Brookdale West Orange

We liked Emeritus. We liked the activities and the director. He took us on a tour. He was wonderful. The grounds were well kept. There was ample room, but the apartments were too small for my parents. The waiting area and the dining area were very nice.The food was tasty. I especially liked the outdoor feel in the upstairs hallway. They make you feel like you’re in a little town center.

I went to Emeritus and I liked it, but they turned me down. They said that my care level was too high. I was happy that they had other people with MS like I did and I got to speak with them. I liked the way the halls looked; they were beautiful. The room that I could afford was a studio room -- it was small for my taste but I was willing to compromise. Emeritus had friendly younger people who were my age and that I could talk to. We saw the dining room area. I saw a group playing Bingo and another group doing chair exercises.

I didn't find Emeritus at West Orange as good as the other facilities. I thought it felt more like a nursing home than assisted living. It didn't have a warm, friendly feel. It felt more medicinal. It just didn't have the home feel. It had more of the hospital feel. Location, though, was convenient. The apartments were also small. However, I think they did have some nice activities there. They had music programs, bingo, and another couple of things to do that looked good. The staff, I thought, was very nice.

Emeritus was more upscale. The place looked clean and well kept. But they were not really walkable. So, if somebody who had some independence and wanted to walk outside and go someplace to pick up a bagel or go to a restaurant, they were not conducive to that. I also didn't see many mobile residents there.

I wouldn't put one of my animals at Emeritus, never mind one of my parents. The whole place smelled and it had an odor when you walked in. I had an appointment but they didn't know I was coming. We met with the maintenance man who smelled like cigarettes. He showed us pictures in a photo album. We sat in an empty room that could have been a patient's room. It was so very uncaring and very unprofessional. The elderly people were just sitting around like nobody was paying any attention through it all. It was dark, lonely and horrible. I just didn't like it at all.

My mother and I were both hesitant about assisted living but suspected it would be the right thing in the long run--we were right. Mom has been at Emeritus for a year now and we are both quite pleased with the place. The staff seems to truly care about mom and her new friends. The Activities department is open to suggestions and is consistently improving and mom is happier than she had been in a while.

I found Emeritus to be acceptable. They have very large and lovely rooms. The administrative staff was wonderful. I instantly bonded with one of the staff and she was wonderful. Overall, for me, it was just a facility with its pros and cons.

When we went to Emeritus at West Orange for a visit, we were greeted by their staff at the reception. There was a sign at the reception desk welcoming my mom as a visitor and I thought that was a very personalized touch. We were given a tour and they even invited us to dinner although we couldn't stay, so we ended up bringing food for each entree they had. All the residents were in the dining room and it was nice to see them enjoying their dinner. The apartments were very nice and the hallways were very wide, it seemed very comfortable. The rooms were well-appointed, furnished and decently spacious for a one bedroom studio. A local shuttle bus took the residents shopping and to the mall. They had games, and lecturers and musicians came to the facility. I would recommend this place to other people.

I visited Emeritus at West Orange for my mom. The appeal of this facility was fine. However, when my husband and I walked in, they had an overwhelming smell of air freshener, but it smelled weird. Eventually I realized that it was the smell of sick people. It was the smell of a place that had really old people in it that weren't able to take care of themselves 100%. They had to use such overpowering air freshener because the smell behind it was so overwhelming. That has just told me that they were not really taking good care of their customers, like they are not making sure that they were bathed. I did not know if it was the residents or their rooms or whatever it was, but the facility smelled and I would not recommend this place to anybody. They were also very expensive.

We opted for Emeritus because it was close to our house and the price was less expensive compared than others. The staff were friendly and the residents were a good match to my grandmother. The residents were active, lively and they did not just sit in front of the television.

They had very professional and knowledgeable staff. Their rooms were actually larger than the other facilities I've been to and they were clean. I'd recommend this facility to others.

Emeritus was a clean and attractive place. It had a homey atmosphere. The staff was very courteous. However, in a shared room, one person can occupy a large bedroom, but the other person sharing the room would occupy a tiny room.

My visit to Emeritus at West Orange was good. From what I was able to see, everything was very well-kept. The facility was very nice and the folks that work there were very nice. It's just financially outrageous, and I'm not sure how normal people can afford that. But that's just my personal opinion.

I would not refer this community to anyone in his/her right mind. The management seems inexperienced and too young. I would not trust this place to care for my mother. The Director has piercings and tatoos all over and wore torn jeans when I went to tour. One of the residents were yelling for help and no one helped her. This place appears cozy, but it smells like urine. The prices that they advertise are false. While the rooms are a good size, the directoe of nursing was rude and abrupt. Certainly not the type of people that I would trust with my mother.

It seemed nice when you first came into the lobby area. They made you check in, seemed cautious about people with colds visiting patients so that they wouldn't get them sick. But once on the floors it didn't seem so great. The whole time we would come to visit with my grandmother, you would never see a nurse stop in to visit my grandmother or her room mate. Once we had seen a poop filled diaper sitting on a wheel chair in the hallway and when I asked for water at the nurses station for my grandmother once, the nurse put her hand right into the ice to get the ice chips. It was pretty gross, I wouldn't want another loved one to go to this facility. I was disappointed in the care she received and unless they did a major overhaul on the facility and staff I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

I have visited Emeritus at West Orange a great deal.This is a lovely facility. The rooms are very nice and cheery. The facility has a homey feeling to it. The building itself looks amazing and is very presentable.Overall, the place is clean and well maintained, with absolutely no unpleasant odors. The dining room is kept clean and the food that is given in the dining rooms is very good.The rooms are comfortable and anyone would love to live there.The food they provide is quite nice.The activities offered in this place are good for the different preferences of senior citizens in this facility.There are ample activities, seven days a week, from morning to evening available both onsite and out of the facility. Even when there are no planned activities, many of the residents are out of their rooms and socializing, giving the place a lively feel. It is connected to the city and very easily affordable and internet is available 24*7.Overall the facility is good.

First off, this facility is located in a very idyllic location in West Orange,NJ. It is very peaceful with many trees surrounding the facility. The staff is very helpful and they wanted to go the extra mile to help the patients like helping them out of bed, bringing to them their food and a slew of other thoughtful actions. The dining room is kept clean and the food that is given in the dining rooms is very good. Visiting family members can have a delicious meal with their loved ones in these. The activities offered in this place are good for the different preferences of senior citizens in this facility. There is no urine smell in this facility and the carpeting in the lobby is kept very clean. I would definitely recommend this place for seniors looking to join an affordable assisted living facility in the northern New Jersey area.

I have visited Emeritus at West Orange a great deal, due to my grandmother living there for a while now. I believe that this facility is great for her. The facility itself is very nice, and there are plenty of activities to do for her. I don't really like the housing that is assigned though, I feel that the rooms do not have ample space but my grandmother says that she enjoys it. Although the space may be an issue for me they are not for her, also the room does come with all the necessary appliances so that is a plus as well. The staff seems to be quite friendly, the employees I have talked to all seem very nice and actually enjoy what they are doing. When we were looking for Assisted Living we wanted a place that was close to us so we could go visit often, and this facility was great for her and for us.

This is a lovely facility. The rooms are very nice and cheery. The facility has a homey feeling to it. However, the care level is not what it should be. There are not enough staff/aides for the number of residents there. It also appears that the staff is not well-trained. Delivery of services is quite disorganized and many mistakes are being made. Many services are not delivered as promised. As in any facility, there are some staff members that are outstanding, and others who can't be bothered to do their job. Cleaning is somewhat haphazard in many areas. The quality of the food fluctuates, from good to adequate to poor.

My Aunt is a resident at this facility and she says it is a perfect fit for her. She lived in West Orange her entire life and it was great to find a relatively inexpensive facility so close to the town she knows and loves. The aids are all responsible and extremely friendly to all visitors and residents. The building itself looks amazing and is very presentable. Looks great and as I have stated before, the location suites my aunt well. Thankfully my aunt is very independent and is not picky when it comes to food. Because i am not a fan of the food and i am also curious about the fact that many of the residents are left pretty much alone during the day. I guess if none of them need special care then the facility does not want to be too overbearing. All in all i believe it is a great place to live. The price is perfect for my family and my aunt and we are all very pleased with the small Emeritus.

This is a lovely facility. The rooms are very nice and cheery. The facility has a homey feeling to it. However, the care level is not what it should be. There are not enough staff/aides for the number of residents there. It also appears that the staff is not well-trained. Delivery of services is quite disorganized and many mistakes are being made. Many services are not delivered as promised. As in any facility, there are some staff members that are outstanding, and others who can't be bothered to do their job. Cleaning is somewhat haphazard in many areas. The quality of the food fluctuates, from good to adequate to poor. Overall, this may be a good place for someone who is quite independent and doesn't need a lot of attention. For those that need more assistance, the care is uneven

The location is easy to access from several major highways"”and the setting is pretty and very green, with nice landscaping. There is ample parking onsite for visitors. As soon as you walk in, there are some nice touches: doors that open easily and automatically for those with physical challenges and a helpful concierge to greet and direct you. Inside, there is an immediate homey feeling, with no institutional stiffness; knickknacks and pictures are placed all around and the furniture is comfortable. Visitors feel they can just walk in and sit down. Memory care is in a separate locked unit, with separate programming and dining area. Residents there seem fairly compromised. Overall, the place is clean and well maintained, with absolutely no unpleasant odors. There are also many areas without carpeting, which makes it easier to keep clean. There are lots of common areas, and many activities are held there; residents can do their own laundry if they wish. There is also a large room occupied by an onsite physical therapy department, which has a good reputation. The dining room has windows all around and pleasant views; all food is made onsite, and residents can choose among several options. There is also a different soup featured daily. One telling detail: The chairs in the dining room are all equipped with two wheels, which is a good design or residents who wish to maintain their independence and can also help ease the wear and tear on staff members involved in helping residents get around. The residents are kept clean and as interested as possible; the caregiving staff seems to engage easily with residents and to take time to know them. There is a manager on duty at all times, which is convenient for residents. There are ample activities, seven days a week, from morning to evening"”available both onsite and out of the facility. Even when there are no planned activities, many of the residents are out of their rooms and socializing, giving the place a lively feel. The place is also pet-friendly. Emeritus may be the best fit for people who are social, since residents are generally encouraged to be out of their rooms and to interact. The fee is based on the level of need"”six levels are available; all residents are assessed thoroughly initially "“ and periodically after that.