The Chelsea at West Orange

My mother has been in the Country Cottage at the West Orange Chelsea for about 2 months. It is a beautiful facility. In that time period, the entire staff from one-on-one care, medical, and up to management has been wonderful, professional, and deeply caring. I am extremely impressed with not only the time and effort that they have put into taking proper care of her but their openness in communicating her needs so we can all work together to improve her quality of life. So far I am quite pleased.

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 provid

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