Sunrise Senior Living of Wilmington

Sunrise of Wilmington is an older community. My mom is 65, and I think most of the residents are probably 75 to 80 years old. They seemed to be happy. They have all kinds of activities. She is pleased with the place.

The one we settled on and then put my friend in was Sunrise of Wilmington. We were very impressed with them, and the place is decorated like my grandmother's house: very old fashioned, warm, and welcoming. It's like coming into a home, but the rooms are a little smaller than I would want. The dining room is very attractive, and they seem to have a lot going on. The staff is extremely helpful. What really amused me was they seem to have ice cream socials fairly frequently, and they have piano players who come in. When you go in, there is a whole schedule up of what's going to happen that day.

I visited Sunrise of Wilmington. The staff working there was awesome. The director who spoke to me was really family oriented. The residents were very open. We sat and talk with them. My sister and I even had lunch there. The food was absolutely awesome. They also have a lot of activities. Everything was upper scale. You have to have money to stay there.

I knew right away that I wasn't going to select Sunrise. Not because of anything I saw, but because it had a neighborhood-look to it, and it just seemed a little bit confusing to me. It seemed like a lot of patterns and a lot of prints. I know that they were going for the homey kind of look, but I found that cluttered-looking. They had the same care team every day. I have to say, for dementia patients, having the same care team taking care of you is very good. I saw three rooms. One was a studio. One was the Denver, and one was a medium studio. They did have a full rehabilitation on-site, so I thought that was good. The halls were small. Each hall was, I think, what they call the neighborhood, and they had a main room. After breakfast, they have an exercise program. Hand massages and manicures were available. 54 assisted-living apartments. There was an offer for a $100 off your move-in fee. There was nothing that I didn't like about it other than I wasn't going to go for it, and that was mainly because of the location. It was far away from our homes, and I thought it might be a little bit confusing for Mom.

At Sunrise of Wilmington, everything was very nice. Outside was very nice. They have big dining room area. The rooms were singles. They had a television, a bed, and a dresser. Residents would go to different places. The staff, the ones we met, seemed to be very nice.

Sunrise was a nice place. It was very accommodating and I loved the nurses up there. It pretty much cost around the same as what I'm paying now. I didn't have an appointment and a girl took me around. She was very accommodating and she called one of her staff who was part Ukrainian so it was very nice. I liked the facility and what it looked like. There was nothing wrong with it at all.

My parents are at Sunrise. The facility was very nice and amazingly clean. They staff is committed to the patient and very caring. They even give me a discount on the room. They have a lot of activities though my parents didn't join the activities because they really can't do too much. My dad hates the food because it is very healthy and bland, but my mom seems to like it.

Before visiting for the first time, I had a negative impression of assisted living due to expose type reports on TV. The image I had in my mind of this type of place was more of a nursing home than an actual assisted living facility. When my grandmother moved into the Sunrise home, I made my first visit, and I must say I have been very impressed with the facility. The staff is friendly and not only knows my grandmother well, but also knows my family and I personally. The facility is clean and well-maintained. While the food seems bland to my tastes, my grandmother and the other residents definitely enjoy the food and have no complaints. Today I attended a Halloween party with my mother, my infant son, and my wife. There was music, a scavenger hunt, musical chairs, and a contest to determine the most creative costume. There was also food, sodas, juice, beer, and wine. Everyone had a great time, residents and visitors alike. Events like this help to get the residents in a festive mood. This is just one example of how the staff come together to engage the residents. Altogether, after visiting this facility many times, I feel much better about my grandmother living here.

I was always pleased with Sunrise Senior Living in Wilmington, Delaware. My Nana stayed here for the last few years of her life. She was not an easy person to handle, especially in those last years. However, the staff and environment was a good fit and pleasant one for her. The staff was always so kind every time I was there and took a genuine care for the seniors living there. The place always looked clean to me. It always smelled clean, as well, which is a plus. Anytime there was a problem, small ones, the staff was so accommodating and stepped up. The other members of the Sunrise Senior Living establishment were often friendly and my Nana made a lot of friends both with the staff and other seniors. The staff was made up of mostly young, early to mid 20s male and females. They seemed to have a great deal of patience and enjoy their jobs for the most part, which really speaks to the overall environment of sunrise.

My dear friend is a resident of this facility in the alzheimer''s neighborhood. I am greeted by smiling and friendly staff every time I visit, and I have never had a bad experience with them. The caregivers care for the residents around the clock, and treat everyone with the utmost dignity and respect, despite the debilitating disease of Alzheimer's dementia. The caregivers are very knowledgable about the disease and have very unique ways to cope with ''sundowning' and the sometimes violent behaviors of the residents. These caregivers are the hardest workers I have ever seen, and I commend them for all that they do -- from their intelligence to their physical strength, due to all the lifting they must do. I also have great things to say to the nurses, who are always willing to help and really get to know the patients. The food is also great, and the chef seems to be accommodating to the specific dietary needs of the residents. In the semi-independent community upstairs I am often greeted by several residents who seem to be having the time of their lives, engaging in daily activities such as crafts and bingo, and enjoying their independence. I know that my dear friend is in a safe and happy place, and sunrise assisted living allows me to sleep peacefully at night.

My family's experience with Sunrise was truly a mixed bag. I believe that an assisted living experience partly depends on the resident's perspective and willingness to participate in activities and programs. My grandparents lived at Sunrise for nearly 2 years; unfortunately, they were quite ill and unable to fully take advantage of what Sunrise had to offer. Sunrise offers beautiful public areas. The landscaping and outdoor areas, as well, are very nicely maintained. The dining room is top notch as well; wait staff, menu choices, and service are all excellent. Residents can participate in a wide array of activities, ranging from shopping bus trips to wonderful seasonal concerts. If residents don't want to join in the organized activities, they can take advantage of the many common rooms. There are many sitting areas where residents can play cards, read, or socialize with friends and family. There are also rooms available that can be reserved for parties. Despite all of the positive aspects of Sunrise, I definitely believe that the lines of communication could be maintained more efficiently. When we wanted to discuss my grandparents' well being or mental health, it took considerable time and effort, on my family's part, to find the appropriate contacts, arrange a meeting with staff members, and get answers. The facility doctor was unavailable much of the time, and I would have appreciated much more clarity and discussion when medications were added or removed to my grandparents' regimen. We often became frustrated and felt that we just being handed off to the next person to deal with.To be fair, I realize that my grandparents were not typical residents, and needed more extensive care. However, I still feel that these aspects could have been managed in a more effective way. Families pay a premium for their loved ones to reside in these facilities, and it is not unreasonable to ask for a little personalized attention when it it needed. Overall, I think Sunrise is best for a specific type of resident: one who needs some help with daily living but is well enough to enjoy the social programs and activities that Sunrise offers. If you or your family member requires extra care or attention, I suggest you really do your homework. Research facilities, meet with staff and directors, read reviews, and really dig in to get the answers you need.