The Chelsea at West Orange

After visiting numerous assisted living and memory care facilities, The Chelsea at West Orange stood out by far. From my very first visit, it was the one place where I could truly picture my mother thriving, thanks to its beautiful and vibrant community. ​The sales team, Linda and Katelyn, made the entire intake process seamless. They were incredibly helpful, patient, and thorough, answering every single question we had to ensure our complete comfort. Since my mother’s move-in, Tyler in memory care has been an exceptional source of support. His consistent communication every step of the way has made her transition and adaptation so much smoother. ​Every staff member we encounter is deeply caring and attentive. It is entirely evident that the team here has a genuine passion for what they do. While placing a loved one in care is never an easy decision, I have complete peace of mind knowing my mother is safe, happy, and meticulously cared for by the wonderful team at The Chelsea.

I am very grateful for the care and attention my 90-year-old mother is receiving at Chelsea West Orange Assisted Living Facility. After moving her in May 2026 from an assisted living facility in Virginia, our family was hoping to find a place where she would feel safe, comfortable, and well cared for. So far, Chelsea has truly delivered! The building itself is brand new, clean, airy, and modern. The Chelsea staff have been kind, attentive, and responsive, and they have made the transition much easier for both my mother and our family. They take pride in what they do, and we deeply appreciate the excellent care they continue to provide. The physical therapy program is excellent and conveniently located within the facility. The Med Tech and Wellness teams are responsive and proactive, and the aides do a wonderful job helping my mother with her daily needs while encouraging her to participate in activities.

The Chelsea at West Orange has exceeded every expectation. After my father's recent passing, I moved my mother from a memory care community in Florida to The Chelsea. Making a move like that was overwhelming, but Linda and Katie in the marketing department made the entire process seamless. They answered every question, anticipated concerns, and gave me confidence that my mother would be well cared for. In less than two weeks, she has flourished. The community itself is beautiful—modern, bright, and welcoming. From the moment we arrived, I was struck by the kindness of the staff. While I was moving my mother in, every employee who walked by stopped to ask if they could help. That warmth and teamwork made a lasting first impression. What has impressed me most, however, is the exceptional care the residents receive. The memory care program offers engaging activities throughout the day, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., including bowling, Jeopardy, cooking classes, scenic drives, and more. These aren't just activities to fill time—they're thoughtfully planned and genuinely engaging. I've never seen my mother so involved and enthusiastic. The staff also pays close attention to each resident's dignity and appearance. Every day, my mother is dressed in a nice outfit, her hair is done, and she's ready for the day. Tyler, the Memory Care Director, recently shared that preserving each resident's dignity is one of the community's highest priorities, which is why the staff takes such care to ensure residents are clean, well-dressed, and feel their best. That philosophy is evident in everything they do. My mother was in an excellent memory care community in Florida, so I already had high standards. Even so, I have been blown away by The Chelsea at West Orange. The compassion, professionalism, and genuine dedication of the entire team have made an incredible difference in my mother's life—and in mine. I am deeply grateful to everyone at The Chelsea for the outstanding care they provide every day.

Living with Chelsea Senior Living We would like to share a cautionary tale about the experience we are currently having with Chelsea Senior Living. We spent time looking for an assisted living option for our dad and he was drawn to a recently opened facility, just down the road from his condominium complex, Chelsea at West Orange. This facility has been open a little over a year and has an impressive lobby of marble, fine wood finishings and plush furniture. Chelsea Senior Living is a New Jersey based operator of assisted living properties, with about 10 locations across the New York/New Jersey area. The admissions process at Chelsea was extensive and included lots of discussions about dad’s recent health challenges, cognitive and physical evaluation by the clinical staff and extensive supporting documentation from his physicians. Dad moved in this past Memorial Day, May 25th. Red flags began to arise soon after dad’s move-in. While he was paying a sizeable monthly fee for medication management, the nursing staff insisted he maneuver his way to the wellness center on a different floor twice per day with his walker and oxygen apparatus in tow. When questioned, the facility stated it was industry norm to dispense medication this way. We have since learned that this is untrue and most facilities, or at least those that are adequately staffed, dispense patient medication via carts that go from room to room. Dad was also brought to tears when staff either neglected to arrive for morning assistance with basic hygiene or criticized him for his inability to do some of the grooming himself. Dad’s stay at the Chelsea West Orange was cut short roughly 10 days after his arrival due to a fall and subsequent bout of pneumonia. He went from the hospital to a rehabilitation center to undergo physical and occupational therapy treatments. It was while dad was convalescing in a rehab institution that things with Chelsea turned from bad to worse. The facility arranged a call with their Regional Head of Health Services. This person stated that our father’s underlying health conditions, specifically a dialysis port called a “permacath” should have “disqualified” him from the admissions process and that he would not be readmitted into the facility until a “plan of care” was provided by his medical team which would include a timeline for a surgical procedure that would change the delivery method of dialysis. When questioned why this information was provided AFTER the admission process was completed and AFTER a substantial amount of money was spent to move him into the facility, we were told that the facility clinician was under the impression that dad’s dialysis was temporary. This was an unsubstantiated claim which was NEVER referenced in the health evaluation completed by the facility’s clinical staff, NEVER sited in the 20+ page contract he signed and NEVER mentioned in the physician evaluation which was a prerequisite for admission. The charade did not end there. Once we FINALLY did obtain a “plan of care” from our father’s kidney specialist, Chelsea once again “moved the goal post” and informed us that a “plan of care” would no longer be adequate and that now dad would not be admitted back to the facility until AFTER the medical procedure is completed and the original port removed. A process that could easily take an additional 6-8 weeks. The financial and emotional strain of dealing with Chelsea has been devastating. Our father underwent a substantial expense to pack up and move his most precious belongings into Chelsea, paid a large one-time “community fee” upon signing their contract and now the facility is collecting a monthly room fee while prohibiting him from accessing his home. This vulnerable man now feels he has “no place to go”, as he puts it, and Chelsea’s actions were cruel, debilitating and quite possibly illegal.