Brookdale Downtown Sarasota

I was very impressed with Horizon Bay, but I didn’t think it would have been a fit for my wife. The memory unit was on the second floor, and I think it was nice. I didn’t check out the dining area. From walking through, I saw there were all kinds of options for living, and I thought that it was professionally run. I was impressed with the lady that showed me around and the people we greeted, so I was favorably impressed. I think the rooms were well-suited for the needs of the people who were there. It was more of a high-rise facility while some of these other places were more off the beaten track. This one is right downtown. One of the reasons I did not go with Horizon Bay was that their memory care unit was on the second floor, and my wife insisted on being on the first floor, so that kind of swayed my vote against it.

I visited Horizon Bay for my mother, and it was good. The staff seemed to be efficient and caring. The residents seemed to be well cared for. The facility was relatively clean. The rooms were all very small, but they were clean and efficient too. It's layout and design seemed to be easy to get around in. Also, the activities seemed to be engaging everyone where and when they wanted to be engaged. They have movies, general sessions, and some games that they play in the general meeting area there. The dining set-up was good. Overall, the facility was OK; it wasn't anything fantastic. However, I think they could improve on the rates a little bit.

We were very impressed with the staff, but we found Horizon Bay Sarasota to be a bit shabby and the rooms a bit small. It is in the process of rehab right now. The dining room was very nice. They gave us lunch, and it was quite good. The independent apartments were much better and adequate.

My family member has been at this facility for several years. In that time there have been 8 (or maybe 7 - I lost count) executive directors, which is certainly indicative of some level of internal chaos. The staff is caring but there rarely seems to be the appropriate level of staffing, which is why many residents have retained private caregivers to supplement. There are investments made in improvements to the building and apartments (which is good for sales). Activities offered cover the basics (Bingo, Trivia Games, a nightly movie, some outings) but do not reflect state of the art care that truly stimulates seniors. The food has always been fairly good with nice variety. Other residents have complained to me about their concerns being ignored at the Residents Council meetings. It only works because of the external caregivers, otherwise...

The sales marketing director of Horizon Bay was very good. The apartments were terribly small, and the only ones that were available were on the 3rd and 5th floor which was not acceptable for my husband. It was OK. There was nothing bad about it.

We like the Horizon Bay. It seemed to be very well maintained. We liked the dining area where the residents can eat at any time. They had certain things offered at certain meal times, but you can get something to eat pretty much throughout the day. It is located very close to downtown so there was not a lot of outdoor area. We saw one apartment that was complete and one that was being renovated. They were nice. They were a little small, but everything was very well organized. They showed us areas where they had various activities, and there were schedules of various things that they offered. The staff was very accommodating and open.

They were quite knowledgeable and good people at Horizon Bay, but they had much more of a corporate atmosphere. They were not as down to earth and flexible as the other facility. It was a much larger facility, and they had more people, so they are not quite attentive to each individual.

Everything was good in the Horizon Bay. The apartments were very nice, and the staff was very helpful. They have activities like bingo, crafts, cooking, and outings. If there is anything they need to improve on, it would probably be to get some new carpets in the hallways because they are getting pretty worn.

I think the staff at Horizon Bay is great. They help me with showers and of course feed me. I don’t partake in any of the activities, but there’s volleyball, lectures, and they take you to lunch or dinner one day a week if anybody wants to go to a new place. They also take you to doctor’s appointments. They have an exercise room, and a living room where they have meetings and talks; then they have a movie every night in that room. I think it’s pretty friendly, the atmosphere is great, and the people are very nice. Their service is pretty done well. The food is pretty good, but they get a little repetitious sometimes where it’s the same menu for quite a while.

Horizon Bay Sarasota was a lovely facility. The director couldn't have been nicer. The rooms were very clean. It was almost like you had your own little apartment. The room that we were shown has a little kitchenette. The only thing was that parking was difficult in a very small area. The grounds have covered walkways, so residents can use their walkers or wheelchairs or whatever. They could exercise, and my mother loves walking.

Horizon Bay was a beautiful facility. The rooms were beautiful. However, overall, I wasn't impressed with them. They didn't really have activities there. We had lunch there, and it wasn't good. The marketing person who showed us around, she never even had lunch with us.

My brother is in Horizon Bay. I like it very much and I think it is a lovely facility. It is nice that there is no assigned time for meals, and you can have your meal anytime during the day. They have a chef and the food is very good. The staff is extremely helpful and responsive. His room is actually lovely and spacious. He has a one-bedroom unit with a full kitchen and lots of closet space. The bathroom is outside the room, which is very nice because he can hover around and can get up to the sink. I am very pleased with it. However, there are things that are really not handicap-accessible, which I think should be. Like, my brother's mailbox is on the very top, and he doesn't stand up, so he cannot get to his mail and someone else has to get it for him. There is a laundry room on each end of the hall for him to do his laundry, but the doors don't stay open, so he cannot come in. They are not front loaded, so he cannot lift the top up and put his things in and then reach back to close it. He has to pay extra to have them do his laundry when he is fully capable, but it is not really accessible with his handicap. Also, if it can at least have one dining table that is just a couple of inches higher, it will be better for him to hover around without pulling the table away when he tries to back up. My brother is not very happy living there. I don't think my brother will be happy anywhere he is.

I have come across Horizon Bay because my sister-in-law's father stayed there, so we came over there and looked at it. The facility was pretty nice. They have been around for a long time now. They're quite expensive too. However, unlike the other facility, they didn't have a tennis court or golf course. The staff was nice and helpful; not outstanding but nice. I ate there a couple of times with my sister-in-law's father and the food was pretty good.

I wasn't really impressed with Horizon Bay. First of all, I didn't like the location even though it would be very handy for me to visit. It's right in downtown Sarasota in two very busy streets. It was quiet inside the facility. They didn't get a lot of road noise but there was a lot of traffic around a very busy area. The place did not seem as homelike and was more institutional.

My brother lives in Horizon Bay-Sarasota. It is a nice facility. They have a garden and a large area where you can walk a good deal. I like the staff. They're accommodating. The apartments that they have are pretty nice too. Personally, I like this place, but they don't offer medical assistance to their residents. That's the only problem there in my opinion.

The place was very small and dirty, then don't clean the rooms. The place stinked. The staff that took care of the individuals was good although they were understaffed and the nurses weren't good. The director was absolutely terrible. From the time that I sat down with her which was a week after my mom moved there until the time my mom left, which was four weeks later, she never contacted me. I would never recommend them.

The first thing you notice in the memory unit of Horizon Bay was the smell of urine. When we went in a room, there were 10 residents, 7 of them were sleeping in their wheelchairs and a caregiver. They weren't much activities going on in there and I can't see how is that going to help anyone with memory problems. There was a lady there and I commented on her polka dot shirt and that made me her friend for life. She then followed me up and down the hall; it was rather clear that others had not spoken to her. They were not caring for anyone.

We visited the Horizon Bay in Sarasota, while researching possible assisted living facilities for my friend's mother to consider. The Spanish style outside area was very nicely maintained and looked really fresh. The grounds outside offer easy access for residents, where they can enjoy walking around freely safely each day. We could see that there was also plenty of space to have cookouts, parties and picnics. The colors throughout the building were soothing and comfortable. The foyer was fresh and bright with very nice decorations and furniture. All of the indoor rooms had plenty of fresh air and light. Each room was beautifully decorated and furnished. The facility can accommodate all levels of ambulation. Communal activity rooms were spacious, with very comfortable furniture. The seniors easily socialized, played games, watched TV and films and participated in many other stimulating activities. Residents are encouraged to use the exercise room and also go on daily walks. Aerobics and yoga classes are offered. The seniors go on trips to visit the many local entertainment hubs, art galleries and museums, and eat at casual and fine restaurants, enjoying all of the many cultural events offered. The private rooms featured nice furnishings with plenty of space and nice decorations. All had a great deal of natural light and fresh air with very comfortable furniture. The dining room was quite nice, with a nice color scheme and furniture. The food we saw looked and smelled delicious. The menus all had healthy food options for all kinds of diets. Healthy snacks are also offered all day and into the evening, as well as whenever residents requested. The residents here looked very content in their living environment and were well cared for by kind, considerate and attentive staff.