Bickford of Portage

Kimberly

I visited Bickford of Portage. What I like most about Bickford of Portage is the location, and they followed up. They have pretty much the same room as the other place. You have to bring your own furniture such as your bed. They also have indoor spaces, a beauty shop, and transportation.

Provider Response

Betty

Bickford of Portage was a smaller place, so they have fewer people, but they have a lot of entertainment. However, they charge you if you need a nurse or you need someone to help you dress or shower. They keep charging for everything you need; that was different. The manager who took me around was very lovely. They seemed very caring. The place looked very clean. It just wasn't as bright. It was a slightly darker appearance, but it was clean.

Provider Response

LaraF

Care and services have continued to go downhill over the last year. Too often agency caregivers are used and/or understaffed. These agency caregivers do very little for the residents. High employee turnover. Very little stimulation for memory care, usually just left sitting at tables all day. Sad that it has gotten to the point we are looking to relocate. I would not recommend.

Provider Response

Sarah

I went to look at Bickford of Portage. It's a beautiful building. I love the décor. The woman who walked us around was very friendly. I would probably live there. I love the style of the place. The lady was very nice. The rooms had a lot of variation. It wasn't just one style of a room. They all had kitchenettes, which I liked. I like the variation in the rooms. They had tons of amenities like outdoor areas, a library, activity room, sitting rooms, and tons of different scheduled activities. She gave me a full tour, and I appreciated that. One thing I thought was strange is they didn't show me the price upfront, which I thought was a little sketchy as I have no idea how much they cost. The woman that I met was wonderful. She answered all my questions. She was nice. The building was beautiful. I loved it. It was my style.

Provider Response

Kathleen

Bickford of Portage offers a variety of activities, has a medical staff on call and on premises, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. The day we went there, we walked into the lobby and saw that they had a make-believe volleyball net spread across the big room. There was a whole bunch of people in their wheelchairs and regular chairs playing volleyball with about six or eight giant beach balls. They were having a blast. I wanted to join them. It just looked like fun. There's a formal dining room and everybody meets there to eat. They have housekeeping once a week. They occasionally have outings to an ice cream place for everybody to get ice cream. It just sounds like the ideal thing. They also accept pets. The rooms we saw exceeded my expectations, actually. The lady that let us around, Cheryl, was very knowledgeable and very helpful. She listened to our questions and answered them. She gave us a very nice tour. We met someone who helps the residents with bathing. They also have a hair salon. They just have everything. They only have 46 apartments too. My sister can take all of her own furniture and all the things that are hers. When we went by, it was the Fourth of July. Every door in the hallway was decorated with Fourth of July themed projects that the residents had done themselves. They also had nice gardens. The ladies can plant flowers. It's all raised work areas, so they can stand or even sit to help plant flowers and get them ready. We were there during lunchtime, and they had shrimp. Everybody was eating and seemed to be enjoying it. They had a wonderful menu always with two entrees from which you could choose and a variety of vegetables. Everything is one floor, and it's almost kind of a rectangle shaped. You can essentially just walk around the whole place inside. A good friend of mine has her mother-in-law there, and she said that they're very satisfied too.

Provider Response

Thomas

My mom likes it there at Bickford of Portage; it's a nice place. The staff is very attentive and caring, and the facilities are very neat and home-like. Everything was decorated nicely. I like the activities and the staff. They have social gatherings, exercise classes, movies, sing-alongs, Bible study, and just anything you'd want to do. They have crafts, cooking, and baking. My mother's room is very nice. Because of COVID, I'm not allowed to go anywhere in the facility and only had to stay in my mother's room. COVID restrictions are slowly being lifted, so someday we'll have access to all the rooms. The residents have access to the whole facility, but the visitors do not. Her room is very neat. The view is beautiful. She has a view of the courtyard, and it's very nice. From what I can see, the main lobby is nicely appointed and decorated nicely. My mother's room is nice and clean. She uses her own furniture and everything, so that's fine. Everything's expensive. I wish it wasn't expensive, but that's what you have to pay.