Brookdale

The executives here knew our mother had dementia and recruited us, ensuring us that we did not need a memory care facility, that they could do everything a memory care place could do. The most important thing to us was that they would have a rapid response time to the alert button that our mom would wear, and also that they could adhere to a schedule to make sure she was getting help in the bathroom & getting up and/or going to bed on schedule. When they immediately had trouble keeping their promise to us, they blamed it on my mom, saying she was non-compliant or that she could “make her own decisions”. Considering that the stroke my mom had had that caused her dementia affected the part of her brain that impacts executive functioning (decision making), that was appalling to hear from the head nurse. The place is woefully understaffed and undertrained. She fell once and waited an HOUR for them to get to her, and this was after we CALLED. Stay away if your parent needs actual care.

This used to be “the place to go”. After almost 4 years at BDNM we had to emergently move mom to another facility for her safety. Twice in the last year with new senior staff, the ala carte billing increased dramatically, but not truthfully. The executive director does not communicate with family, at all, ever, unless his supervisor directs him to do so. They charged for things undelivered or undeliverable because there was not staffing to provide the care they said she needed. Care staff are wonderful and do the best they can, but are so spread thin that room calls can go 30 minutes without answering. This is the most expensive memory care facility in the area and they do not deliver value for the cost. Beware, and please google the numerous corporate lawsuits.

It is best to look elsewhere for your loved one. 1-star rating from the NC State board

I would not recommend Brookdale Westerville to anyone looking for a Memory Care facility for their loved one. The facility was not prepared to handle my mother in law's level of acuity when she arrived. They did not teach her how to use the pull cord in case she needed help, which resulted in her trying to get out of bed on her own and falling. The staff regularly did not carry or have turned on the device that alerts them when a resident has pulled the cord. We also had to fire the hospice that Brookdale recommended to us because they were incompetent. Again, I would not recommend Brookdale Westerville.

When we toured the facility we thought it ideal, - clean, ample suites, near home. Others had spoken highly of Brookdale. Our experience was otherwise. My father was there for three months and was sad and bored. The staff seemed overworked. They could not provide him with the services we were paying for. The RN left and was never replaced. Although they claim to provide enhanced care they could not when my father needed it. We were forced to find another facility. I would not recommend this facility at all

I would not recommend Brookdale Olympia West. The rooms are shabby and overused. Instead of the staff taking care of an issue with my father in law and being with him until the issue was resolved, the administrators threatened to drop him off at the hospital and leave him until we picked him up. This is a facility specifically for dementia. It was unconscionable. We took him home that day.

My mother was in the memory care side and she did at first receive good care but after 1 yr being there she got diaper rash that got infected. This happened twice. Her hygiene was not kept up. Some of the staff would leave the residents alone in the dining room unattended. Her Room always smelled. Not kept up like it should be. Her clothes / personal items would disappear. My mom came so depressed there. After two years of this I decided to move my mom to a better care facility.

I can only comment on the memory care unit. The staff at the front desk was always pleasant and helpful. It also appeared the the clients on the assisted living side of facility were happy and content. However, behind the closed doors of the memory care unit it was another story. My mom was a resident for about 10 months and in April of 2022 she was hurt so badly that she was in the hospital for 2.5 weeks and then in rehab for another 30days. We did not send her back. The staff claimed that my mom got sick in bed and when 2 staff members got her up to clean her, she became combative and fell into a wall. My mom was 89 years old, 4’8” tall, 90 pounds. In addition, she was very weak after being sick (she had pneumonia). Sorry, don’t buy it. Prior to the incident, I was less than satisfied with the care she got. Never seemed clean, facility smelled, little to no activities. She was put in bed most of the day. New facility we moved her to is wonderful and she is awake.

I regret ever choosing Brookdale North Scottsdale. The sales guy was over the top amazing and once we were in there, nothing was what was promised. I had a terrible experience since I moved my loved one in there. They had so much turnover and for awhile I didn't think they would make it. So many people moved out. I can't move my loved one again so they are stuck there. Recently, they had another turnover and it looks like they are making changes. The problem is they raised the rent on the first of the year when they had no right with the short staff, safety problems, etc. Now they are doing better but just in time for another raise in 5 months. It has been rough but I'm hoping for permanent changes with big improvements. I can see they are doing things that should have been done long ago!

Yes, to see the layout of the rooms, you must give them all of your information first. Must be a trick place. Avoid at all cost. Why do they not allow you to see their rooms prior to giving them your information.

Recently my uncle who was 101 was a resident for 3 months. The sales pitch we received made us feel like it would be a great place. Unfortunately the care was not good and the activities were few. We had to ask repeatedly for services that were supposed to be included. He was unhappy the entire time. There was nothing to do at night so ended up going to bed at 7 every night. Most of the residents just stay in their rooms. He ended up going to the VA due to congestive heart failure where he received great care and was happy. He unfortunately went downhill quickly. Brookedale wouldn’t take him back with his needs even though that was in his contract because it is an enhanced facility. He went to Elderwood in Grand Island for 10 days till his passing. We received a sympathy card signed by everyone and flowers from Elderwood. We never heard anything from Brookedale. No card or phone call. I would never recommend this place and we are sad that his last months were spent there.

Please do not send your loved one there! They sell the place like it is the best thing since peanut butter, but it is a horrible place. The staff do not care, the director will pay lip service, and the corporate office is just as bad. Our experience was horrific - left to sit in urine for 6+ hours, over medicated so our family member would be docile and they wouldn't have to be bothered by them, no worthy activities, inconsistent care, CNA's that actually care are few and FAR BETWEEN, charge you for every little thing but not provide the care you are charged for, never can get anyone to answer the phone, left unattended to suffer multiple falls, feces left on the bedroom floor for days, lost our family members clothes, found other residents' clothes in our family's room weekly, didn't bathe our family member for over a week, wouldn't brush their teeth or dentures, and so on and so on. Spare yourselves heartache and frustration.

It was an awful experience. They did not enough staff, the staff that were there were aggressive and un-managed, the food: worse I had ever seen, they lied to us in the sales process, it is a horrible place unless you do not like your parent or loved one.

Based on the experience our family has had with Brookdale Utica Assisted Living, we do not recommend this community to other families.

Brookdale was horrible. My husband was in there 10 days and was bruised all over his body as well as numerous open sores. He walked in to the place and after taking him out, he never walked again. He passed away 4 months later. I would never recommend Brookdale and would warn people about putting their loved one in that hell hole. If it was possible to give them a 0, we would.

I toured Brookdale and liked it and the staff. As the caregiver for elderly parents, I was desperate to move them. There were large fees involved, but the rent rates were acceptable. I signed the lease, but as we were getting ready to move, I found there in house medical team that visits weekly did not take my parent’s insurance. And they did not handle insulin shots there. I was going to have to hire someone to go in everyday to administer shots. It was going to be very expensive. We couldn’t afford it , so I had no choice but to pull out. Since I had signed a lease, they still want $[removed] for basically nothing! We never moved or did anything. It’s laughable. My parents are on a budget and can’t afford this ridiculous amount. Be very careful there. They talk a real good game. The people were nice, but in the end, just trying to get more bonuses out of the elderly who are vulnerable anyway.

They are very friendly until you sign contracts. My father was there 10 days and lost 12 lbs. It took us an hour to get him clean. His bottom was matted with fecal matter, he was dehydrated, he was in dirty smelly clothes, he had not had his teeth brushed. They promised activities but they stuck them in the hall in wheelchairs or they just wandered. They kept adding fees after telling us things were already included. I wouldn't put a dog in that place. Horrible facility!

This place was suggested by PT care manager at University of Louisville Hospital. Total mistake. My loved one's oncologist insisted my loved one be moved. Brookdale gave him a room with NO BED. We had to rent one. The would not feed him. He was totally blind. He went downhill fast and never recovered. Died on [date removed]. They did refund some of our money but not all. They should be reported to the state nursing home department. It was a total NIGHTMARE.

Found my father in urine soaked t shirts twice in past month. He began falling and they made no changes to his care plan. It took them 7 days to adjust his care plan after he was discharged from ER in January, so I had to take time off work to care for him. They told social worker that they could care for him. The list is longer...

Very poor communication and assistance from [name removed], the sales manager. Tells me that she will call me, but never does. I have to keep reaching out to her. I ask her about staffing at community and she says I will need to reach out to nursing team to get the numbers. As a sales manager, I would expect her to have that information available to provide to prospective residents. Very disappointed at my interaction with her. If she is the representative of the community, I would not feel comfortable sending a loved one into this community.