The Actors Fund Home

Reviewer#as0220

My mother is in The Actors Fund Home. It's a very unique program, it's a one-of-a-kind, it's been around over 100 years. The only way you can get in is if you've had 20 years or more in a career in the performing arts, like a dancer, singer, actress, a director, so it's really designed for people in the arts, and my mother was an opera singer so I thought that would be appropriate. She would be there meeting people who had similar lives and interests. The other thing that I find extraordinary is they have comfort care. It's a training program that all of their staff has to go through, like how to communicate with people who have dementia and whatnot so that they can have a better understanding of how those people are functioning in their brains. They are very expensive, but they're like the most expensive nursing home I've ever heard of. They take you in, they use up all your money, and when it's gone, they put you on to Medicaid so that you will stay there for the rest of your life getting this incredible care for as long as you live. So who knows how long it'll be, but I found that very comforting. They've been also crazy about COVID. They wouldn't let me see her, and everyone has to be vaccinated, wear a mask, and sit apart from each other, even though you get tested every time you go there. But the idea that my mom is safe is the most important thing, so I think they're very mindful. The staff is fantastic, everyone, even the social workers. I'm on a first-name basis with everybody. I call and can talk to them. My mom told me a number of times that the food is delicious. I was a little disappointed because they go from assisted living to full on memory care in a locked-down ward. And in the places that are more for people who are more functional, it's beautiful. They just did a huge renovation and it's gorgeous. But when you go down into the basement, which is where the nursing home is, it pretty much looks like a hospital. They've got those beds that go up and down, and the furniture looks like something from a garage sale, and it's nothing to write home about, but they let you bring in your own stuff and do whatever you want to the room. I feel like she's probably getting the best care she can get anywhere. And what's ironic for my mom is that her primary care physician she had for 30 years works there, so she has the same doctor. They've got singing things, they used to take them to Broadway shows before COVID. Their program seems pretty great. I ran into a lovely woman the other day who was telling me about my mom and how my mom loves when she reads to her, so this is just a random person who will sit down and read to my mother by herself, not like a group thing or anything, just like what my mom wants to hear, and I think that's pretty awesome. I think that the price is ridiculous, it's like $16,000 a month. The reason why I made the deal was because once her money is gone, she gets to stay indefinitely for as long as she lives.

Kevin

I visited The Actors Fund Home for memory care. It was a nice facility with walking paths, good physical therapy options, definitely nice and well-informed staff, and good-sized rooms. They had meeting rooms, a dining facility, and the ability to walk around the campus. It was definitely very beautiful and very well manicured. They had a special game room where it was not just physical games but also mental games that they would play with the residents. It was very well laid out and accessible for the residents; they were able to get around if they needed. They weren't giving out full tours because of the COVID situation at the time. They showed me some basic facilities. They showed me the dining room, the gym, and the exercise/physical therapy room. There wasn't anybody in there at the time; that's why they were able to show those to me, but they seemed very nice, and definitely I would want my father to use them if he decided to go there. The staff was very insightful and provided additional information that I didn't even think of. The rooms were a little bit larger. They had a calendar full of activities. It was a nice facility. It was just not quite what we were looking for at the time.

Ludie

Beginning in the early 2000's & as recently as 2011, several friends have resided at the Actors Fund Home. Indeed, I was a hands-on caregiver & Executor for one. Over the years, I have gotten together with other performers many times to visit friends & sometimes we got together to entertain there. No matter what time of day or night, I found the facilities very pleasant, well-supplied, clean & well-staffed with attentive, polite doctors/staff members. The range of diagnosis of my friends ran from AIDS, Altzheimers/Dementia to Strokes & beyond. Again, no matter what the time of day or night, if I was to be contacted as a caregiver, etc., the doctors/staff made sure I was contacted. In addition, I have some friends who have retired to the assisted living section. Should the occasion arise that I need such care, I choose the Actors Fund Home in Englewood, NJ. I'm very happy that Brian & Joe have done such an excellent job on behalf of the Actors Fund that provides the Actors Fund Home.