Brookdale Southside

Moving here has changed how I view and interact with other people and residence at Brookdale. I have engaged in many activities here which has driven me to be more responsible and positive about myself, mind and body. It's also encouraged me to be more thoughtful, kind and passionate about others around me. It's inspired me to get more involved and determined in making our lives here better.

We moved our mother here almost 2 years ago from a facility in NJ. The first thing I'll mention is that the cost was dramatically less here! Now, after my mother has passed I can tell you that they did exactly what they promised to do. Our big concern was that our mother would never have to be moved again, and that's exactly what happened. They provided a home for her until the end of her life. Never once did they say she had to be moved somewhere else because she had become too hard to care for. They kept their promise. The people that run the facility are truly special, like any business, you will see caregivers come and go, but throughout our time there, the management was always good about keeping the good ones and letting the others move on. These facilities are certainly a challenge to operate, I for one am extremely happy that I chose Brookdale Southside for the last years of my mother's life. I do have to send out a special acknowledgment to the activities director in memory care. Her name is Lena and she is incredibly special! I also have to commend Sal on his fantastic hands on management of all of Brookdale. Finally, the person in charge of memory care, which is where my mother was, came in after we were already there for quite some time, his name is Randy, and he turned out to be an extremely good person at the end of my mother's life! None of these places are perfect, but this was definitely the perfect place for my mother.

My mom has been living in the Clare Bridge section for about four months. She had a smooth transition due in large part to the attentive staff who helped her make connections with fellow residents who are now her friends. The facility is clean and fresh smelling but the most fantastic part of living here is the kind nature of the staff and skilled nurses. My mother seems to enjoy many of the enrichment activities offered throughout the week but she is also quick to tell me that she is free to not participate if she feels like taking a nap, working a puzzle or something else in her own private room. We are happy with the choice we made and I can recommend it to others. My mom does tell me that some residents have a harder time adjusting at first, but it has been cool to see another side of my mom as she tries to help these residents when she can. I usually leave with a smile on my face and a heart that has been touched.