Brookdale

Staff is friendly and attentive, food is terrible most days, limited social opportunities as majority of residents are unable to sustain a conversation I would overall recommend this facility, though not strongly.

The first 3 weeks were great. Then slowly I would find him in wet clothes and a wet bed. I was changing him nearly 4 times a week. No activities as promised and he ended up in hospital with a UTI and dehydrated. I was told he was kicking and hitting and using his walker as a weapon. I do not know for sure but he has trouble standing and walking so I doubt he could kick, punch, and hit with a walker at the same time.

I have had a few issues and we are working to resolve them. You have to stay on them for some routine care, but they have been pleasant enough to deal with.

I've been here for 7 years. It's not as good as it was when I first moved in. The food used to be better. They have a lot of activities going on but I don't go to all of them.

Arrived here right before COVID hit. We have been quarantined quite a lot! We never got COVID thankfully!

There was an unexpected [amount removed] increase at my mother's 10th month in residence . My experience is that some staff members are very good, but many are not. There are no activities for wheelchair bound individuals. There is occasionally live entertainment.

My father was previously a resident at Brookdale Sugar Land and overall his experience at this facility was okay. Based on his experience, I would recommend Brookdale Sugar Land to others.

My brother 's care and cleanliness of his room were severely neglected during the last few months of his stay. The nurses that Brookdale oak hollow hired were very harsh and mean. I believe they fired one of them. Brookdale is okay for those who are confined to wheelchairs. My brother was able-bodied at age 66 besides his severe memory loss so he was more of a challenge. I'm not sure. They gave him the medicine that was ordered. I told the director at Brookdale oak hollow that they need to get their act together when they sign people up and find out who has guardianship or conservatorship so they can't evict their patients without the family knowing. My brother was pulling the fire alarms at Brookdale and they were not able to stop that. So they sent me a certified letter in the mail without warning that they were evicting him even though he couldn't legally sign it because I am his conservator and guardian which they did not even know, they say. I remember telling them when I first signed him into Brookdale that I was his conservator and it even says it on the checks. So getting that certified letter in the mail that they had my brother sign was very disturbing to me and caused me a lot of anguish. Then they start threatening to get their legal team on me to move [name removed]

The staff was very supportive and encouraging when we first met. After applying, my relative was able to move in very quickly. But we had to remind them of several things that needed fixing. I think they need more help. When I accidentally pushed the button for assistance, someone came quickly. But later when my relative needed help and pushed the call button on her pendant, it was a long wait before someone came. I think this is a good place for independent senior living. It is beautiful, clean, peaceful and orderly. Be aware of the cost. There is a basic fee, but with every extra service there is an added fee. It could cost a lot more than you thought at first

They struggle to keep good employees. The facility is pretty clean. There are a few times I could smell a strong urine smell when walking by the laundry room. I wished we had placed my parents there earlier when they were more independent.

Our main challenge was that our parent was really beyond home care and needed to move to assisted living. We should have started getting help earlier. We tried to start with an hour of home care every morning for bathing, dressing and bathroom help, but it was hard to find caregivers for just one hour per day. So each day, we were never sure who would be showing up. It’s difficult to get used to one new person in your home, let alone several new people, and not knowing who would be showing up that day. One day we had a “no-show” with no call before or after to explain. Another day the caregiver was 20 minutes late, and it was the one day we needed them on time, as we were preparing for a doctor appointment.

Get a hard copy of your loved one’s care plan—review & approve it BEFORE you make a payment. There may be discrepancies in the care your loved one needs & the care they are able to give them at a certain price. We were under quoted in price & then told we needed to pay more for the care we already told them was needed. For ex.—there is a difference between only “reminders” to use the restroom versus being escorted into the bathroom at set times with verbal & physical prompting & help. Another ex.—there is a difference between verbal encouragement to eat & physical help with eating. Also know that they will NOT make your loved one eat. Get a dr.’s order for Ensure. My mom lost 5 lbs the first two weeks—DESPITE our letting them know she needed physical help to feed her because she is resistant to eating due to delusions. Check your invoices—we were overcharged. Push & push & push until your loved one gets what they need! Don’t pIay nice! Be firm. It took over month to settle in.

Lacking employees don't seem to know much it's 5 out of 10.

First the good - Some caregivers/staff are EXCEPTIONALLY wonderful, gentle and caring, really amazing, as they have a hard job. Some work double shifts and even the management steps in to help with the most basic caregiving sometimes. No bad smell, like some places we initially visited. Director, nurses and staff supervisor are friendly and available. Now the bad - Old building and technology. Staffing is kept at the state minimum, although more staff are really needed and residents are paying a lot of money. There are a few staff who are not patient with residents and really shouldn't be working in senior living. Few staff wear name tags or tell residents their names, so it doesn't feel personal. Residents have been referred to by room numbers, not names. There is little consistency with staff schedules, so residents' schedules are not learned by caregivers. Staff in assisted living seem to just assist residents with tasks, but not establish relationships with them, kind of cold. Some staff just talk to each other while helping residents, ignoring the residents completely. Some clothing and bedding (with names on them) disappear when sent to the laundry. Not sure if complaints are acted on. Those who own Brookdale must be making a fortune, but the local staff and caregivers are underpaid and overworked. I wish they would give the director what she needs. We expect better care at the price we are paying. I am sure this is the case at most places, but it's horrible. If Brookdale corporate treated/paid their employees better, I bet they could retain more quality people. I don't want them to lose the incredible people that they do have at this time.

We are actually not very happy with the facility. Rates went up tremendously. Their discount doesn't apply to any increases. And there has been a decline in the food quality since they got there. I've had several issues with their room cleaning as well. That seems to have got a little better though. I feel like they play games with the rates. And like I said the quality of food is not good or the way they describe the house cleaning isn't what they do

I'm glad my mom has her own room. I'm glad they have activities. Mom likes it there except for food and people trying to get into her room.

The staff try their best and I get along with them, however they are very short staff with aides and nurses. They need better quality of food, variety and more of it. The activities director retired. So I think they are looking to hire.

My mom needed more care really than Brookdale could provide. She suffered a few falls while there. I know she was on a special diet but the food was not appetizing to her. While they offered many activities, my mom did not participate

To be honest, they are very short staffed lately, seems like a lot of turnover, the food has gone downhill, they serve chicken of some sort everyday, and housekeeping has to be reminded weekly to come in and get her bedding, I do her other laundry

They are very kind and friendly. They also have excellent response time to the emergency pull cord and all staff from the kitchen to the front desk are always helpful in assisting residents. My mother-in-law enjoyed the activities, especially the ones with music and dancing. However, the cons really outweigh the pros right now due to the current bedbug infestation, it really could use an update, and we also found cockroaches in my mother in laws apartment. With my fear/disgust with those 2 types of bugs I would demolish the place and start over. It was a nightmare even though management is doing their best to take e care of the infestation. Every time anyone visited her apartment they had to strip down outside, have their shoes steamed, and we washed and dried all clothes on the highest temperature.