Brookdale Skyline

Our Brookdale Experience It is time to reflect after our first year as Brookdale-Skyline residents: did we make the right decision moving out of our house after over forty years into a community of older people? Have our “care” expectations been met? Would we do it again? What would we tell people about our experience? Leaving a “long-time-lived-in” home is always a difficult transition. You are leaving everything you are familiar with - your home, your neighbors, your friends, the wildlife that visited your backyard every day, the postman’s friendly wave as your mail is delivered - the things that make you feel good about living there and moving into a facility that offers far less living space and a much older population of people to get to know. It is a very different life-style - different but not unpleasant! On a practical level moving into a retirement community like Brookdale-Skyline is one of the best things that an older person, or a couple, can do. Brookdale is designed and staffed to provide a quality-of-life for older people who are unable, or unwilling to do the daily living skills needed to ensure a safe, healthy environment in the latter part of their lives. As we age, as much as we are reluctant to admit it, what we were able to do when we were younger, is now more difficult, and sometimes impossible to do - and that’s where Brookdale steps in. We moved into a comfortable apartment with two-bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchenette, living room, a den, and lots of storage space - one of Brookdale’s larger units . Other apartment configurations are available. The apartment we selected had been freshly painted and re-carpeted. Everything worked. Various meal plans are available with most residents eating breakfast and dinner while others eat three meals a day. Is the food “as good as mother used to make?” Perhaps not but mother got tired of cooking three meals a day! We suspect, if people were honest when asked, “Are you eating better now than you did it home?” many would answer “Much better.” Brookdale offers a variety of levels-of-care to include Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing care to its residents. The scope of care offered allows for an easy transition from low levels of care to higher levels as a person ages or when more serious medical attention is appropriate. It is not a hospital but a facility that can provide its residents the medical care they need or, when necessary, facilitate their move to even higher levels of medical care in the community. Yes - we would do it again. Isn’t it better to make the move before you have to than be forced to move when an accident or ill-health make a move necessary? We thought it was - and still do. Brookdale - Skyline frees an older person of the daily living chores that become difficult to do as they grow older. It provides a safe, healthy, caring facility where the staff demonstrate daily, their ability and willingness to ensure that an older person’s life is in fact “golden.” Peter & Mary Kummerfeldt

Diana and I moved to Brookdale Skyline May, 2025. We were shown one of the cottages and found it quite suitable. Building community is important to us. We have enjoyed becoming friends with neighbors and others involved with the many activities offered here. Maintenance can be a problem but is slowly improving.

January marks 1 year at Brookdale Skyline. It’s been a good move. A move can be a challenge for some. Thank you for helping us ease into this major life change. We love living here. We enjoy the services, support and safety of Brookdale Skyline and the space of our cottage. Thank you.

I do not live in the main facility but do rent a small cottage inside the property. I am pleased with the location and my neighbors are wonderful. Although you may hear complaints about response times for maintenance and communication, which can be a problem, the Executive Director inherited a troubled community and is working his way through these issues to include more staff. Skyline not only has the main facility to oversee but, unlike other Brookdale communities, has the cottages/townhomes to maintain also, which makes for some of the problems. Brookdale is a corporation and most of the decisions have to be made at the highest level of the corporation, taking time and patience. In spite of the above mentioned weaknesses, I recommend this Brookdale. I investigated other communities and found this one closest to meeting my needs.