Francois Bend

Annick

Francois Bend was a newer building. The good part is it is locally owned and operated. It isn't part of a big chain, so the decisions are made locally. The people were very friendly and very accommodating. We happened to visit during mealtime, and although we did not eat, we could see all the residents in the dining room. They had a separate dining room. They also had activity rooms. They had a chapel. It was a very nice facility. They had two stories.

Dymple

We toured Francois Bend Senior Living. I liked the fact that you had your privacy, but you also could go out and sit in different areas and talk with people. I liked it, but it was really out of my price range. I'd have to sell my house to be able to afford it. It was very nice and clean. The staff during the tour was great and very thorough. She showed me everything, so I was pleased. They had a list of things that they offer. It was nice because it seemed like they kept the residents busy if they wanted to get involved in stuff, but if they wanted their privacy, they also had that. I liked the place. They had a salon and a place that had books and it was a quiet place where you could read. They had a room where they did games and stuff like bingo. They had a very nice cafeteria. They had a dog walk, which was important to me because I have a dog. The dining setup was very professional. They had tablecloths on the tables. It was very nice.

Provider Response

David

I visited Francois Bend Senior Living for my brother, the place was very, very nice. The young lady that took me around and processed everything was very knowledgeable about the company, the situation, and the facilities. I spent probably 45 minutes talking with her. The room looked very nice and roomy. When we were there, it looked like they were playing cards with a group of people, and they were communicating with each other. It was very nice to see that kind of stuff going on with the elderly people. We looked at the dining area, but it wasn't set up because it was 10:00 in the morning, but it looked clean and comfortable. It looks like it could accommodate anything that may be needed to be done, and tables and chairs could be moved around quickly depending on how many people are there in-house.

Provider Response

Marilyn

I visited Francois Bend Senior Living. It is nice, it's almost new, and it has everything. The place is clean and pleasant. The room was nice, it was clean, it was open, and it was airy. The room is not fully furnished, so I have to furnish it. They have a wide variety of activities. They have crafts, and they have games. They have a TV room, a movie-theater room, and an exercise room. The staff were pleasant, friendly, and helpful. The place is clean, serene, fresh, airy, and calming.

Michael

My mom is currently at Francois Bend Senior Living. When we brought my mother in there she needed more than just assisted living, and there's packages that they offer to pretty much give you nursing home services, which is a bit expensive. We learned that Francois Bend is assisted living, and is probably good for that, but when a relative or parent needs more than assisted living, it is very difficult for them to provide the services that they advertise and you pay for. So basically, if your parents need a nursing home, they need to be in a nursing home, not in Francois Bend assisted living. For assisted living, they're probably alright for that. If you need minimum assistance from the facility, you're probably good, but beyond that, it is very difficult for them to provide the service that they advertise. They have a big turnover with their staff, so it is kind of crazy. You see a new face every two to three weeks. It is hard for them to keep a staff. Their food program had dropped down tremendously from the last year. The quality of the food is not what it used to be. The only reason my mom is still in there because we can go in there. She is in the hospice care, anyway, and we ended up hiring people to take care of her, and the stuff that Francois Bend is supposed to be doing for her, they are not doing. So, we cancelled all those services and just got the bare minimum package, and we hired our own people to take care of her 24-hours a day. The physical appearance is good, it is top notch. It is a fairly new place, and they are keeping it up. As far as cleaning the rooms, they are lacking in that, too, like going in the rooms like they are supposed to. The cleaning part of the rooms on the individual residents is not that great. We do a lot of our own cleaning in the room when we go visit, or we stay with her. Right now, there is not too many things I like about it. We chose not to change her to another facility because we are able to be in there with her, as opposed to others where you can only visit through the window. In the condition that she is in, we didn't want her to to be locked in and not have us around.

Chan1221

Francois Bend is a wonderful assisted living residence. My grandfather has been living their for almost one year and couldn’t be happier. The staff is very professional, yet friendly and caring and made him feel welcome from the very first day. The facility is about 2-3 years young and is sparkling clean. The apartments are spacious with tall ceilings, wood floors, plenty of storage space and a large kitchen with plenty of cabinets. The bedroom can fit a queen size bed, nightstand and an Armoir, while still leaving plenty room to move about. Three meals daily are provided in the dining room with restaurant style ordering through wait staff. They also have a great chef who oversees meal selection. My grandfather’s top reason for satisfaction at FB is the gym. He uses a wheelchair about 90% of the time, however, once he moved to FB, he began working out with the physical therapists in the gym and regained his strength and began using his Walker again. He looks forward to going to the gym because it makes him feel so much better and gives him confidence to walk more and sit less. The caretakers are wonderful and the majority of these ladies have been at the facility since we moved in. They are caring and attentive and it is obvious they enjoy their jobs. I cannot say enough good things about the caretakers as they are second to none! Bingo/ Pokeno are played daily, including weekends. Their are crafts and other activities daily and many special events throughout the month. Their are also nurses onsite 24 hrs day which provides a sense of security and piece of mind. Francois Bend is located in the middle of Gonzales and is worth the drive from South Baton Rouge... only about 12 minutes from Highland Road exit. If you are looking for a new home for a loved one, Francois Bend should be your very first choice. My grandfather had lived in another facility in Baton Rouge prior to FB, and there’s no comparison. I also visited several other facilities in Baton Rouge and none were as nice as Francois Bend. You can see more of FB by visiting their Facebook Page and even set up a tour. I promise, you will be glad that you did!