While Dungeness Courte may be the best memory care facility in Sequim, it leaves much to be desired. My family observed several incidents that compromised the safety, health, and dignity of my mom and other residents. We brought our complaints formally to local management twice, and after much head nodding and soothing assurances, conditions would improve temporarily however mom's care soon fell into the same negligent patterns. Many CNAs and nurses there are fantastic but often they are not provided the tools (like appropriate staffing levels) to complete their tasks with the professionalism and compassion they are capable of.

The head nurse at Dungeness Courte was an aggressive proponent of keeping my mother continuously sedated. While my mom was not combative or aggressive, she did occasionally wander the facility. Our family eventually agreed to the recommended prescription and my Mom was transformed from an active adult to a bedridden patient that could barely stay awake or stand up. It took much of our pleasing with the head nurse to take my Mom off this medication and it was clear to me that management at Dungeness Courte prefers their residents to be in bed, where they are easier to care for, than outside of their rooms.

If you decided to transition a loved one into Dungeness Courte, here are some tips: Visit often, unannounced, and at different times of day. Take notes of things you observe to see if there is a pattern of neglect. Bring your concerns, in writing, to the Director and Head nurse. If this does not resolve your concerns, don't hesitate in contacting Northwest Care (the parent company) or the state if needed. Do not address the same concern a second time with local management as this will begin a cycle of temporarily addressing a problem that will likely return.

When considering the price charged (Over $90,000 a year in Mom's case), and when reading the literature provided by Dungeness Courte, one may think that a resident doesn't need an advocate in such a wonderful facility, but this is not true. Make sure expectations are met or exceeded when entrusting the care of a loved one to Dungeness Courte.

UPDATE: I've changed my review to one star. An employee at Dungeness Courte recently told me that there was at least one instance in which my mother was ill but, since protocol was not properly followed (likely due to staffing levels), my family was not notified. It is so disheartening to hear that certain health issues were purposefully kept from my family and that we missed a chance to comfort Mom during her final months.