, The family of Ruth Eshelman