Brookdale River Valley Tualatin

It's so uncool of people to leave bad reviews for a specific location when they (or a loved one) hasn't lived there. (No location controls their HQ corporate marketing spam.) And I hate that it brings down their score because this Brookdale location is AMAZING. Both my parents have lived here for 2 years and I'm way overdue to share with others what a great experience it's been. Brookdale River Valley is FULL of hard-working, compassionate, smart, friendly, lovely people. We actually came from a Bonaventure facility that was horribly shady about costs; they deliberately lied about what our base costs would be. Here, the service costs are included in the contract paperwork. My dad has dementia, so the costs continue to go up, but at every step over the last two years I've agreed with them, and almost always learned from them. The care director (Amanda) and nurse (Julia)—who I have worked with the most and are always completely up-to-date on what is happening with both parents—have helped guide me on what to expect and how best to address especially my dad's evolving needs, both physical and emotional. And it's not just management; everyone is engaged: from Kim and Jeannie at the front desk, to the med techs like Jonathan, Mary and Dakota (and more - I'm blanking on more names I should remember!), and the care staff like Kate and...(Arg! I'm going to have to come back and add more names). I've noticed a lot of faces stay the same. Even the dining hall staff like Angel are friendly and professional. Brookdale has lots of interesting events and entertainments, music every week, which I think is common. But I think the residents are particularly social and community minded. (At their first place, people would be interested in anything happening, but not necessarily participate.) I am SO THANKFUL that my parents are so happy here and well cared for. I was first drawn to it for the setting/location (it's on a beautiful wetlands) but its biggest asset is the huge team of people it takes to keep the place running. THANK YOU!

I reached out to the coordinator who arranged our tour to see if they might be able to accommodate us earlier than our scheduled time, as we were already in the area after finishing another tour and didn’t want to drive all the way back to Beaverton. Although I didn’t get a response right away, we decided to head to the facility anyway. Thankfully, the coordinator was very kind and agreed to show us around early, which we really appreciated. The facility itself was clean with a cozy, homelike feel. Residents were enjoying lunch at the time of our visit. While caregivers weren’t visibly interacting with residents during the meal, that’s not unusual based on my past experience working in assisted living and memory care. The view at the back of the facility was lovely and added to the overall positive atmosphere. However, the studio apartments were noticeably small—especially compared to those at other Brookdale locations we visited. Pricing was on the higher side, but given the level of care described and the proximity to a major hospital, it wasn’t entirely surprising. The coordinator was informative during the tour. Unfortunately, the conversation around Medicaid and private pay policy left us feeling uneasy. My relative is in an urgent situation—currently in a rehab facility with nowhere to go after discharge due to the recent passing of the person they were living with. When I asked about their Medicaid policy, I was told there’s a two-year private pay requirement (about $200,000), but the coordinator said she could “check with her manager” to see if six months of private pay would be acceptable if I wrote a letter expressing how much we “loved River Valley” and wanted my relative to live there. When I asked directly if the decision was about finances rather than the patient's well-being, she responded, “It’s about both.” That response was disappointing—especially coming from someone in a sales role. I understand that facilities have to be financially sustainable, but it’s inappropriate to put the burden of pleading for care on the family of someone in crisis. It felt transactional rather than compassionate, and that was very disheartening. We were also told they were “at full capacity,” which made us question why we were given a tour and this wasn’t disclosed earlier. When my husband asked what made this Brookdale different from others, the response was, “We’re one step below luxury.” Honestly, nothing about this facility (aside from being next to a hospital) stood out as particularly different from other Brookdale locations, either in amenities or level of care offered. Overall, this experience left us with the impression that this facility prioritizes financial qualifications over genuine care needs. That might work for some families with extensive resources, but for us, it didn’t feel like the right fit—especially given our relative’s urgent situation. That said, the facility is clean and some aspects were positive, so others may have a very different experience. Just be prepared to ask tough questions upfront.

Positive: the hospice and care team for our dad was amazing- so kind! Negative: the billing process, and communication from their office staff is exasperating and unprofessional.

The memory care unit at Brookdale River Valley is wonderful. We had a very hard transition for my mom who was living independently before moving to memory care, but after a few months she's totally used to the place and loves it! She's gained weight, gets mental stimulation and has developed great relationships with the caregivers. She loves to tell people about how many friends she has now. Shout out to Michael, Sky, Marissa, Jenny, and all the care givers for the wonderful care they give. My mom is playing games and doing artwork which she would have never done before moving in. She's a whole new person. I do wish the food was better as it's the one thing my mom does not like at the facility, but other than that it's the best decision we ever made.