For families searching for compassionate memory care in the Quad Cities, Meadowview of Davenport offers a comforting blend of support and community.
With dedicated staff, thoughtful life-enrichment programming and a peaceful home-like setting, Meadowview helps residents build meaningful connections while giving families the reassurance they need. For Sarah Zambalin, that sense of comfort and trust was exactly what she hoped to find for her mother Sandy.
Sandy’s Caring Spirit
When Sarah thinks about her mom, one word rises above all others: caring. Sandy spent decades as a hospital front desk operator, always focused on helping others before herself.
“My mom is extremely caring about other people,” Sarah says. “Her persona is always to lean in toward helping someone else before even taking care of herself. That was true in her profession, true in her relationships with me and the rest of her family and friends, as well.”
That caring spirit carried into her home life, too.
“She makes fantastic chocolate chip cookies and so that’s one of the amazing things people would come over and get a chocolate chip cookie and a cup of coffee while talking to her,” Sarah says.
Sandy raised Sarah as a single mother, and the two of them were incredibly close.
“She has absolutely guided everything I’ve done in life and has been my go-to for absolutely everything and one of my best friends,” Sarah says.
Recognizing the Early Signs of Memory Loss
As Sandy began showing signs of memory loss, Sarah knew they needed to make a change.
“We kind of noticed mom was declining and having some issues with her memory,” Sarah says. “And so, in February of 2025, she ended up getting diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and moved in with me and my family.”
But caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s at home can be overwhelming.
“We knew that couldn’t be long term,” Sarah says. “It was too much stress on her and too much stress on me to also be her caretaker, as well as be her daughter.”
Searching for Memory Care That Felt Like Home
When looking for a memory care community in Davenport, comfort and familiarity were their top priorities.
“Obviously we wanted a place that would feel like home for her,” Sarah says. “She felt homeless and she felt displaced. And so we wanted some place where she would feel at home.”
They compared multiple senior living communities in the Quad Cities, focusing on:
- Quality of Alzheimer’s and dementia care
- Staff training and credentials
- Staffing ratios
- Activities and engagement
- Overall environment and cleanliness
Most importantly, the people at Meadowview made the community stand out.
Sarah recalls their first visit clearly.
“It’s a beautiful building, an absolute beautiful community, immaculately taken care of, and the staff was warm, welcoming and kind of had a plan of how they wanted to showcase what they had to offer,” Sarah says. “They very much were proud of what they had and it shows in every part of how we were presented things.”
Even from the entryway, Meadowview felt right.
“It feels very homey. It feels very fresh. It feels very clean. It’s just a nice atmosphere,” Sarah says.
One team member in particular made a significant impact.
“(Executive Director) Sarah Coy was just fantastic in helping us feel comfortable with leaving my mom with her,” Sarah says. “She made my mom feel at ease, which was even more important to us. They’ve connected, which is fantastic.”
A Respite Stay That Turned Into Something More
The family set up a two-week respite stay at Meadowview of Davenport, giving Sandy a chance to experience the community.
“We purposely had told her and ourselves that it was temporary,” Sarah says. “It gave all of us an opportunity to not have it be permanent from day one and tell ourselves that it would be OK if she didn’t like it there.”
But Sandy thrived from the first days.
“She loved the people,” Sarah says. “She loved all the activities and meeting people. And we found she was never in her room. She was always out and about with all the people… I couldn’t have asked for a better experience for her in those two weeks.”
At the end of the trial, Sandy chose to stay full time.
Life at Meadowview Memory Care Today
The transition into her permanent apartment went smoothly. Meadowview’s memory care team helped Sandy stay active and socially engaged.
“They made sure she was out and about, out meeting people and making those relationships happen right away so that she did feel comfortable being there,” Sarah says.
Today, Sandy is thriving in her new community.
“She loves being there,” Sarah says. “She loves the staff. They have jokes with her and every day we walk in, she’s happy and smiling and having fun either with the staff or with other people. Rarely ever is she hanging out by herself in a room.”
The transformation has strengthened their relationship.
“Honestly, it could bring me to tears, the difference in our relationship,” Sarah says. “We had gone from fighting almost every day about very basic, basic needs and basic things to now I can walk in, have a fun conversation with her and leave knowing they’ve got it.”
The shift has made daily life easier for the whole family.
“We don’t go every day anymore because we know that she’s taken care of,” Sarah says. “We know she’s happy and we know if anything is out of normal, we’ll be contacted.”
Community: The Heart of Sandy’s Happiness
Today, what brings Sandy the most joy at Meadowview is the sense of community she had been missing for years. After living alone and rarely leaving her apartment, she is now surrounded by people, conversations and daily opportunities to engage. Whether she’s laughing with staff, enjoying activities or connecting with new friends, she is almost never alone unless she wants to be.
For Sarah, seeing her mom rediscover a meaningful sense of belonging has been deeply impactful. Meadowview of Davenport has given Sandy a place where she feels comfortable, involved and cared for while giving her family confidence that she is well supported and truly enjoying each day.
Advice for Families Exploring Memory Care in the Quad Cities
Sarah encourages families to take action as early as possible.
“Recognize and deal with memory issues in your parents because it’s hugely important and getting the right care team involved early is going to help.”
Her message for families searching for memory care or assisted living in Davenport: “It’s been a blessing for our family and if they are looking for a community either in the memory care or just in an assisted living community for their parents or anyone, they should very much go check this out… because our experience there has been nothing but positive.”