Memory Care Communities in Berkeley, CA

"We've lived here 3 years. We find the accommodations we live in, the apartment, 2-bed/2-bath, with sitting room and so forth is very comfortable. We have a little deck and the property is beautifully landscaped. In our area we have some roses and in-season azaleas. Lots of roses and quite beautiful flowers. Our apartment is relatively modern. We're in the Salem Woods building. Has a kitchen. The food is ok. It's nourishing, there's plenty of it. You live in an institution with 100+ people; it's not like going to hotel. There are plenty of activities. There's music, art, puzzles, history, walking outdoors. All kinds of activities. You can do it or not. The activities are good. I do some; others I don't. They have a bus that will take you to the doctor. The same bus will take you shopping. They offer amenities, excursions, such as a drive to the Port of Oakland, or to the observatory in the hills. For people who have a car, there's parking (garage and street). My daughters come over; there's handicapped parking. When I first came here, I had 2-3 good caregivers who were really helpful to me. "

"I toured the Elders Inn. It had a beautiful courtyard, was clean, and had no unpleasant odors. The front desk and touring staff coordinator were very nice. Tristan was great. It is located on a busy street but the old folks are not going to be walking along the street and it's across the street from a gas station. It's an old building in an old part of town but that's not their fault."

"It was one of our favorites because it's a relatively small community. I think they only have probably eighty residents. Given that it's a relatively small community, there's lots of personal care. We loved the sight. It was a beautiful sight. The rooms were adequate and nice. We liked the staff. They were wonderful. The good news is that it also has a memory care unit, which was what we were looking for. It has both an assisted living and a memory care unit. That was one of our best choices. "

"Aldersly Garden has lovely surroundings, and when you go out your door, there are gardens. I like the staff. They are very courteous. I visited a one-bedroom apartment, and it is nice and big -- very adequate. They have three dining areas; one is for active seniors, one is for assisted seniors, and the last one is the nursing unit. The meal hours are quite extended, they are very generous with the time, there are about two choices every day, and they put out the list ahead of time so you can make your choice. They have a bus that takes you various places if you want to go out. They have card games, a nice library with quite a lot of books, physical activity, a gym, and an instructor, so you have a class, which is very nice. "

"We went to Pinole Senior Village. Without exception, the staff members on duty were exceptionally gracious, friendly, excellent, and supportive. They were more than willing to share whatever information they thought you needed. It was a good tour. We enjoyed seeing the facilities. However, for us, one of the greatest disadvantages was the fact that it was a little too far away from San Francisco. "

"The memory care at Coterie is incredible. Christina’s team is well trained and all so loving and caring to their residents. My mom has lived under their care for the past year, and it has been so helpful to have support during this challenging time of her memory decline. Not only are the caregivers, med techs, and nurses amazing, but also the organization of activities and amenities are well planned. My mom always has lots of opportunities to enjoy music, create flower arrangements, or even practice tai chi. She has been really happy living at Coterie. We are so thankful we found a safe and loving home for my mom."

"We found it and things are going well so far. I picked it because they seemed to have nice rooms, lots of activities, and good care. The food looks good too. "

"Sagebrook Senior Living is beautiful. I love it. It's just a bit too steep. They want $6,800 without the care, and that's kind of a bit too much for our income. The community is great. The view was fantastic. The accommodations were great. The staff was very nice and very helpful. The dining area was lovely. It had a piano and everything. It was really nice. I have nothing bad to say about it. We had lunch, and it was good. It looked like their families were there, so they were chatting and associating with their families, and then they went outside. It is old, and they're still doing construction."

"My brother is living in Marymount Villa. The room is clean and tidy without rugs on the floor, and the bathrooms are clean. It's a two-person unit and each one is fairly private. So far, it's perfectly wonderful. There are activities. The dining area and the food are excellent and more than ample. They have a choice of what they want to eat for soup, salad, entrée, and dessert. "

"My great uncle resides here and I highly recommend it. The Staff is kind and responsive and have made the difficult transition very easy for my uncle. He has been there 7 months now and I visit him at least once a week and he is doing very good. He is very comfortable and has made many friends. I am very happy we made the decision to go. "

"I couldn't believe how nice everyone was there... So sweet and genuinely helpful. Beautiful community and the activity board was packed of interesting things to do. the salad bar was wonderful and the fresh made soup was delicious. I recommend you take a look at this community in your search! "

"My husband seems to have settled a little bit now at The Carlton. They have gone through a lot with him; it has not been easy. I chose this community because my husband is pretty young at 70 years old and has advanced Alzheimer's. He is a difficult case because he gets combative and aggressive. I needed to find a place that is comfortable and could handle that type of behavior. Carlton Senior Living Poets Corner is bigger, clean, and has quite a bit of space for my husband to explore and move around. They have a nice outdoor area, which was also important to me because he enjoys going outside. Carlton has several men closer in age to my husband and in a similar kind of situation. I felt he could make some friends he could watch basketball or football with. They said, 'We don't kick people out. We are professional." I feel their employees are professional, kind, and seem to really care. With their activities, they have lots of things going on and try to make it a pleasant, fun place to be."

"My sister-in-law works at the church with many residents from here, so we went on a tour. We liked the layout of it and everything so we just took mom there to check it out and she really liked it. Our experience was very positive. Mom and Dad are in a 1-bedrom. They widened the shower door a little bit more because my father has a walker so it’s cozy and perfect for them. I’ve eaten there many times and the food is excellent. The chef does an incredible job and the specials always taste great. Dad does the exercise classes and mom sometimes goes with him. I haven’t had any problem with the staff, and they’ve been able to answer our questions and do things that we needed. "

"This assisted living center is run by Carlton Senior Living, a family-owned business that operates a number of facilities in northern California; family members are still involved in the operation. It focuses on residents who have special care needs, such as diabetes management, and includes a separate dementia center. The building has a tropical feel, with very open spaces and a foyer that opens into a nice sitting room. The outside grounds are planted with flowers and shrubs and a lot of verdant vegetation, with a meandering path in the back. Inside, there's a very nice and colorful activity room, with an activity director on staff who plans appropriate and engaging activities including music trivia, bingo, Happy Hours, and senior fitness classes. There's also a 24-hour café and same dining services The staff is very nice"”and a standout is the chef, who is exceedingly pleasant, personable, and attentive; there is never a problem accommodating personal tastes or even getting food made to order. The caregiving staff wear radio talkie-talkies"”and they respond immediately in a helpful way; the set up is not like many facilities that have a nursing station, where there is often little attention or follow-up. The cost for care and housing starts at $3,895 per month. A money-back guarantee is offered for those who wish to leave after a 70-day trial period. The facility also operates an excellent website, which is clear and easy to use and includes lots of good information, including prices. The reviewer, Lisa Geron, has been a professional social worker for 8 years and has also worked in a variety of positions including care management and palliative care for several years. "