The Tamalpais

I am a friend or relative of resident

My grandmother from my mother's side stays at the Tamalpais Nursing Home in Belvedere Tiburon, CA. It is a not-for-profit nursing home. This is actually a very decent nursing home, especially for the relatively modest expense charges they have. It is an average sized nursing home that has about 50 beds. The only method of payment that is accepted is Medicare, which does limit your options if you or a loved one is not one Medicare. The home itself is in pretty good condition, with spacious living arrangements that were clean and well-kept. There are also many certified nursing assistants and other licensed practical nurses who were available for questions or assistance. It is really one of those places where you feel that your loved one is in good hands. There are, of course, many better options in California. However, they are far more expensive as compared to the Tamalpais Nursing Home.

The location is close to shops and the freeway. You can hear the traffic from 101. It’s up on the hill with incredible views of Mt. Tamalpais. It’s a beautiful facility – a sort of upscale place. It’s a full-service life care community – from independent living to skilled nursing.People usually enter with the intent to live out the rest of their lives there.

There are gardens and some walking in the area, but it’s on a very steep hill so there’s not much walking around the facility itself.

The common areas are very nicely appointed. It’s like a big hotel. They’re spacious and tastefully furnished in a modern style. They have big decks, which is where a lot of people get their walking done. They have their own swimming pool and a big lounge, with a couple of big dining rooms.

The rooms are very nice – they have one-bedrooms, two-bedrooms, and studios, with a couple of different floor plans for the studios. They’re very bright rooms with lots of windows and sliding doors. Everything seems to be painted white which gives it a modern feel, though it reminds me of hospitals. It’s a fairly new, immaculate facility, and the people I know who live there are very happy to be there. Some are surprised that they can afford to live there. It’s definitely one of the fancier places in the county.

They serve three meals a day too in their dining rooms. I have yet to find a facility where no one complains about the food, but I think the food is very good there – fresh, nutritious, and meant to please as many people as they can.

The staff seems very well trained and professional. They have everyone from housekeepers to RNs there, and I’ve always been impressed. I haven’t heard any complaints about the staff.

They’re owned by a big corporation – Northern California Presbyterian Homes and Services – and their facilities tend to be pretty well-managed. When you don’t notice the management, that’s when you know it’s good. They are there when needed and a pleasant presence while doing the huge job of keeping the place running smoothly.

I think residents do best if they are starting out when they’re still relatively healthy, active seniors and getting around on their own, instead of entering when they’re sick already. I think that’s mostly the sort of new resident they prefer too.Then they can keep them as healthy and happy as possible, while also minimizing the use of the extremely expensive skilled nursing services.