My visit at Eastcastle Place went very well, in fact they had a very good recruiter. It seemed to be very welcoming and well established. The rooms were very nice, and the staff was also welcoming. The food was served restaurant-style and very good. They had activities and classes, and offer gardening and also transportation to events.
Eastcastle Place Milwaukee, WI
Offers Assisted Living, Independent Living, Nursing Homes, Continuing Care Communities, and Memory Care
11 Reviews
Reviews of Eastcastle Place
Assisted Living Reviews for Eastcastle Place
September 29, 2018
I visited this facility
March 01, 2015
I am a friend or relative of resident
My review is not about the apartments for the elderly who are able to still look out for themselves, I am writing about the care on the 4th floor, which is where a person that I love and help take care of has been living for approx. 18 months.
My friend has physical problems and is unable to care for herself but her mind is very sharp. She is very depressed and I try to take that into account, but the truth is that I am not very happy with the care at Eastcastle. The problem is that the staff is always short-handed. Lately, the employees have been supplied by agencies. This means that the aides have no knowledge of the patients. I often walk in to see a group of wheel-chairs circled around the TV, while the aides are at the desk, texting, talking or watching TV themselves. I have often emptied the garbage in my friend's room, it is sometimes overflowing with used Pull-Ups. The smell is awful and there are no fans in the bathrooms. My friend has been left on the toilet, once for 1.5 hours, when a 3rd shift aide left her there for the 1st shift to deal with. I have talked to numerous people who are in charge there and my friend is told that it is up to her to find out and remember the names of the aides who do this. Altho sharp, she is still 89 yrs old, has trouble remembering names and does not want to be the "trouble-maker". I also worry about revenge. I once walked past 2 pieces of bread on the floor of the hallway. This was at 10 am. When I returned at 4 m, they were still there. I cleaned them up.
Being an aide in a geriatric facility is a hard, sometimes depressing job. I know this. But my friend has been treated disrespectfully, been told not to be so bossy, told that she has to wait to go to the bathroom, because she just went. This is so humiliating for a grown woman who has worked her entire life and now has to depend on others for the most basic needs. Eastcastle is cosmetically very pretty, the lobby has nice furniture, the grounds look nice, but the facilities are dangerously short-handed. If I could remove my friend, I probably would. I have heard that many facilities have trouble finding and keeping aides, but this is very disturbing to me.
February 11, 2015
I am a friend or relative of a resident
My mother has moved into Eastcastle Place since the start of November. She has an apartment, and it has a nice view of the courtyard. It's spacious enough for her. It's got a large bathroom, a walk-in closet, and a kitchen with room for a small table. She has a sofa, an armchair, and coffee table, and she seems quite comfortable with the amount of space. I knew about it through word of mouth, and I was very impressed. It's very attractive, and it didn't feel like an institution. The wait staff are very friendly, and the presentation of the food felt like a restaurant. The quality of the food was very good with fresh ingredients and a nice menu. They have a swimming pool, fitness area, several art studios, a room where they show movies, one large library, and a small library. They have lots of scheduled outings around the city, and there is bingo and arts and crafts. I would recommend them, the facility is really very good, but it's not perfect, we have a little bit of friction with the staff. The aides who are stationed on my mother's floor have not been very attentive or responsive. They don't pick up the phone, they don't follow up on things that they said they would do, and they seemed to spend quite a bit of time on tasks, but just this particular part of the place on that floor. The director of nursing is really great, and the other higher level staff are very good.
September 08, 2014
I visited this facility
The marketing person of Eastcastle Place was very nice, very welcoming, and very enthusiastic. She set up the appointment, met us on time, and gave us a nice leisurely tour. We did see two rooms to choose from, which was a one-bedroom, and it was very small. It was supposed to be a one bedroom, but it was tiny with not even a real kitchen. The bathroom was nice with a walk-in shower and all that, but the room was just so tiny. The emphasis on the place seemed to be on keeping the residents out in the common areas of the facility as much as possible for socializing and all that, but as far as having a space of their own, the room was tiny. The entire one-bedroom apartment would fit in my small living room. They had a gorgeous dining room, but we did not eat anything there. We did see their menu and it was very impressive. The place reminded both my sister and I of a hotel; it didn't feel homelike. It seemed like they were geared towards lots of activities that keep people interacting socially outside of their rooms, which was understandable, but it seemed like there was almost too much of an emphasis on that. They do go out for shopping, but given their location and the things that we saw, there were more things like movie nights, book club readings, poetry sessions, and musicians coming in. And, because of the location I am sure they have a lot of retired university professors and professional people there. Actually, I was not that impressed with this place. Both my sister and I thought that the place was huge, there were a couple of buildings that have been merged into one and the older section is where we saw an apartment while the other section looked like it was built in the 1960's and didn't seem to have been updated at all. Considering how much the place cost, you'd think they would put some of that money into updating the residents' rooms instead of just the common areas. I think they need to improve on the quality of the resident's rooms. The rooms were so tiny that they seemed to be designed for just a place to sleep and the use of the bathroom.
July 26, 2013
I visited this facility
I visited Eastcastle Place. The environment was wonderful. It was so clean, well decorated and smells nice. I loved the location because it was right next to a hospital and part of it was closed to Lake Drive so you could walk along and look at the lake. Each floor of assisted living has it's own space for reading rooms, games, internet. The only have 13 rooms per floor so it was not crowded. It also has a senior living and that was very nice. They had different dining rooms. I talked to a lot of staff members that were putting up on group activities and they had lots of activities going on which I liked. I just liked the feel of it and everybody was smiling.
March 22, 2013
Other
I had my on-the-job training at the East Castle. It was the nicest place. I didn't smell anything. The meals looked very nourishing too. The rooms were not overcrowded. There were some rooms that were small but I was amazed at how some of them were so large for just one person being there.
What just I didn't like was that they don't have the pull up exercises in the morning, but I wasn't able to ask why. Still, if I had a chance and something happened to me, I would rather be there.
February 09, 2012
I visited this facility
We were struck by how much Eastcastle Place assisted living facility actually resembles a castle - so that's a really appropriate name for it. The stately design was really beautiful.
The outer grounds were immaculate, with nicely trimmed lawns, shrubs and trees. There were also a number of nicely appointed benches for everyone to enjoy.
The two story foyer had a "royal" feel to it and it seemed like were were visiting a castle in another country. Despite the exotic design, the building still had a warm and friendly atmosphere. The staff was very kind and accommodating.
The balcony views were quite nice, and overlooked the grounds well into the next town over. It was comforting to hear that the facility can handle all levels of ambulation and offers independent and assisted living, in addition to rehab, nursing and memory support. This means that as our aunt's needs change, we wouldn't have to move her. The less disruption to her life, the better.
The dining areas were roomy with very comfortable furnishings and a gorgeous decor. The residents enjoy a number of culinary delights here -- much like what you would find in a five star resort.The food looked and smelled are offered healthy, home-cooked and delicious. Snacks are also offered regularly throughout the day and whenever desired.
The fitness center looked like a great place to enjoy daily yoga and aerobics or use the abundant equipment. Seniors may also safely navigate the many lovely garden courtyards and paths.
The location of Eastcastle makes it possible for residents to enjoy all of the entertainment, cultural, casual and fine dining establishments in nearby downtown Milwaukee. Seniors may participate in many stimulating activities, such as Lake Michigan nature walks, card games, bingo and bridge, do artwork and make crafts or woodworking projects.
Residents are regularly treated to symphony visits and other artistic and musical venues and festivals with regularity.
The apartments had contemporary designs with exquisite details like fireplaces, balconies and turrets. Each was beautifully decorated with very nice furnishings.
Residents may also reserve designated rooms for hosting private dinner and other parties.
This is a magnificent, high-end facility where seniors may live vibrant lives, but still have the access to kind and caring staff when they need it. Any senior would really enjoy living in this environment.
Independent Living Reviews for Eastcastle Place
December 10, 2022
I am/was a resident of this facility
Eastcastle Place only had a couple of appliances in the room. They had a refrigerator but was a tiny one, and there was no washer and dryer so you had to go to the laundry room. The staff were all friendly. There wasn't much activity, but we had cards, bingo, a swimming pool, a spa, and some shopping down Downer Avenue, which was close there.
One thing I did not like about that place was there were about 30 of us that were renters (others pay endowment fees) when all of a sudden in my 5 years of being there, they held a meeting that said all of us that pay rent would have to move out in 3 months. They said, "We're taking your rooms." So, they kicked us out and that was underhanded.
Provider Response
Our expansion and renovation project is exciting, however, as is often true with major initiatives, had some inherent challenges and difficult decisions relating to restructuring our community. We worked for many months in 2021 helping residents who were to be impacted, to identify options and ensure arrangements for the transition a new home, either within Eastcastle Place, or elsewhere. If you have any additional questions please contact me directly.
Nursing Home Reviews for Eastcastle Place
May 24, 2022
I am a friend or relative of a current/past resident
My husband was in Eastcastle for approximately three weeks for rehabilitation. His food often arrived cold. He would wear the same shirt for 2-3 days because no one was available to help him change. He would ring for help to go to the bathroom and they would not arrive sometimes for one and a half hours. While using the toilet, one CNA partially dislocated his shoulder because she was lifting him improperly. He only received two showers during his stay. One CNA told him she would not shower him because she was afraid of getting hurt. They consistently brought his pain meds 1-2 hours late and he would be in excruciating pain. At one point they ran out of his drugs in the evening and they had to go out and get more while he waited...and waited. His physical therapy time was often cut short because he did not have the opportunity to use the bathroom beforehand. At the time he left, he had severe edema in both legs along with a rash that ran from his rectum onto his scrotum. I don't believe these issues were ever addressed. This facility seems to be very understaffed and the aides appear to need more training. We were extremely disappointed in the care he received and would never recommend this facility to anyone.
Provider Response
Marcy Lucy, we are disappointed to hear of the experience you had at Eastcastle. Our administrator would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you more regarding these matters, as what you are sharing is well below our standards as a five star community. If you are willing to provide further feedback please reach out to Lindsey Viegut. We look forward to hearing from you.
Continuing Care Retirement Community Reviews for Eastcastle Place
June 22, 2022
I am a friend or relative of a current/past resident
My father has lived at Eastcastle in independent living for 13 years. He loves it there and has many friends. Recently, he was ill and needed rehab and was sent to the Health and Rehab Center. The staff on the 5th floor is exceptional. From the therapists, nurses and aides to the kitchen and housekeeping staff. They are all so compassionate, professional and knowledgable. I have a list of 10+ employees that really impressed me. (And I am a nurse of 31 yrs).
Dad is 97 years old and the unexpected decision was made to move him into Assisted Living. An extremely stressful time was made utterly seamless by the help and guidance of the administrative staff in all departments. They helped with everything from giving us boxes to recommendations for movers to where to donate furniture and clothes. Eastcastle has a lovely store called The Treasure Chest where residents can donate things and the profits go toward scholarships for their younger employees!
My dad loves his new apartment and again the staff is amazing. I can’t say enough good things about Eastcastle Place and it’s continuum of care, it’s employees in every area and the administrive staff. Thank you all!
Provider Response
Judy, thank you for taking the time to share your experience at Eastcastle Place and for complimenting our great team. We have very much enjoyed having your father at our community for the last 13 years and look forward to continuing to serve him. If you ever need anything else from us, please feel free to give us a call or stop by. Have a wonderful day!
Memory Care Reviews for Eastcastle Place
June 22, 2021
I am a friend or relative of a current/past resident
Eastcastle Place is well staffed. It's clean, and they keep the residents engaged the entire day. The staff members are good people. It's a very nice place. They're friendly and professional. The layout of the place is very nice. I like the way the apartments are laid out. It's safe for people that are mobility-challenged. It's got a little bit of a sitting area, sleeping area, closet, table and a bathroom. They don't have any showers. They don't allow the residents to have showers because of falling hazard; so they help the residents actually shower.
The food smells good; so if it smells good, it probably tastes good. They do word games. They play bingo and that sort of thing. One can get on their website to talk to somebody about the facility. I can see they have a very, very nice website. It was very intuitive and easy to navigate. I highly recommend the place.
Provider Response
Dear Tom, Thank you for your kind words about Eastcastle Place. We are thrilled that you have had a satisfactory experience and we hope to continue to provide excellent care to our residents for many years to come. If you need any further assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Costs for Eastcastle Place
Services and Amenities of Eastcastle Place
Costs
- All Inclusive Rent
- Rent Plus Care Fees
- Entry Fee
- Assisted Living Starting At: $4940/month
- Independent Living Starting At: $3000/month
- Memory Care Starting At: $7920/month
Room and housing options
- 1-bedroom apartments
- 2-bedroom apartments
- Companion Suites: We Do Offer Companion Suites
- Studio Apartments
Technology and entertainment
- Cable In Rooms
- Wifi
Medicare
- Health:
- Overall:
- Quality:
- Staff:
- Medicare Provider Number: 525085
- Ownership Type: Non Profit Corporation
- Date Certified: 10/01/2020
General
- Resident Capacity: 171
- Minimum Age: 73
- Pets: Small Pets Allowed
Training Areas
- Family Communication
Payment options
- Credit Card
- Check
Licenses
- State Licenses: 0010377
About Eastcastle Place
For 135 years and counting, Eastcastle Place has been a beautifully welcoming senior living community in the heart of Milwaukee’s East Side. What makes life rich is all within reach — from the lake and your favorite spots on Downer Avenue to the friend next door who shares your love of life. With first-class services and amenities alongside a robust and interesting calendar of programs, this is where you can branch out to find new ways of relishing each day. And because we’re a Life Plan Community, you can have confidence in your future because if you ever need quality health services, — a full continuum of care is right on-site in the familiar surroundings you love.
Independent Living
As you explore independent living apartment options in Milwaukee, it won’t take long to discover how different Eastcastle Place is. From the truly unique apartment home floor plans to the carefree lifestyle and close-knit community, there’s no place quite like this.
Each day is up to you. Want to explore the East Side? That’s easy – lively Downer Avenue is just a short walk away. Care to catch a Brewers game or taste test the best restaurants? We do that a lot. You can serve on any number of resident committees and help us make Eastcastle even better. We have so much to offer that you won’t be able to fit it all on your calendar. Here’s just a sample of what you can choose to do on any given day:
- Swimming
- Educational seminars
- Cultural and musical events
- Off-site outings
- Creative arts
- Movie nights
- Cocktail hours
- Yoga
- Poetry club
- Eastcastle Chorus
- Play-reading group
- Writing workshop
- Music appreciation
- Book clubs
- Strength and cardio classes
- History roundtables
- Cards and games
Assisted Living
Personalized, professional support to make it easier to enjoy each day — that’s what you’ll find here. Watertower Assisted Living is the residential care assisted living apartment complex (RCAC) you’re looking for in Milwaukee, WI. Qualified health care professionals help with daily living activities so you or a loved one can live as independently as possible. There are no entrance or endowment fees, and pricing is all-inclusive.
Spacious one- and two-bedroom apartments have private bathrooms and a walk-in shower, and there are sunrooms and fireplace sitting areas on each floor. View our assisted living floor plans.
We also offer One Step Closer to Home, a wonderful transition option when you’re not quite ready to go home after rehabilitation. Respite Care offers caregivers a short-term option for their loved one. Both programs provide professional care in a furnished one-bedroom apartment from three days up to three months.
Included with Monthly Service Fee:
- Assistance with activities of daily living (such as bathing, dressing, personal grooming and daily bed-making)
- Individualized care plans
- Medication management
- Three chef-prepared meals per day
- All utilities except phone
- Cable television
- Community-wide Wi-Fi
- Weekly housekeeping
- Weekly flat linen service
- Interior & exterior maintenance & groundskeeping
- 24-hour emergency response system
- Scheduled local transportation
- On-site activities and events
- Small pets welcome
Map of Eastcastle Place
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