Alcoeur Gardens at Toms River

Margaret

My friend was a resident at Alcoeur Gardens at Toms River. I wouldn't recommend it to anybody. They did not take good care of him. We were trying to get his possessions, but some of them were not found and they were not returned. Some of the staff were very nice, but they were understaffed. I asked who was in charge of my friend, and they would tell me she was not there only because they didn't have anybody specifically taking care of him. He was diabetic and they were not giving him the proper food. I would say the place was clean, but the bedrooms were very small. They painted a nice picture of their backyard, saying it would be nice out there in the springs, but nobody ever went out to the patio.

Anna

I went to Alcoeur Gardens at Toms River, and I got to meet the owner. She was very, very professional and very helpful. She told me when a bed becomes available there, that we could move my mother there. Right now, they're full. It would be more convenient for me. It's clean. The residents were appropriately dressed for the season. It was very nice. They have a parking area. The owner showed me what's on the itinerary from day to day and what activities they'll have for that day. I also saw the schedule of the menu for three weeks, including what they're going to have for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. It looked well-kept. I liked that it didn't look like a place for the elderly to live. It was very nice. I passed by it and I didn't even know what it was. I thought it was a family house.

Maggie

We visited Alcoeur Gardens at Toms River. It seemed very good, but it seemed more for people that were more sociable than my father. They had a lot of activities. When you went in the room, there was so much going on, and my father would be very disoriented because there's so much noise going on in there. He would not appreciate that. The woman that took us around said that they try to get them more socialized, so I wasn't too comfortable with them kind of forcing him to be sociable. She had said that they try to keep them out of their rooms as much as they can during the day, but if they want to go in their rooms, they only leave them in there for so long, and then they make them come back out again. I was uncomfortable with that with my father. He's not the kind of person you can make him do things. Like if he doesn't want to do it, he's going to get obstinate, and he's always been that way, not just because he's old. But everyone that was there seemed very happy and seemed content and doing the crafts and everything. I wouldn't necessarily give them a bad rating, just a rating that it wasn't a fit for my dad. The staff who took us around was very nice, very informative, and very, very personable. I felt very comfortable speaking with her and asking her any questions. She was very forthcoming with everything. She was very good. They also have an outside park. They take them out at certain times. No one was out there at that point when we were there, but that was very secure for the elderly that were there. That was a very nice feature.

Joyce

Alcoeur Gardens at Toms River had the most pleasant atmosphere. The residents there were very well taken care. I was very impressed with the whole facility, with the staffing, and the way they care for their residents. Once my sister-in-law gets up here, that's where she's going. They were fabulous. I liked the fact that they, during nice weather, take them outside. They get them out of their rooms and do not let them sit in their rooms all day. They interact with the other residents there. They have activities all day long. This is something that wasn't just put on for a show, you could tell this was something that happens every day there. I was very impressed and I brought my sister-in-law with me, and she said, "When my time comes, this is where I want to go." It's a beautiful facility. We were so impressed, we didn't feel a need to go any place else.

By Robert H

For the last several years, my father’s physical and mental capabilities were in decline. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's and Dementia. My mother took excellent care of him at home, but it got to a point where he shut down and wanted to stay in bed all day. We wanted to improve his quality of life and began to search for long term care facilities. Most facilities are generalists, but Alcoeur Gardens was specifically recommended as they specialize in memory care ailments. After visiting with the staff and Toms River facility, it made a tough decision much easier. My dad has been at Alcoeur Gardens Toms River facility for just over a year, he is fully engaged with all sorts of activities, making friends, and interacting with the staff. Every time I or my mother call or visit you can feel the loving, caring nature of the staff, homey feel of the environment, and importance of individual care for each resident. There have even been sometimes recently, when I have called him, that he is so engaged in activities that he asks me to call back. I highly recommend this facility to anyone considering long term care for a loved one. Thank you, Alcoeur Gardens staff.

Karen

My father is in Alcoeur Gardens at Toms River. It has a very homey atmosphere. They seem to assess each individual resident's needs. We haven't been allowed in because of COVID, so I can't comment on his room, but everybody we have dealt with has been very pleasant. The whole thing is a memory care unit. We have had such limited access, so I am not sure what activities there are conducted. I've seen it from the outside. It looks like a house, and it's pleasant. It doesn't look like an institution. The place is landscaped, and they have a front porch and a back deck. The staff is more in touch with my mother than with me, but she has made positive comments. It's expensive, but it's right in line with all the other ones.