Brookdale Vestal West

Lynne

Brookdale Vestal West was very nice. I got to watch some of the activities. They were playing a trivia game. I talked to some of the residents. The woman who led the tour was very helpful, pleasant, and easy to talk to. I like the facility as well, but it's strictly memory care at that facility. Our hope is that my mother could kind of ease into that by going to assisted living first. It's close to her church. The atmosphere was very nice and very pleasant. People seemed very active and comfortable. It has a very comfortable vibe. The rooms were smaller. They did not have closets; they had wardrobes. Because it's memory care, there were no cooking facilities in the rooms. They had small kitchenettes, but your meals are included. It looked more like a home. The rooms here were very nice. You could buy two adjoining rooms with Jack and Jill bathrooms. They said there are a lot of different options for the configuration of the rooms. I saw the schedule of activities. They had activities planned throughout the day. They have a very good staff to patient ratio, so they can do a lot to accommodate if people are having a bad day. They will do whatever they can to accommodate reasonable needs and requests.

Judy

My sister was at Brookdale Vestal West for a year and a half. She was in the memory care. I think they have some very caring staff members, and the meals were very good. At one time, they had a lot of social activities going on, but the pandemic did a lot of damage to everything. So they didn't have the activities that they were accustomed to, and it made it a little bit harder for the residents. During the pandemic, you had to call and make a half-hour appointment. They will bring her into a room or a patio and have a six-foot table between you. She has a mask on and you're supposed to be wearing a mask, too, even though you both have been given vaccines and you can talk to them. The individual who brings her in will sit outside, so she's not right there in your conversation, and then she'll tell you when your time is up. In the wintertime, she was inside while I was outside. Then they found a room where they could put us. They had church services, van rides, and music. During the pandemic, the musicians would stand outside the dining room or the living-room windows playing the music, and it was piped into the inside. They've also had painting, and sometimes they did their nails. She had her own bathroom and a little sitting area where you could go. Those were the private rooms, and they were quite spacious and clean. They have some very nice housekeeping people and maintenance people, along with just the general staff.

Provider Response

Timothy

My mom was at Brookdale Vestal West. The experience with them was great. They were excellent. The girls that were working with Mom were great and they interacted with her every day. In fact, Mom became the assistant of their LPN. She came into her office and spent the day there, and they became really good friends. The food was better than average and the room was clean. They had a movie theater, a music room, and good activities for them. It was a nice facility. The only problem I had is when a new director came in, I didn't care for her at all. They had an activity room where they got involved in painting, exercising, games, and cooking. They had a kitchen set aside for the whole community so they would be able to have cooking classes. They have a church there, too.

NS

Brookdale Vestal West is a beautiful place where they seem to take good care of my mother. They resolve anything that comes up. They encouraged us to sit with my mom during meals if we wish to. It's a very nice place. My mom's room is very nice and comfortable, with a large bathroom and a shower. It has a bedroom area and a half wall that separates it from the living area. They have musicians come in once a week, board games, outdoor garden area to sit in in good weather, and a bus that takes a group at a time to events or to the park.

Colleen

We chose Brookdale Vestal West because of the memory care unit, and my aunt had memory loss. We were most impressed with the facility, the people, and the program. They do group exercises, group movies, church services, and go on field trips to restaurants, or senior centers around the area that have dancing or music. They offer times when they do crafts together and activities that are very specific to the residents. For example, they have an outside area where they can do planting or gardening. The staff is very attentive, they get to know her very well, and everytime my husband and I walk in, they know who we’re there to see. The food is impressive. They’re given a choice of two things, and there are two plates that are completely ready to show them, so the residents can choose what they want. The facility is just like a hotel. It’s beautiful there. Compared to everything we looked at, and what we got for the money, it’s definitely where I would choose to live.

Dawn

Brookdale Vestal West was a really nice place. The rooms were set up really nicely. I liked it, and the staff was fantastic.

Robert68965250

My mother was in another facility of the same company and when she required additional level of care, she was moved here to Emeritus at Woodland Place. This facility specializes in Alzheimer's care and this is what I like best about it. So far, I think everything there has been outstanding. The staff is very accommodating and very caring. They're giving my mom what she needs in her current condition. I have eaten there many times and the food is great.