Heatherwood Retirement Community Burke, VA

I didn't like Heatherwood Retirement Community at all. There was nothing going on there. It was exactly like a nursing home, not like an assisted living facility. The people were sitting in wheelchairs in the lobby and not talking to each other. Nothing ws going on, and the food choices were few and far between. The employees in an assisted living facility must be advised that they should be happy and smiling and engaging people when they walk in. As I walked in, one of the employees was walking out. I said, "Hello," and she said nothing to me. She had a sour look on her face and I thought to myself, "That's not the place I want my mom to be."

My mother has been here for almost 5 years. When you first walk in you are greeted by the very warm and friendly reception staff. Marcia, Janet and Rita know everyone's names and have so much patience with everyone. Debbie and the rest of the entertainment staff have lots of activities and parties with favors for every holiday and special occasion. The staff in the dining room especially Lindsay are wonderful with the residents. My mother has worked with the on site physical therapist Kevin and occupational therapist Roberta who do great work. It's a great benefit to have them in house. We really like all of the activities in the different rooms. We've had family dinners in the small dining room and my mothers 90th birthday party in the lounge. The lounge is also a great place for watching sports. There also a bistro where poker and bridge are played and you can get a glass of wine or a snack. Roger runs the bistro where coffee is always available. The bistro opens to an outdoor patio where they have barbecues. There are movies and weekly music entertainment in the family room. There's also a movie theater and activities room upstairs. Off of the entrance there's a library with a fireplace. It's a nice semi private area to read a book. When of the best things about Heatherwood is all the different rooms and activities that take place in them. I've toured some places that only have one large open room for activities and they seem more institutional. Heatherwood's living room with the fireplace, the bistro with its European decor, the club like decor of the lounge and the cozy library make it very homey yet elegant.

I had the pleasure of visiting a friend who resides at Heatherwood Retirement Community. This community is very impressive, clean and welcoming. From the moment I walked in, I was warmly greeted by the receptionist as well as other staff. My friend who has been living there for a few months has been extremely pleased and happy with all of the wonderful amenities, particularly the food which is 5 star quality. She said that had she know retirement living would be so great, she would have moved in sooner. I certainly know where I will go when it's time for me to retire!

We are very happy with Heatherwood Retirement. My father has a very nice one-bedroom apartment there and he has three meals. There’s lot of activities, and the place is very clean. The staff is very cordial, nice, and respectful. My dad isn’t 100% happy because he has to leave his house. Overall, of the few places that we looked at, we liked this one best. It’s nice there and so far, we have been very happy.

My mother lives in Heatherwood. She’s been at Heatherwood for one year. The facility is a very nice facility. She has her own apartment. They have studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedrooms apartments. We got her a one-bedroom. My brother and I checked out several places before we chose Heatherwood. Heatherwood was the nicest one we could find in that price range. The other thing that was attractive about Heatherwood is the location; it’s halfway between where I live and my brother lives. They have 24-hour nursing care, nurses on-site, and they have nurse's aides who check on her at least every two hours. They make sure she gets all her meals and activities. They have several things going on every day. Because she has the assisted-living package, she gets three meals a day. If you don’t have assisted living and you’re just paying basic, you get one meal a day.

I like the location and the amenities that Heatherwood Retirement offers. It has been very good for my mom. The staffing level is appropriate and I think they're very caring people. I have always found them to be very helpful. The facility is kept very clean. They beautifully decorated the facility during Christmas and Thanksgiving, and they had a lovely Christmas party for the residents and their families. They even have Santa Claus for the grandchildren with presents. I have found them to be willing to go the extra mile. My mother's room has a full bath, a kitchen, and large enough for a loveseat and tables, chest for her clothes, and closets to keep her wheelchair and her coats. Someone would come in to clean her room thoroughly once a week. The food for the most part is good. They have a little bistro area, library, a large outside patio area, sunroom with wicker furniture, and a large meeting room where there's a large screen TV for special presentations. They also have some folks who would come to help them with arts and crafts. They also have a residents' group that help to address any problems that they might have with management.

This facility is well built and well maintained, and decorated like a comfortable but upscale home. The staff is friendly and respectful, very familiar with all the residents. The head nurse knew my grandmother used to be a nurse, and addressed her as an esteemed peer. The staff kept a close eye on her and her eating habits, and were instrumental in identifying when her dementia worsened.