Brookdale West Orange

It was a difficult decision to move Mom out of her home and into a senior residence, but Brookdale West Orange made the decision easier. The property is lovely and well-maintained. Her apartment is spacious, bright and cozy. She loves the food and activities and has come to love her fellow residents. This is a friendly and lively community. Always something good going on. We are very thankful to have found Brookdale West Orange.

Editing this in response to the response from owners. The phone # they left is not correct: it goes to an orthopedic office! I apologize for my review, it was far too cynical: I was in a bad mood. I'm revising it and may simply delete it. If you would like to speak to me, please leave a correct phone #; it seems there was an error. I have a friend in the Memory Care unit there and I feel like it's not working for her very well. It's a small unit and very dull and there is not enough physical activity. I know they have to be safe but it's more like a cage and it's heartbreaking. The staff are lovely for the most part but they are not many and a couple of them seem mean, though I know they need to be firm and handle memory care residents a certain way and also within a set amount of time. But they are not sensitive to the needs and feelings of my friend, in my opinion. I want to be there more myself but I can't right now. It's a hard job to care for the residents there, and really the staff are remarkable. Stellar, in fact: some of them. In fact, I take back what I just said, because several of them know very well that simply smiling at my poor friend does wonders, and this one caregiver had a brilliant, genuine smile and wasn't afraid to keep it on her face and brighten the day of my friend and anyone else. Yes, most of the staff were really good - even great - and they did a great job in physical caring for my friend as well as emotional. I don't feel that residents are treated like "mindless zombies," as I wrote. And I certainly take back the other thing I said, especially since the replyer below assures that they care about their clients. My friend is in need of extra care, it seems, and it does Not seem that that was provided, at least not as much as the family is paying for! There are activities, and they're mostly appropriate for the level of abilities of the memory care folks. I Still feel that there could be more physical activity somehow, but perhaps it's not feasible. I also still feel that my friend's intellectual needs as well as her physical needs are not met. Her interests do not coincide with what is available, though it's not as bad as all that. I do feel that my friend has declined more rapidly than was necessary. There were Not the outings advertised when they were in the main part. I still feel that the water is not fresh or frequent enough, that giving them Kool-Aid or soda pop at lunch and dinner should be less emphasized and that fresh fruit could be offered instead of ice cream, although if a person is at the end of their days, maybe they should just have ice cream. The main purpose of the response to my review is probably to get rid of the bad review rather than really address concerns, so I might just delete or rewrite this in time, since I probably don't understand or appreciate all the ins and outs of memory care. Brookdale at West Orange is a clean and nice-looking place. There is no neglect. The staff are very competent in their medical care and all their care, and many the same care-givers have been there for the whole time I've seen the unit (about 1.5 years), so that's a very good sign as it's very important to have that stability. So they Must care: I think Brookdale works hard to find caring and capable staff. I am just sad and frustrated for my friend. So maybe if you really want to talk to me, there could actually be some improvement or at least understanding on my part.

I had a great experience with my Father at Brookdale Senior living in West Orange. He was in hospice there and needed comfort care for 2 weeks. The staff and nurses were so compassionate and caring. Lynda, Diana, Deborah, Trishia and all the nurses and staff were Amazing! The space is bright compared to many we have visited. It’s hidden behind beautiful trees for privacy. Oh! I loved the happy hour too! The food was good and facility was very clean. He wore a necklace that buzzed when he needed nurse service and they would come to help. I hope you would consider having your loved one here. It comforted our family that he was in a good place during his last days with staff tending to him when needed. ♥️

Updated review Unfortunately our time at Brookdale has come to an end with the passing of my Mom. Looking back Brookdale West Orange was the best choice for my Mom. The nursing and support staff were caring, attentive and truly compassionate. They treated Mom as if she were a family member. They coordinated very well with Hospice care and a private aide care service that they recommended and were excellent in their own right. Could not ask for anything more. My family and I sincerely recommend Brookdale West Orange for all of the reasons I have provided in this review. Very pleased with level of care provided to our Mom. Nursing staff very professional, dedicated and attentive. Staff at all levels very kind, warm and supportive with a very positive attitude for all residents. They will sometimes go above and beyond, which further enhances the experience. Variety of activities in house and via trips. helps foster good community spirit. Safe apartment with new appliances provided on move in. The facilities could use a bit of a sprucing up but are clean and decorated nicely for each season or event. Nice rooms for private celebrations. Given elevated costs for senior living care, overall a really good value. We are very satisfied that we chose Brookdale, West Orange.