There are some very nice people who work at Commonwealth Assisted Living, but they are severely understaffed. My husband pays on a daily basis, so the amount is never the same from month to month. It is based on a number of days and for each extra thing that he needs, so it fluctuates from month to month. His daily rate increased by 2.5%, which isn't too bad on his anniversary date. He has been very dissatisfied with the food. He has a spacious room, and I think they call it a suite. There is a little living room area, and then a bedroom separate from that. It is what he needs, and he doesn't feel cramped.
They can do very little besides maybe bandage up a wound, dispense pills, give baths, and they put him in a Jacuzzi, bathe, and shave him. I know they have CNAs, but they don't have any RNs or LPNs, and then they had other people who work there, but no real medical people. Some of them are very friendly, and they are pleasant to talk to, but they are just so busy that they don't really have time to do a lot of socializing. Some of the administrative people have to pitch in; they help to serve meals. They are all very nice. I never had any problems with any of the administrative people. It is just that everybody is overwhelmed with what they have to do because they don't have enough people to do it. I think that if they had more staff, it would definitely be good.
They are going through a massive renovation, so it is noisy right now, and because of their elderly residents, they only work between 9 and 3 in the afternoon. They did the dining room first, and it has been a disaster. The dining room looks nice now, but they moved everybody out of it, and there was mass confusion. Last year they also had the neural virus go through the facility twice, so people were really sick, and when you got people who cannot walk well or get themselves to the bathroom in a timely fashion, you get a mess. So, we've had some kind of bad experiences although the people have been nice enough, but it just has not been a happy situation.
Provider Response
Gail27, On behalf of Commonwealth Assisted Living at Christiansburg, I would like to thank you for sharing your comments with us. I am very sorry that your experience did not live up to your expectations. We are dedicated to providing high-quality senior housing, personal care and comprehensive services that are responsive to the needs and preferences of residents and their families. As you mentioned, our community is undergoing renovations to make it more welcoming and allow us to provide our residents with the highest-quality care. I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you and discuss your experience in person. My e-mail address is areynolds@commonwealthal.com and my phone number is (540) 585-4384. Thank you again for your comments and I look forward to speaking with you. Alice Reynolds, Executive Director at Commonwealth Assisted Living at Christiansburg