Lakeside Park

A year ago I gave a review in which I praised the care provided by Lakeside Park for my husband. Now a year later, I have the same positive feelings towards Lakeside Park and the care my husband is getting. While there have been some administrative and caregiver staff changes, the quality of care has continued to be excellent. I am thrilled that many of the same individuals who cared for my husband at the beginning, are still there providing gentle and constant care. Of course, the cost has gone up as my husband's needs have increased and the cost of living for all has increased. It is very reassuring the everyone knows my husband, the kitchen, the maintenance, the cleaning, the administration, the med techs, and definitely the care providers. Our family is pleased to have Lakeside Park help us through this difficult time.

I met with Grant the “executive director”during a recent tour and was honestly pretty unsettled. He seemed distracted, unfocused, and wasn’t able to answer basic questions clearly. Most concerning was the white powder visibly falling from his nose onto his mustache during our conversation. It was hard to ignore and raised serious questions about his professionalism and fitness to lead.

My mother lived at Lakeside Park for over a year, and I just want people to know that the experience was quite painful—I do not recommend this business. While the care staff was mostly kind, the food decent, and the common areas clean and homey, the administration was cold, unresponsive, and disorganized from start to finish. You can expect rent and care fees to increase by 40% in 6 months. They seem to have no capacity for digital communication and were slow to respond—except when raising prices. I was even mistakenly given another resident’s financial and personal information, brushed off as a “mix-up.” Due to their negligence, my mother’s move-in was delayed and was told that she was not allowed in the building. At one point, while I was out of town, she fell and broke her ankle in three places. I was initially told she only had a UTI that needed hospital treatment, it was only later that I found out about the badly broken ankle. Later, she developed pressure sores due to a lack of proper wheelchair cushioning. The day she entered hospice, they informed me same day that her care fees would now be at the maximum rate— yet meaningful communication on other issues was nonexistent. Even after her passing, the reimbursement process dragged on for six weeks, with no response after multiple follow-ups. A heartbreaking and ironically uncaring experience from start to finish. Would never recommend Lakeside Park to anyone.

My wife and I recently moved my mom into Lakeside Park and are relieved that we did. We first heard about this place through word of mouth: a family friend whose dad lived gave it high marks. After touring several other facilities, this was an easy choice. I've lived in Oakland for more than 20 years, I've seen it go through its ups and downs. Lakeside Park is safe, clean, well-lit, and quiet. It's a stone's throw from Lake Merritt, Fairyland, shops on Grand Ave, and the Saturday farmer's market. The staff have consistently been helpful, available, and communicative, which made an otherwise challenging move that much easier.