The Best Nursing Home Communities in Saint Johns County, FL

"Vicar's Landing is a first-class operation. We had the opportunity to have dinner there and they showed us around. They got pretty much everything you want in terms of services. The location is very good. It is very close to St. Augustine. They have all levels of care including an onsite hospital equivalent, which was immaculate, I mean, it really looked. The housing was absolutely spectacular compared to all the other places. You can get anything from 700 to 1500 square foot place, and they have both apartments and stand-alone houses. We met several of the residents there, they were all extremely happy. I have nothing bad to say about that. It was not cheap, but then none of the places is cheap. I think you got good value for your money. "

"My mother was a patient here at Kindred hospital twice within a year's time. She once told me how nice the staff treated her. She received excellent care.The staff were very professional and kind towards me.They were very attentive to her concerns and needs. Dr.Nazario is awesome. John, my mom's case manager was also very helpful. My mom is doing well. I am very grateful. Keep up the great work. "

"It was ridiculous. I was really upset with Governors Creek. I was so disappointed to see my father. He was there for a week, and he had already been sent to the emergency room twice. They were not watching my dad, and I already informed them about his condition. His bed was not safe. There was no alarm, and it had no railing. He had no TV. It was empty. I wanted to send him home that time, but I could not. It's a very old building. I feel bad for those people who were in there. They were not friendly people as well. I've been there today because to take my dad's belongings, and they cannot even find it. They sent me to a room that looked like a mountain of junk belongings of patients. "

"Our children live in the Julington Creek area, and they recommended that we consider Westminister Woods. On our first visit we were impressed by the beautiful appearance of the community. A lot of places we considered where just a bunch of buildings. Here, we’re on the river, with all the magnificent trees. It's a spacious campus that is very convenient to shopping, restaurants and our family. We we were going to downsize to a smaller home with a plan to move into a facility like this when we about 80. After visiting the campus we decided to not put ourselves through the hassle of an extra move. We both liked everything about Westminster Woods so we decided to not wait and just do it now! One of the main attractions was that no matter what happens to us, we're taken care of. Our children don't have to worry about anything. We took care of everything on our own terms. You plan for the future, but you never know what tomorrow's going to bring. We're fortunate to be healthy now, and we don't NEED to be here. We WANT to be here. We can do as much or as little as we want. This is a perfect place to enjoy your early retirement years. "

"My mom will move into River Garden Hebrew Home under their memory care unit. They're fantastic. The rooms were great. Everybody was calm, and everything was clean, and it didn't smell like bleach. It didn't smell like cleaning products at all. It smelled fresh there. Everybody was well cared for, even the people who weren't as alert. Somebody would go and check on them to make sure everything was okay. I'm very impressed. They only have 38 beds."

"Truthfully, my mother would not be alive today if it weren’t for the wonderful administration and focused, customized healthcare of TOJ. She has been a resident over 10 years and since I live 5 minutes away I pop in unexpectedly during all shifts. Granted, when the facility changed hands about 5 years ago there were rough patches, budget cuts & adjustments for everyone. Things are not always 100% perfect anywhere. For example, the food may not be gourmet quality, but it is still edible, plentiful and balanced for the most part. The dietitians & servers go out of their way to accommodate the restrictions & tastes of almost 200 residents. The long overdue multi- million dollar structural facelift was a welcome change. Security cameras were installed throughout the interior/exterior of the building, new energy efficient heating/cooling systems we’re installed, uniform furniture/new bedding was provided in every single room as well as updated phone/cable service for all residents. TOJ is a hurricane compliant facility & very safe place for your loved ones. They are experts in preparation thanks to Maintenance Director John. Most of the staff, under the direction of Administrator Misty, is truly like a family. Sure, I’ve had my occasional difficulties and issues with certain employees & have always addressed my concerns as POA & family either in person or via the Care Planning meetings. Administration has ALWAYS acknowledged & resolved my concerns and I admit I have not made it easy for them because of my temperament. I often think of the alternative for my mother when I hear unhappy friends, neighbors, and co-workers talk about their horrific experiences with other negligent, rodent-infested so-called “skilled nursing/memory care“ facilities that should be condemned! I thank God Almighty everyday that my precious & once brilliant mother is in the best possible place surrounded by caring individuals. I know first hand that TOJ has her back when emergencies arise. I sleep well knowing that safety procedures are fully in place should residents have to be evacuated. This actually happened when I was out of the country last summer. The TOJ puts the residents FIRST. They respect the families & resident in their “home” & treat them with the utmost dignity & highest level of care. The trained, experienced nurses are extremely meticulous when documenting every single Rx or insulin injection that is administered. They do not hesitate to consult with various specialists as deemed necessary. I have always been in the communication loop regarding my mother’s health, change of meds or behavior, incidents, etc. The CNA’s have backbreaking duties with little pay as it relates to the cost of living increase. Yes, there is some turnover as anywhere else, but those that have longevity, have stayed because they have built relationships with the residents & their families over time and they take ownership in overseeing the resident’s daily well-being. Each shift works tirelessly & several have become disabled themselves because of their endless dedication to our loved ones. Those who have consistent bad attitudes usually don’t last & are asked to leave. The Activities Dept headed by Theresa, goes above & beyond by providing top notch gatherings that stimulate thinking, engaging entertainment, visiting schools, holiday fun, periodic Bingo, card games, socials, church services, movie nights, special family events, dinners, Homecoming dances, visits to residents, manicures, festive decorations, etc. Her team is tight & ultra talented. I feel blessed that TOJ was there back in July 2009 right when we needed them the most. “Thank You” just isn’t enough to express my gratitude. "

"Isle Nursing Home is the best. It is in a safe high end neighborhood. It is shinning clean. The rooms are comfortable with great view of nature. It has several therapy rooms with fantastic equipment. But the most important things are care and food. My mother is there for long term. Isle provides doctors, therapists, podiatrists, and any specialist that my mom could need. The nurses are wonderful. My mom is not an easy patient. She has so many issues that would try anyone's patience. However, the entire staff at Isle, from the Administrator, to the Manager, Social Workers, Nurses, who are so many to mention by names, to the Nursing Assistants, these people are dedicated to my mother, and to so many other residents that they care for. They go far beyond the call of duty to keep her calm, well fed, clean, warm, cuddled, happy, and satisfied. I am happy and satisfied. The food is excellent and if she does not like it, which is a lot because she has specific cultural tastes, the Food Administrator will send replacement food to satisfy her taste. My mother had an incident in which she injured herself out her own difficult behavior, and the staff at hand, acted promptly, with outmost professionalism, and speed, and took more than the necessary steps to resolve the situation, help my mother, notify me, and now my mother is fine, recovering, and she has received great attention so that does not happen again. Accidents were happening at home, and at other facilities where she fell many times including the hospital, and that is why she is now at Isle, because they care and go beyond the call of duty to keep her calm and protected.She will get a special chair in a couple days, she has a special concave mattress to prevent falls, she has pads to relieve a fall, and all extra precautions in the event that other steps fail. She has all the supplies that she can possibly need, such as, diapers, bed pads, wipes, lotions, creams, shampoo, wound supplies, everything she can need, and complete supervision. I observe other residents and they look happy, singing, talking and doing activities. I highly recommend Isle Nursing and Rehab in Orange Park, Fl. I give them a 100."

"Mom has been in Avante. It's nice, it's clean, and it's close to the house for me. The people who work there are very nice. It's not necessarily as fancy as a lot of the newer ones, but it has a nice little patio area. It has one bedroom and a little private room like a dining room. It's just that it feels more homey than other places. I feel like they take good care, and there are people there who have their mother and grandmother there, and they continue this. More than one generation has gone to this place, so they seem to keep up with it. It's a good place. I would recommend it. "

"This facility has taken great care of mom! I am so pleased that I made the decision to send her here. I am so grateful for the love and care she receives."

"I am a current resident at Regents Park of Jacksonville and I have to say before being admitted here I was skeptical about being in a nursing home. Prior to coming here I heard horror stories and didn’t think there were any good ones. However my experience at Regents Park has been pleasant and homelike. I like going out on past to shop at Walmart so I am free to come and go as I want. I have people here to help me when I need it. My 3 to 11 Nurse knows everything I need she brings me my meds, check my blood sugar and reminds me to eat healthy. I have friends here that I look for, enjoy seeing and socialize with all the time. I get to choose and participate in my favorite activities and make suggestions on what I want to do. The Activities staff is so much fun and gives me a lift every time I get involved. I am active and maintain my independence by volunteering to help manage the residents’ store. The store has truly been my lifeline. I know that everyday I have something to do whether I’m helping to stock items, helping with inventory or assisting a customer. I call it my job and I look forward to volunteering to do it everyday. I am also a member of the residents’ council and help conduct the meetings. I speak up for my peers, encourage them to get involve and voice their concerns. I must say the Management staff is on top of any concerns or issues that may occur. I don’t worry because I know when I report it something is going to be done about it. "

"My room was nice, it was kept clean, I made my own bed (out of habit). I had plenty of room for my belongings, my laundry was done by staff. My interactions with the staff were positive, I made many friends among the staff. The service was good, my needs were met, My therapy was well taken care of. The food was good and suited my tastes. I did not avail myself of te activities, I kept myself engaged. All in all, I had a satisfactory experience!"

"Life Care is unlike any facility in which I've ever visited. The staff remembers each patient by name, and remembers their family members. They truly care about the needs of each individual patient and are willing to provide personalized training to ensure that the patients' needs are met once they return home. My grandfather raved over the food. It was far beyond the typical hospital and/or assisted living dining room food. The choices were multiple, the quality was fresh and the ability to call the kitchen and ask for something extra was always available. The physical therapists did not just go through the proverbial motions. They wanted each patient to receive the past possible care, whether they were 91 or 51. They created a hard working environment of only 15-20 min breaks, but allowed different muscles to rest while working on a different part of the body. Life Care certainly lives up to its name, as it does create a caring environment for all patients and their families. I believe you can truly rest easy, knowing that your family members are in good hands. "

"I was a patient at Consulate Health Care. My stay there was very pleasant. The nurses are very attentive. The staff is very professional and friendly. I only suggest that when you first enter the nursing facility, make sure that they order your prescriptions on time. Other than that the food was nice. I enjoyed my peaceful stay."

"My brother entered for rehab after breaking some ribs and having blood drained from his lung. He was weak, disoriented, and often not rational. I visited him on a Saturday, noticed he seemed weaker and he was not eating or drinking. Blood pressure checks indicated it was dropping. I mentioned these things to several caretakers. By very early Sunday morning, I received a call that they had left him back at the E.R. By the time I arrived from 70 miles away, the doctors said they did not think he could survive because he was so ill. BP dropped to 40's, vomiting, etc. They treated him and he lived, but still has issues related back to this illness. I know part of the Doctors Lake Healthcare is wonderful, but not the part he was in. They should have been more aware of what was going on with him. "