The Havens at Antelope Valley

We loved Brookdale. We liked it a lot. They had food available. Their food, their rooms, the personnel, and everything; we loved it. The one that we liked was a one-bedroom unit. When you went in there was a kitchen there. It was a small one, and everything was miniature because you obviously got food downstairs. So it was just mainly for little things. Then, then there was a living room with the windows. Then on the right there was a bathroom, and a bedroom. Some of the people that were there said that they loved it there. The people seemed very happy. The place was well-kept. It was very clean. It had a positive atmosphere.

I liked Brookdale Antelope Valley, formerly Emeritus at Lancaster, quite a lot. I liked the meals, and the way they had those set up. They had three meals a day, two standards, and a salad bar. I didn't like too much the way the rooms were laid out, but I liked their bathroom; nice large showers, and nice dressing area. Their grounds were very well-kept. They also had pets. The staff was very nice, and very helpful. He answered my questions; plus he had a lot of answers that I didn't know I would need. The residents were talking to one another. It's not a bad neighborhood by any means; they do have security 24-hours, and I like that. Once or twice a month, they have an outing to a casino or to the beach. They had a shuttle for doctor's appointments. They had scrabble, pinnacle, and quite a list of different things to do. The dining room was open all the time. You could go in whenever you wanted, sit down, and have your meal.

I went to Brookdale Antelope Valley (Formerly Emeritus at Lancaster). It was clean. The staff were very nice, and the patients seemed OK. They gave us lunch. The dining area was a little room, they had a food bar, and it was a nice meal. This is a retirement home, and for what it was, it was very good. If I get to the point where I have to do something like that, I would do it there. I asked how much would it cost to have somebody help me with my medication, they said they will cost $400 a month and they have to give you all your medication, and they come and look for you -- I'm not ready for that.

The people were real friendly. They invited me on Veterans Day, and they showed me the place. The food was very good. I expected it to be like a dormitory or you'll not be able to go out or do anything, but it was all different. They're great, and I would highly recommend Brookdale Antelope Valley. They showed me some of the rooms, and they were decent. They had a lot of activities going on, like on Father's day, they had a car show.

My dad is happy in Brookdale Antelope Valley (Formerly Emeritus at Lancaster). The apartments are very nice; they are a bit small, but sufficient. The place itself is really pretty. They have a varied menu, and the food is very good. They have lots of activities. The maintenance is a little bit behind. They take a little bit of time getting to it. Other than that, it has been a very good experience. Everyone is very friendly, very nice, and very helpful. He has been there a little over a month. They have card games and computer classes. They'll take you to church if you would like on Sundays, and they take you shopping. They have cocktail hours, wine tasting, aerobics, and bingo. Today, they had children come in from the school, and they read books to the children.

They were very friendly at Brookdale Antelope Valley, and when we went back with my mom, they knew who my mom was and knew about her little dog. They are very upbeat or very positive and really friendly. The rooms looked OK. The reason why I liked Brookdale over the other care facility was that they offered a small area to cook. In case for some reason you wanted to cook your own food, they have that provision there for her. You can eat anytime you wanted rather than having a set time. It was open for dining within their set parameters. I like that too because my mom doesn't always like to get up in the morning, so she can go in and have breakfast within the set time of breakfast or lunch. They have a chef that would cook you whatever you wanted on the menu, and I liked it. The other place that I went had a set time for dining. Their reason was to promote more social activities, but until you get to know everybody around you, sometimes you might want to go in at your leisure. I like Brookdale because of that also.

My father has been in Brookdale Antelope Valley since the end of January. The staff are very friendly and very attentive. They give him his medicines and help him shower. He is in a studio. It's a one large room with a bathroom, a bed, a couch, and a couple of chairs. They can eat anytime in the dining room from 7:00 in the morning to 7:00 at night. The food is very good, and he likes it. They have lots of activities -- i.e., bingo, painting, and card games -- and they take them on trips and to the doctor. With security, they lock the doors at night.

My sister recommended Emeritus. It had a lot of activities that we'd like to have, activities that are more for what my dad is doing. We chose them because the people over there were more active and they did more things. My dad is very independent, and the people there are a little bit more independent than where he was. The best quality that they have is the interaction and the movement around a lot of people. They have outings, pizza nights, sports nights, and billiard nights. They do yoga and arts and crafts. They have an elliptical machine, so they can actually work out the best they can. They have happy hour for them once a week, which I thought was really cool for my dad. All the questions that I had, the staff answered very well. They were very truthful about what was going on. There wasn't a smoke screen. I was offered to have a meal there three times, and I refused, but their food looked really good. My dad says it is pretty good too, so that's saying a lot. They serve three meals a day and snacks.Emeritus is wonderful. It has plenty of parking. It has a lot of carport-type parking for the residents. It is really good. I like it.

The tour was very personal and positive. The hostess was informative and cheerful.