After finally catching up, playing a few rounds of the parking game, and searching for garment bags online I am ready to join in.
So.....
Someone was asking if Sea World here has polar bears, and the answer is YES. They have a simulator ride called Wild Arctic, and then you walk through this "observation base station" where you see bears, some beluga whales, and a walrus. There may be more in there by now. But if you go in, look at the girls behind the register in the gift shop and picture me at 17 asking if you need any film.
And for Jan - your best bet in choosing a home for your Mom is to go there and observe. Ask what the aide-to-patient ratio is, find out what the activities are, ask what security is like, etc. Also, ask what they do with the residents to keep their minds active - that was a big part of my job in the facility I used to work in. We assessed every patient's cognitive status and put them into categories based on this red-yellow-green light program. All of the activities were then divided up into levels of assistance and the techs were trained on who needed what intervention. That way, EVERYONE got to play bingo.
I miss it in a way, but it was hard to watch all of your patients steadily getting worse. That's the hardest part for families too.....watching their loved ones slowly become something other than what they have always been.
Good luck on your search. Ask LOTS of questions!!!!