I was evaluating senior facilities for my Mom until mid March 2020. Lakeside Park came highly…read morerecommended and I had great conversations with Anne Sanabria, as well as the activities director (sorry I cannot recall her name-maybe Marsha?). Just before we were going to tour Lakeside, Coronavirus shut everything down. I was not able to get my Mom placed before the shelter in place mandate so she is still receving care at home. I am writing this review because Anne Sanabria has been very helpful checking in on me and my family situation several times even though we are not residents. She gave me a long list of in home care givers should we 'run out' of options. My Mom is not a resident at Lakeside, but the care offered and personal connection is very evident! I hope we are able to visit in a few months when we get thru this. Thanks Anne!

My mother lived at Lakeside Park for over a year, and I just want people to be informed that the…read moreexperience was painful--I do not recommend this business. While the care staff was mostly kind, the food decent, and the common areas clean and homey, the administration was cold, unresponsive, and disorganized from start to finish. You can expect rent and care fees to increase by 40% in 6 months. They seem to have no capacity for digital communication and were slow to respond--except when raising prices. I was even mistakenly given another resident's financial and personal information, brushed off as a "mix-up." by the staff Due to their negligence, my mother's move-in date was delayed and I was told that she was "not allowed in the building" a day before. At one point, while I was out of town, she fell and broke her ankle in three places. I was initially told she only had a UTI that needed hospital treatment, it was only later that I found out about the badly broken ankle. Later, she developed pressure sores due to a lack of proper wheelchair cushioning. The day she entered hospice, they informed me same day that her care fees would now be at the maximum rate-- yet meaningful communication on other issues was nonexistent. Even after her passing, the reimbursement process dragged on for six weeks, with no response after multiple follow-ups. A heartbreaking and ironically uncaring experience from start to finish. Would never recommend Lakeside Park to anyone.

I been to the Hyatt Regency San Diego a few times and the Piedmont Gardens are on par with the…read moreHyatt. They are most definitely the best rehab center in the East Bay. The staff like the other care centers are the best, with their system of care and comfort they cannot be beat. Now I know why it's almost impossible to get in for care. Their kitchen menu is like gourmet food, and you can order ala-carte. There is a rooftop garden, with a fantastic view. An atrium with a lush garden I want in my backyard. A real gem in Piedmont in Oakland. I don't want to go home. Two weeks isn't enough to spend there.

I spent two weeks in the Piedmont Gardens Skilled Nursing facility in Oakland in July-August 2026…read more The care I received was excellent. The lay-out provided both privacy and mingling with others, as one wished, The staff was very competent and caring, the food was surprisingly delicious. Choices at every meal! Ice cream on request! Most important was the warmth and encouragement of the nurses aides and assistants. I highly recommend it.

We moved to St. Paul's Towers (SPT) in 2017. My husband was 86 and I was 75. We had a lovely large…read morehome in the Berkeley hills that we had lived in for 40 years. I had a lung condition that my Stanford doctors told me would probably give me only 3 more years of life. I was determined that on my death my husband would be surrounded by friends and not be stuck in isolation on his own. We looked at many places, but only seriously considered SPT, Piedmont Gardens, and the place under construction at the time, Belmont Gardens. We visited SPT and Piedmont Gardens and checked the other communities run by the same company that runs Belmont Gardens. The staff and residents of SPT looked happy and busy while the staff and residents at Piedmont Gardens looked unhappy and at loose ends. The residents at Piedmont Gardens also looked more disabled. There were far more walkers at Piedmont Gardens than there were at SPT. The food was much better at SPT than at Piedmont Gardens. On the other hand, Piedmont Gardens was far cheaper than SPT, and had a smaller buy-in fee. We knew no-one at SPT, but we did have a few friends who were living at Piedmont Gardens. The shops on Piedmont Avenue were just a block and a half away from Piedmont Gardens (but up-hill, so hard for me to get to). SPT was close enough to downtown Oakland for us to drive to, and was kitty-cornered from Lake Merritt with its beautiful gardens and Fairyland. We were very interested in Belmont Gardens because it had some association with UC Berkeley, so we would be sure to know other residents there. It looked like it was going to be a bit isolated, but they assured us that a Sprouts was being built next door (and it is there now) and that the neighborhood would grow quickly with Belmont Gardens there (It has!) They also said that the UC Berkeley shuttle would be available to take people to downtown Berkeley and to the campus, a big plus for us since we were on campus frequently. Belmont Gardens was MUCH cheaper than SPT, and even cheaper than Piedmont Gardens so that was a big plus. The big negative as far as our kids were concerned was that Belmont Gardens was not a CCRC (Continuous Care Residential Community). It had units for independent living and for assisted living, plus a memory unit, but no nursing care facility. It was inevitable that one of us would some time need nursing care which would mean a move to a nursing facility. The partner would then be required to take some transportation to the nursing facility to be with the other partner. If you were single, that was not so much a concern (although it is always disrupting to have to move from one place to another, even if you are a single). Then we learned that most of the units at Belmont Gardens were going to be assisted living, not independent living. That was the final straw for us. We were pretty active (and still are) and were worried that we would find few compatible colleagues at Belmont Gardens. So SPT came out ahead on most counts -- except cost. Since we would be using up much of the money we intended to leave for our children, we asked them for advice and gave them veto power. They said they'd be happier and more relieved of worry if we were to with a place that was a CCRC, so we ended up choosing St. Paul's Towers. We have been extraordinarily happy here. Primarily because both the staff and residents are wonderful. COVID has caused its problems, but the staff and management have kept us safer than most places. Prices here have gone up this year by 9.5%, but when we looked at other retirement communities in the area we find they've all gone up by about 9.5%. At first I thought it must be collusion, but it turns out that by California law they CANNOT go up by 10% or more, so in these inflationary times they have all chosen to go close to the max. Yes, we are currently a bit understaffed, but again, when we look at other Bay Area retirement communities, they all complain of the same problem. Since we have moved to SPT a new retirement community has been built in Walnut Creek and a dear friend of ours has decided to go there. It is cheaper than SPT and the apartments are more spacious. It also has a swimming pool which is a big factor with our friend who is a swimmer, but I worry that she will find the heat oppressive, find that it more difficult to walk from building to building for meals than it is to ride an elevator for meals and gatherings, and most of all, she will find it very isolating and difficult to get to her many concerts, and ballets in Berkeley. Finally, Carlos P. wrote a negative review of SPT on 6/29/2021 where he says he's been living at SPT for several years. We came to SPT in 2017 and are still here in 2023. There has been no Carlos as a resident in all those years. I wouldn't believe anything he says.

My parents were in independent living (IL) at St. Paul's Towers in Oakland between 2001 and 2015;…read morein 2014 my father died, and in 2016 my mother moved into assisted living (AL). She died at 101 in December 2025. Both parents had stays in skilled nursing (SN), which were horrible. If I had to grade St. Paul's Towers, I would give it a 'B' for IL, a 'C-' for AL, and an 'F' for SN. Almost all the positive online reviews of St. Paul's Towers are posted by people in IL, or even by people who haven't even lived there. But a few reviewers have noted that SPT has gone downhill, especially since it was taken over by Covia and Front Porch. SPT has drastically reduced resident amenities and care, including AL activities, and important positions go unfilled for months and years. The food also went from excellent to bad. This review is a very short version of my complete review, which you can find at www.sharonhudson.com/SPT. Worth reading. The staff that residents interact with every day are friendly, caring, and helpful, so the IL atmosphere is excellent. But bad management has been a serious problem. Residents' contracts give them almost no rights and place no limits on fee increases. When residents eventually need assistance, it is their children who end up "paying" for their contracts, by having to fight with management, train and supervise employees, etc. For 10 years, I spent 10-20 hours per week in AL visiting Mom. Quality of life in AL depends on competent management, which we experienced for only a few years. Nobody was in charge of apartment maintenance; it was up to me to report burnt-out light bulbs, etc. The CNAs were kind and caring, but they were essentially untrained and unsupervised, except by me and the senior CNAs, who "trained" the new ones, despite the language barriers. Almost none spoke idiomatic English, which is a huge problem and safety risk for people with dementia. Residents cannot "cooperate" with people they don't understand. However, in mid-2025 they hired a new AL director, so maybe things will improve. Trying to get staff to involve my mother in AL activities became a real hassle after COVID. People with dementia cannot "ask" for activities, and staff should encourage residents to engage in activities. Mom never got to even a few of the activities she might have enjoyed. It's just a lot easier to leave a resident sitting in their room. BTW, if a resident is unable to remember what they did recently, you will have no way of knowing how they are being treated. My mother had a large, sunny apartment, so we had the environment to do fun activities together. I also needed to have an office/computer there. But many of the units were too small for any of that, too small even for the resident to host family visits. There are no AL units large enough for a couple; it was devastating for my father to be separated from his wife of 70 years. Nobody has access to nature from their unit, except what they can manage on their balcony. There is a gorgeous garden on the second floor, but is mostly inaccessible to AL residents who cannot get there on their own. The nursing staff currently at SPT, whom residents interact with every day, are competent and caring, but the major medical interactions we had with SPT were terrible. Again, bad management and training. For example, in 2014, my father spent a few months in AL before dying. Several times he ended up in the Kaiser emergency room with serious infections, and once someone at Kaiser reported SPT to the county for elder abuse. In 2019, Mom broke her leg, and had to recuperate in SN on the 22nd floor of SPT. That was hell for both of us. I had to go to SPT most of every day just to get her off that floor. One day I found Mom crying, and when I asked what was wrong, she blurted out, "I just want to be treated like a human being!" I saw lots of call lights not being responded to, and distressed residents being ignored. When Mom was able to walk again, the medical director (unsuccessfully) tried to force her to move permanently to SN; instead she returned to her apartment, where she lived safely for another six years. During COVID, SPT was on lockdown for about three years--much longer than other places. Every time one of their 250-300 residents or staff tested positive, all the AL people had to stay alone in their apartments alone for two weeks. That too was unnecessary and abusive. You should find out how much legal power the facility medical director has over the residents' living situations, and what is their philosophy and history. A year before my mother died, $10,000-worth of jewelry was stolen from her apartment. Long story short: After the theft, which arose from bad management and low staffing, SPT never informed staff or other AL residents that a theft had occurred, which meant that others could not prevent another incident or even know if they had been victimized. And of course, they stonewalled any compensation.

My mom moved in to Merrill Gardens in early December and still thanks me for getting her in there…read moreabout weekly. I'm in Alameda and am *loving* having her so close by! This is a very active community and very friendly. The dining is open 7AM to 7PM, no restrictions, and the chef is from Skates on the Bay and is a friendly, kind man. The food is spectacular, really, and the menu is quite varied. I've seen 2 kinds of fish offered more often than not! My mom's room is spacious and lovely, with a balcony and bay windows (not all 1-bedrooms have that). There is just the right amount of room, and a full kitchen (which we've used for family get-togethers; nice to have an oven available!). There are windows at the end of each corridor which really opens up the place and allows in some nice natural light. There is a terrace on half of the top floor (the other half is rooms + ventilation units) that has a stunning view of the Bay Area, plus raised beds for the residents to garden with. There's an extensive activity calendar, including outings and special events, and 2 movies show per day in their comfy movie theater. Mom has been going to the daily exercise classes, which is terrific! All of the staff is helpful and friendly and I'm rather fond of many of them already. We're very pleased with our choice.

On 10/4/26, Christian, the Community Relations Director, gave me a realistic price for assisted…read moreliving with LOW level of care ( $5750 for a studio, $820 for care, per month. See photo, Exhibit II, "Established Fees and Services." Christian, the Community Relations Director at Merrill Gardens, highlighted in yellow "$820 per month". That is HIS highlighting). I had told Christian on 10/1/26 that the skilled nursing facility (SNF), where my 89-year-old mom is recovering from 4 compression fractures in her spine, is requiring her to leave on 10/7/26. Therefore, I am looking to admit her to Merrill Gardens on 10/7/26. Christian told me yes, it is doable for me to complete their intake process in time to admit her on 10/7/26. I spent hours gathering my mother's medical documents, I paid the $8500 security deposit, I spent time filling out Merrill Garden's forms, and meeting (along with my mom) for 45 minutes with Merrill Garden's nurse, Parinda (who had forgotten our meeting and arrived 45 minutes late. Also, she had no idea that my mom needs admission on 10/7/26, she was completely clueless about that. In retrospect, that was a warning sign that Christian and Parinda were not working together to meet an admission date of 10/7/26). Then, later, literally JUST HOURS before the skilled nursing facility (SNF) was going to discharge my mom on 10/7/26, suddenly Christian at Merrill Garden informs me that no, actually, the cost is much higher that what he told me, because now their nurse, Parinda, feels that my mom needs a HIGH level of care. So now the cost is $5750 for studio, and a whopping $4950 for care. My mother needs care, but not to the tune of $5000 per month!! In a discussion on 10/4/26, Christian and I agreed that she probably needs eyes-on help during bathroom activities. She doens't need a lot outside of that, the eyes-on is the main part. I know what my mom needs, but I don't know enough to negotiate costs, which is a completely different topic. Another reason I cannot negotiate is the urgency of current circumstances. The more urgent one's circumstances, the bigger one's disadvantage in negotiating. Clearly, I am unable negotiate in a knowledgeableway, and Christian knows this, or ought to. Same for Niare Feaster, the general manager. I did not meet her but, as general manager, she authorizes this practice and is responsible for it. I will trust an organization that 1) provides accurate rates up front and doesn't change those rates on the day that we all agreed was the day I need to admit the family member to assisted living; 2) provides a needs assessment that factually reflects what the person needs, not inflated needs to get more money; and 3) tells me up front when they cannot meet my timeframe, instead of telling me, for days, that yes they can admit my family member on the date that I am seeking, but then, on the day of admission, suddenly they cannot admit unless I engage in a negotiation about costs. Merrill Gardens failed on all the foregoing. They are not trustworthy. Christian told me he has been Community Relations Director at Merrill Garden for 3 years. Presumably, he has experience dealing with people trying to admit their family member to under tight timeframes. In my very first email and voicemail to him on Friday 10/1/26, I said and I wrote, I am seeking to admit my mom on 10/7/26. Christian should have told me immediately when he replied on 10/2/26: "Sorry, it is really unlikely we can meet that timeframe. We can aim for a later admission date, but 10/7/26 is too soon." I would have appreciated it. Instead, because he said yes we can absolutely complete the admission process in time to admit on 10/7/26, I wasted hour and hours of my time and energy to this goal. I could have spent that time arranging home health care, prior to my mom returning to her home on 10/7/26. Christian's and Parinda's actions resulted not only in my mother being at home, unsafe, and me upending my life, again, to take care of her. Their actions have taught me not to trust people in their position. Christian asked me to confer with him and his general manager to clarify things. Are you kidding? You two will just back each other up, don't'cha think? I drove my mom home on 10/7/26. Luckily, she made it up the 6 steps to her front door without injuring herself, by holding heavily onto a rail. She has 4 compression fractures in her spine. After she ascended the 6 steps, she collapsed immediately in a chair that I shoved in front of her. For God's sake. These front steps are one reason, out of MANY, for my wish to take her directly to assisted living after rehab. Because I focused my efforts on completing the admission process for Merrill Gardens, I didn't instruct Kaiser to deliver durable medical equipment (hospital bed and wheelchair) to my mother's home. I didn't arrange for home care assistance. Thanks for nothing, Niare and Christian.

I'm writing this long overdue review not as a resident, but as someone who has been on the property…read morenumerous times. I've observed and I've had a great experience at The Point at Rockridge in Oakland. The front desk and management staff have been nothing short of amazing. Kenneth, in particular, is always available, accommodating, responsive, and willing to help whenever something comes up. Having someone who communicates well and genuinely makes an effort to assist residents makes such a difference. The property and grounds are consistently clean and well maintained, and every staff member I've interacted with has been kind and professional. The community itself is in a great Rockridge location with convenient access to the surrounding Oakland area, shopping, restaurants, and everyday necessities. Kenneth and the team truly deserve recognition for the level of service they provide. Highly recommend The Point at Rockridge to anyone looking for a community in the Oakland/Rockridge area.

I have been visiting a friend at this assisted living facility for 3 years and this issue has gone…read morefrom bad to worse. I am honestly shocked by the conditions given how much residents are charged to live here. The most unacceptable issue is the persistent smell of urine and other strong odors throughout the third floor. It is not occasional -- it is constant, and at this point it has become noxious. As I understand residents have complained repeatedly and have requested that something be done, yet nothing ever changes. For a facility that charges exorbitant marrates, basic cleanliness and odor control should be an absolute standard. It is difficult to understand how management expects families or residents to feel comfortable, respected, or confident in the care environment when such a fundamental problem is ignored. If management is unwilling or unable to address something as basic as sanitation and air quality, it raises serious concerns about what other issues may also be overlooked. This is not the level of dignity or care that seniors deserve, especially at these prices.

I believe John D's review of Mercy is poorly written and gives the wrong impression of Mercy…read more Mercy is a non-denominational, full service facility, with a secure campus that has 24/7 Reception, beautifully landscaped gardens, and every service a resident could want: three nutritious meals every day; a variety of daily activities and special events; housekeeping service; 24/7 floor staff for night or day emergencies. Mercy is run by the non-profit Eldercare Alliance. They're associated with the four AlmaVia facilities in the Bay Area. We needed a facility for my 85-yr old MIL who is physically healthy, but has a mild-to-moderate case of dementia. We wanted a full-service facility so that as she declined, we would not be forced to move her somewhere else (disruption is highly stressful for dementia patients). My MIL is in now in Asst. Living. Although reluctant (as many elderly are) to make "the move" out of our home, she quickly adjusted and in less than a month's time was telling her friends she absolutely loves it at Mercy. She loves how caring and friendly all the staff is, and how quick everyone was to learn her name. She loves the reassurance that she will be escorted to and from her bath, so that she need never worry about falling. She enjoys the food, which is quite good (we've eaten there with her a number of times). She appreciates the choice of activities and for the first time since being widowed, is making new friends, because Mercy provides a supportive sense of community for its residents. Unlike John D., we investigated seven different senior facilities nearby our home. There are many different types, but we needed a full service facility with a Memory Care unit. But what makes one facility different from another is the staff. And Mercy's staff is VERY, VERY GOOD - at all levels! There were some minor issues at first because moving in and getting her settled was complex; but Mercy was always responsive and showed themselves willing to go that "extra mile" for my MIL's comfort. We have visited elderly friends at other (even more expensive) facilities where the night staff was sullen and uninterested when a resident comes to ask a question. We have had many interactions with Mercy staff and all have been 100% positive. We are convinced that Mercy was the right choice. They are a caring, compassionate, and highly professional care facility. Oakland seniors are lucky to have Mercy in our city! (Note: edited June 2014 to reflect that Salem is being sold to finance an expansion of Mercy's campus to provide additional Memory Care units. Salem is being purchased by a for-profit corporation, similar to Sunrise Living and AgeSong.)

Mercy Retirement is a hidden gem in Oakland California for senior living. 150 years of caring and…read morecompassion, along with world class culinary experience and award winning executive chef Steven Catindig.

I would like to show recognition to the new management team. I have had interesting interactions in…read morethe past but can tell there has been a positive shift and a cohesive team has been put into place. Kudos to Northgate terrace.

Once upon a time this was a wonderful place to live. Yes the area has gone thought it changes…read morethough the years but it has always been a decent place to call home. The seniors have always looked out for one another and supported one another. I am writing this review today since not one from the new property management company will listen and take me seriously. My father is a disabled blind man that has been living in the building for 29 years. He moved in when I was 4 years old so you do the math of how old I am today. The previous company has there struggles with controlling pest that can come from a 200 unit building and at one point in time the pest were basically nonexistent. But about maybe 2 years ago shortly after the new property management company came in remodeled and promised the seniors the world they discontinued the old pest control services and with in a few months the pests came back with a vengeance. With an addition of bed bugs. So think twice before you let your loved one live here. I'm going to leave the pictures that I have personally taken myself and email to the onsite manager with my complaint that has fallen on def ears and generic answers and let them do the talking. Please pray for the seniors that love in this building

If you're looking for a safe, clean, well-staffed and compassionate facility for your aging love…read moreone, look no further than Pacifica Senior Living-Oakland Heights. My MIL was here for almost 4 years until she passed away last month and I must say the staff here are absolutely wonderful!...Very caring, great communication, clean rooms and facility and just an overall good environment. I would recommend/encourage anyone who's looking for a safe and loving environment, to look no further than Pacifica Senior Living-Oakland Heights...You won't be disappointed!!

I have lived here for 3 wonderful years. It's a beautiful place with kind and dedicated people. I…read morelived in the Salem Woods independent living studio apartment. It is spacious and I call it "my oasis" and home. This community embraces their Residents and show they care about us. Happy Hour on Fridays is fun. We dance and eat finger foods and drink a little wine and socialize. The common rooms are elegant and comfortable too. I enjoyed playing cards with my friends in the bistro. Bingo is one of the activities everybody loves to do. I worked out in the gym and got to reads books and do puzzles in the library. The movies play every day which I appreciate. I loved the hamburgers, pasta and tuna fish sandwiches in the dining room. The bus is comfortable and it's great to be able to go shopping and even have rides to doctor appointments. Lastly I want to thank the staff, headed by our Executive Director Anthony Garcia. Caring for such a large community might be overwhelming for some, but not for these friendly people. Being approachable and showing care and consideration for us Residents can't be taught. These are dedicated, terrific people. I want to mention the Caregivers. They work all hours and tirelessly too. Mostly I'm thankful to have been given a home and family here. You can't beat that!

The staff + Audrey are amazing and caring to the residents. You can clearly see that they each take…read morean interest in them. I've witnessed how Audrey and staff (Pedro & Alima) treat and speak to the tenants. I appreciate their high level of interest, engagement and deep concern. I couldn't do their jobs cuz it would be extremely difficult to see people that I have established relationships with pass away on a weekly basis. But they watch for changes in the residents and assess if they need assistance as some seniors are too prideful to ask. They also have beefed up social activities to engage residents and offer a variety of services, socials and outings. Thank you WCT team Audrey for your compassion, care and unforgetable concern!!!

It's been over five years and I'm still dealing with the trauma of this. They let people empty my…read moremom's apartment, with NO legal right. They didn't even apologize to me, not a word, ever. Once her rent was gone, so was their "Christianity." I appreciate the people at the desk I got to know and the folks in the mailroom who I always chatted with, but the management? Disgusting. Evil. UN-Christian.