The Residence at Brookside

The Residence at Brookside is so warm and inviting. They involve the community and offer wonderful events. They even invite the Avon Canton Chamber of Commerce for networking events. It is a beautiful community that is open to visitors any time.

While the facility looks beautiful from the outside, the food is fantastic, and there are a few kind employees, we deeply regret our decision to move my mother into the memory care unit at Brookside. All of my mother’s jewelry went missing shortly after she moved in, including her engagement ring. We got very little help or concern from the staff and have since filed a police report. Then, only two months after my mother moved in, they “reassessed” her and concluded that she needed $3000/month additional care, and then were completely unresponsive for over a month as I tried repeatedly to find out more about the basis for the increase (my mother’s condition had not materially changed). To make matters worse, the additional care that they claimed was needed, was certainly not provided in any way that we observed. We also discovered my mother frantic one afternoon, in a robe, without any pants or underwear. Brookside was withholding at least three loads of her laundry from her. After contacting the CT regional long term care ombudsman, we received partial relief, but have had to move my mother to a different facility. The whole process has been a nightmare.

My parents have been at Brookside for nearly three years and they are doing well and are happy to be there. Highlights include (in no particular order): 1) caring & respectful staff across the organization, 2) meals and cocktail hour, and the numerous parties with special menus, 3) really good activities: gardening program featuring raised garden beds, games, live music, arts and crafts - quilting/ crocheting / painting / flower arranging, 4) excellent front desk staff - very friendly, and very "on top of things" - registering everyone who enters and exits, staying on top of all deliveries, the transport service, etc., 5) the onsite nursing and nursing assistant staff - responsive, caring, friendly, 6) tight integration with quality external care providers (e.g. physician's assistants, physical therapists, podiatrists, etc.) and availability of community transport for external doc appointments, 7) comfortable, clean, well maintained rooms, many with kitchenettes and large bathrooms, and plenty of closet storage, 8) the beautifully maintained grounds that offer a nice mix of sun and shade, with smoothly paved paths for walking that have benches along the way, 9) the warm and comfortable vibe the whole place had from the beginning and still has.