WillowBrook Place by Anthem Memory Care Community

Nancy

We put my husband in a dementia center called WillowBrook Place by Anthem Memory Care Community. So far, it has been very nice. He has only been there for a little over a week. They have been very nice. They help him when he needs help. I have been there twice, and it is always during their meal time, but they take them all into the central area, where they watch TV shows, sing, and have mass, which my husband likes. They like it. I don't have any comparison in any other places; however, I'm very happy with what they're doing. They take them to places, they have a gardening club, and they take a scenic drive. The staff is great. The food looks very good. It's expensive, but it is where he needs to be right now, so I guess it's worth it. So far, it is fine.

Provider Response

Sharon

My mom moved into Willowbrook Place. The main thing that we were looking at was the proximity to my brother's house. The facility is not super fancy, and it wasn't super expensive. We were allowed to decorate the room however we wanted to, so you can make the rooms look as homey as you want to. I stayed there for two weeks when we moved her in to try to get to know the staff on a personal level, and they were so good. We got on a first-name basis. By the time I left, they were sad that I had to go back home. It was like a big family. They were all very caring. They took really good care of my mom. I felt comfortable knowing that she was in good hands when I left. They were very happy to feed any family that came during mealtime. They just preferred to let them know a little bit in advance to make sure they had enough food prepared for the families and the guests. When I told the chef that I had a food allergy, she was very careful to give me something that I was not allergic to. They were excellent. They had really good activities for people with different levels of dementia. Some people were more advanced than my mom was, so they were quick to kind of adjust the activity levels for the levels of dementia. They had exercises, church on Sundays, puzzle games, and little arts and crafts. My mom started at care level three. After a month or two, they did a reevaluation to see how she was adjusting to her new place, and they said she was doing better than she was when she came in. I think they do well to keep up with maintenance, but they do have a few little issues.

Provider Response

cyndiw2

After coming from a really bad facility, willowbrook is amazing. The staff is so loving and kind and on top of their game. My mother has made a complete turn around, they saved her and I cannot say enough good things about everything at Willowbrook!

Becky

We could not be happier with the care my mother-in-law receives at Willowbrook. The staff is wonderful! From the ED down they are great. They have wonderful activities all day long with frequent outings. Such a wonderful place!

DPC2018

My father was only at Willowbrook for one month, but they took great care of him. It's the best of the 5 facilities we worked with in his final days. They didn't let him sleep through meals, they cared for him every 2 hours as promised, they washed his clothes with care and never ruined or lost anything, and they spent time with him - talking to him, playing with a balloon. Willowbrook and Compassus hospice took some of the worry out of caring for him in his final days. The other facilities lost his things, let him suffer without medical care, let him skip meals, or ignored him just because he had dementia. Willowbrook was the perfect place for him. The staff was great to work with and really put their hearts into their work.

cjwolf

Willowbrook Place totally failed with my mother. I had to move her out of there, actually she was practically thrown out with complaints that she was violent. The fact was, they left her alone way too much and let her stew in her own dementia thoughts. With proper care, as she is getting now at a smaller facility, she is normally quite sweet and accommodating. When I would visit her at Willowbrook I'd see residents walking around the hallways all alone, and crying. The staff didn't seem to care if the residents were crying quietly, it was only if they got angry and made a ruckus as my mother did that they would pay attention to the residents; and then certain staff members would escalate the situation rather than calm it down. I'd see those sad people in the hallways, and when I got to the common area, there would be four caregivers sitting together at a table, talking and laughing, completely oblivious to residents who obviously needed help. Good riddance to that place, my Mom is happy at the smaller place where I have her now and I feel sorry for the other residents at Willowbrook who are still there. Please do your elders a favor and choose a place that gives better care. Most people my Mom's age (in her 80's) would prefer a smaller, home-style environment to a large "apartment complex." I wish I'd figured that out sooner.