My friend resides at Atria West. She invited me to be her guest at their holiday celebration in December. Welcoming, good food. Warm rapport with other residents. read more

I m a very experienced employee and certainly have visited many communities. This community is exceptional! The staff is amazing, kind and caring. The residents live very well here and are engaged and living purposeful lives. This location is very close to Broadway, Parks, Restaurants and Shopping! No community is ever perfect but I can happily say this one is clean, the food is amazing, the Engaged Life team outstanding and Wellness top notch. read more

My husband spent only 11 days out of his 30 days, because he was taken home early due to falling (first time) at night. He managed to get back into bed after the alert response people arrived, but after he rang a second time for assistance to the bathroom, he was told "Don't ring unless it's an emergency!" We arranged to have staff administer his meds ( for a fee) shortly after he was admitted. Upon arriving home, I carefully examined the medication cards, and realized he was GROSSLY given many wrong Parkinson medications at incorrect times which resulted in his falling in the room at night while trying to go to the bathroom. It took over two weeks for him to recover to his original self. We received some $ back, but not nearly what we paid. Food was not that great, and sometimes entire dining room was complaining (meatballs). Staff is only accessible if you have an advocate to run down to speak to them, otherwise the phones are not answered. I met a group that stayed there who were MOVING to another nearby facility where their former roommates were praising the new place as having more caring staff and delicious food. Had they given me a more reasonable refund, I would not write this review. Debbie B, wife read more

The staff is rude and the management.is even worse. The obviously are not very happy at their jobs and they take it out on everyone else.

First off, I need to say that I am a physician with an extensive background in Long Term Care. My mom is not very mobile after a few falls at home and in rehab. She isn't all that motivated to engage in much except talking about TV, meals, Shark Tank, the news, Jewish programming, and Wheel of Fortune. However, after a few weeks in the Atria she seems generally safe and satisfied, though not very active in most activities. The place is as nice as a 3 or 4 star hotel or cruise ship (depending on where you live and your lifestyle attitudes), and has lots of amenities and activities. If your relative has advanced cognitive issues, or isn't very social, or very mobile, the Atria on West 86th is mostly a location decision. Staff is friendly, very caring and the leasing is very flexible. They try to make you feel at home, and find out what your relative enjoys doing. The meals are good like you would get at a decent highway diner. Breakfast eggs aren't great. Frankly, I'd rather have scrambled eggs at a Hyatt. But the food is edible if not always the best. My mom likes it. If you're relative is vegetarian, vegan or Kosher, there are limits as to how much you get for your money at mealtime. Also, they are still limiting when your aide or relative can come with you to meals. Desserts are ok, and the food I've tried is all. The cafe or grille is good, like a college sandwich shop or grille. Given the prices, if you are not omnivorous the Atria isn't a perfect fit. I would still be very happy living at the Atria. It has amenities and nice people, and the apartment is nicer than mine. You still have to sign in and out for Covid. And your expectations should be managed. The people are very nice, but this is NOT a 5 star luxury hotel for the elderly. If you expect that the prices reflect some sort of super Hilton experience for your relative, you may be disappointed. Many folks here are unable to get around well, and the age range is very wide. It has a nice vibe, a happy hour, fun music sessions, a great location, an evening movie and structure. However, again, if money is an issue, and you're not completely mentally clear or if you are so very limited physically that you are not motivated to get outside, it may not be the best choice for you. The Atria would seem like an excellent option if you are very sociable, are cognitively intact, can manage your own night time needs, get around on your own, can afford the rent w/o hesitation, and have friends or relatives in the area. Again, it's a lovely place, as long as you really are a good fit. read more

I wrote this review several years ago and did not post it. I am doing so now at the urging of a friend whose mother endured similar experiences at the Atria. I gave the Atria one star because of the kindness of many of its support staff, the resident relations director with whom I had the most contact, and the current Executive Director, and because of its location. Apart from that, there is nothing to recommend it. Examples: Food: I don't have to describe the quality of the food; it is sufficient to describe management's opinion of it. Recently, Atria corporate executives had a meeting at the 86th street facility. The meal was catered by an outside vendor. Transportation: The Atria advertises that it provides transportation to and from doctors' appointments. It does not advertise that it has insufficient vehicles to provide that service. The transportation scheduling coordinator actually told me that in order to guarantee transportation I needed to schedule with her 6 weeks in advance. Seriously. When my mother needed wheelchair transport to a doctor's appointment, she recommended a limo service that charged $150. She apparently was unaware that NYC provides wheelchair taxis at the meter rate. Wellness: Most ironically named department, the apparent mission of Wellness is to limit the Atria's liability. Its most obvious expertise is calling 911. Elevators: The Atria has 2 1/2 elevators that service all floors, and no service elevator. Consequently, move-ins and move-outs (which happen frequently) require locking down one elevator. The waiting time for an elevator can exceed 20 minutes, especially at meal times. Not a problem for me - I can (and did) walk down the 19 floors from my mother's apartment to get out of the building. I can't imagine what would happen in a fire. Repairs: My mother's apartment was flooded several times due to residents above her leaving their water on. The Atria's response was to put buckets in the apartment to catch the water for days before making the necessary repairs to the walls, carpet and ceiling. When my mother's eyesight was failing, it took the Atria nearly 9 months to approve the installation, at our expense, of additional lighting in the apartment. Residents: With some exceptions, reminiscent of the mean girls in high school. Caring: Atria management likes to refer to themselves and the facility as a "community;" it seems the staff has been indoctrinated to do so also. My mother lived at the Atria for nearly 7 years, and recently died there. The "community" did not even send our family a condolence note. read more

The Atria 86th street has disappointed. Their sales pitch doesn't align with the service you get on the ground. For the amount of money that is being spent to live there, the expectation would be exception service, and it's quite the opposite: -Ring the Life Alert, and you're lucky if someone shows up, forget about in a timely manner -Many employees are disgruntled and rude and it shows -Cleaning is sub-par read more

Thank you Atria for care and great customer service as my mother in law is very happy at this location. If she is happy then we know things are going well! Good to know there are facilities like this offering what is needed. read more

I had to bring a resident to a doctor's appointment. No one helped us. Receptionist didn't let us leave a walker at the desk. Lisa said, " he needs a jacket! I will complain to a social worker!" But she didn't bother to go upstairs to pick up his jacket. If it were daisy or Cindy...surely they would have helped us! Not helpful at all! read more

When my mother passed in '13, my father decided to move into this lovely spot. Enza Ferrante (who has since moved on to Atria Briarcliff), Beth Weeks and the rest of the staff were so helpful and sweet to him. He felt safe, cared for, respected and genuinely had a great time. For entertainment, the facility brought in Broadways singers, authors even Billie Jean King! to speak. Movies at night, trips etc. Couldn't rave enough about this place. Beautiful tree lined Upper West Side block. It was a lifesaver for us in many ways. read more

My mother was at Atria West 86th from 2/17-3/19. Several months after her arrival, all of her jewelry was stolen. When my brother and I spoke to management about it, we were told they would figure out who entered the apartment during the time period of the theft. After several attempts at getting the information, and not receiving any response, we gave up, knowing full well that no one would admit to the theft. I spoke to management, and made it very clear that no one was to enter my mother's apartment for cleaning or anything else, unless someone from management was there. There were many times after the request was made, that my mother's apartment was not cleaned at all. The apartment itself had several issues which took way too long to resolve. The shower ceiling was leaking, which caused mold to form. This lasted for three weeks. In addition, for some unknown reason, a large hole was cut out in the wall next to the shower. No one in management was able to give an explanation (Photos are posted) When I moved my mother out in March, the floor of the shower was covered in black mold. Several months after my mother's arrival at the Atria, she was unable to take her medication on her own. We decided to pay the additional money for Wellness to administer the medication. This was $600 per month, in addition to the $11000 payed for the apartment. Several months later, we asked Wellness to take out my mother's hearing aids nightly, and put them back in her ears in the morning. In addition, the batteries were supposed to be replaced twice a week. At least eight times within a several month period, my mother couldn't hear anything because Wellness had not replaced the batteries. The batteries being changed was imperative, because of the link between hearing loss and cognitive decline, which my mother is experiencing. Another issue at the Atria, is the size of the elevators, and how infrequently they are available. There were many instances where there would be a line of people waiting for the elevators, which are not large to begin with. There are so many issues at the Atria. I think the main problem is that management doesn't really seem to care. Their standard response was that they understood and agreed with what I was saying. They were also quite condescending. I was also constantly calling people to follow up on issues with no return call. The Atria is a combination of apartments for regular residents and those that need help taking medication. I don't believe it is truly an assisted living facility. You are simply paying an obscene amount of money for your loved one to live on the Upper West Side. It is simply a business, which is run incredibly badly. If you are looking for a place where your loved one will receive even the most minimal of assistance, with any level of caring and competence, the Atria is not it. read more

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My mother was at Atria for several months during 2018. She was basically unhappy, but that was an issue of her own personality and stage of life -- due especially to loss of independence, inevitable with age and infirmity (take heed, all). I think Atria was very, very good for her -- she socialized much more than she had for years before, and the staff were extremely responsible. The social workers who actually managed much of her stay there were gems, and I'm sorry not to have their advice any more. The aides were all very pleasant and supportive. My mother had to move out because of a medical problem, and I only wish I could have her move back in again. Alas, life has progressed. Life in a real nursing home is much less pleasant than Atria was, and seeing that first-hand has made me sure that Atria is the best I could have done for my mother. I wish we'd been able to persuade her to move in years earlier. Downsides: 1. The rules in the financial paperwork are confusing, and staff explanations often fail to elucidate them coherently. However, the institution showed good faith, and despite some bizarre accounting practices, they never charged me incorrectly for a penny as far as I know. 2. It's expensive. I suppose that's the price of being in New York. 3. The institutional food is somewhat repetitive after a while; what did we expect? --- However I'm disturbed by comments like the following in some other reviews here. They seem angry to me, and they're untrue as far as I have experienced. * "No one from Nursing to Home Care EVER answers the phone. It is overcrowded, elevators would have never pass inspection, sometimes you can wait upward of 30-40 minutes." None of that was true during the half-year period that I visited frequently. I think I once waited six or seven minutes for an elevator with space in it. There's a lot of traffic at dinner time, and wheelchairs and walkers and aides all take up space in the elevators. * "The aides are angry and sullen and my mom was afraid of them." We experienced nothing remotely like that and heard no one say anything like that. * "This is a veritable nursing home disguised as a discrete supportive living community. A majority of their residents need far more care than they can provide." I think there may be some people who are getting full live-in care in their rooms, but I've never seen such a person, and the institution doesn't provide any services like that directly -- people contract out for it if they've moved past what a retirement-home-plus can do. Some residents are in wheelchairs and many use walkers; some have private aides with them. But they're all capable of interacting with other people. In most eldercare institutions there are some people who never adjust to the new lifestyle and go into hiding in their rooms; I can't speak for the condition those people are in. But you don't see such people if they're in their rooms all the time; the society in the common spaces is the society of people who are not hiding in their rooms or living in medical-intensive situations. * "The elevators reek of urine from the the residents who have soiled their diapers." In six months of visiting often, I never smelled anything foul in any of the three public elevators. And my nose is pretty good. read more

The warm and friendly staff have shown us that they are truly a caring group. It's really been a mitzvah for our parents and for our family in total. Thank you everyone, but especially to Jorge for all his good work! read more

Wow! I just finished talking to my Grandma on the phone. She lives at Atria West 86th and I am in the Midwest. I'm planning my trip to NYC this week and I will be seeing my Grandma for Mother's Day on Sunday. My Grandma told me that she wasn't sure at first, but she really enjoys it at the Atria. She said everything they promised ahead of time has been delivered. When I asked her what she meant she cited as an example the fact that she has seen all of the Tony nominated shows for Best New Musical. I was astounded. I love musicals and I'm hoping to see "Come From Away" while I'm in town. My Grandma loved it and while telling me about it I had to explain what spoiler alert meant. Even though I'm a bit jealous I'm happy for her. I'm glad she has found her new home at Atria. I'm looking forward to seeing her and meeting some of her new friends on Sunday. Who knows, maybe we'll sneak in a matinee while I'm there. Thanks Dad. Atria was a really good call. read more

The building is fantastic! Gorgeous location and friendly staff. The residents seem to be very enthusiastic and enjoy all the amenities available to them here. All the activities are great! Definitely would recommend read more

I really liked this Atria! They don't take people with the tendency to wander here. It's a security issue. We really wanted to be here, but ended up at a different Atria, which is going really well also. read more

DO NOT PUT YOUR LOVED ONE IN THIS ATROCITY, DISGUISED AS AN UPSCALE SENIOR RESIDENCEY. My mom was here for 3 months of hell. No one from Nursing to Home Care EVER answers the phone. It is overcrowded, elevators would have never pass inspection, sometimes you can wait upward of 30-40 minutes. God forbid there was an emergency, you can pass away waiting to even get out of the facility. the cost is astronomical at close to $13,000 a month for a small one bedroom. Visitors are charged additionally for meals, even if they are a caretaker (which was not never disclosed upfront). Once you sign the contract, that's it. you will never be paid attention to again. The services are misrepresented, they are NOT part of ATRIA. i.e. The Salon, Physical Therapy, etc. I moved my mom here specifically for Physical Therapy, which is what they sold me on, and when she tried to get help with that, she was turned away at the door and they replied that "She Did NOT BELONG HERE" - DISGUSTING! It took almost a month to get her the proper care. There was never Air Conditioning in the Physical Therapy area and the equipment is a joke. I could go on and on but even being reminded is painful. BEWARE!!!! read more

My mom was at Atria for a few months and we were very disappointed. When you walk in the main floor is beautiful as are the hallways, but the service is really horrible. Atria is probably one of the most expensive assisted living homes in NYC. The aides are angry and sullen and my mom was afraid of them. They made the residents come to the "nurses" area to get their meds. Sometimes my mom had to wait half an hour for them and the med techs were brusque and impatient with the residents. It costs about $600-700 extra a month to get this service. The social worker was useless as was the director of "nurses" and was not even an RN. They charge you a month's rent (about $7000 for a small room) as an entrance fee. My mom was so unhappy that we moved her after 3 months. read more

In my opinion, Atria West 86th St. is an excellent employer and a great place to work and start a career. I find working with seniors to be very rewarding and their gratitude is enormous. So many of our residents have led interesting and impactful and varied lives. They have worked in fields of art, science, commerce, etc. and they helped make N.Y.C. the greatest city in the world. They truly are "The Greatest Generation". Also, in an era of shrinking employee benefits Atria West 86th St. offers many useful and practical benefits for advancement and quality of life issues. The tuition assistance program has helped advance the careers of several staff members. I have benefited personally from the health care program, paid time off and other benefits. I am writing to encourage any young person graduating this spring to consider applying for a position at Atria West 86th. The "Engage Life" department offers a creative, useful and rewarding start to any career. I have seen entry-level employees rise to positions of management with excellent salary. I believe the skills and lessons to be learned will last a lifetime. read more

This is a lovely facility as assisted living facilities go and the food is decent. The residents generally seem happy and to be thriving. But the staff isn't very well trained and if you or your loved one needs much special care this probably isn't the place. Our mother was at Atria for a very short period of time before she passed away. The care was insufficient for her abilities and the intake evaluation appeared to be woefully incomplete and didn't identify issues that if communicated between Atria and the family would have led to another choice of care. Our current complaint is that Atria has stonewalled providing a medical report (which, by law, is required to be provided if requested) and an accurate financial accounting of our mother's stay. Are these guys hiding something or are they incompetent? read more

If you care about your loved one, DO NOT leave them here. This is a veritable nursing home disguised as a discrete supportive living community. A majority of their residents need far more care than they can provide. The place is depressing and cramped. The elevators reek of urine from the the residents who have soiled their diapers. This place is a complete disaster in all respects. read more

What a rip off! This place is beautiful, has some nice staff, but the current Executive Director is a bully, and the prices keep increasing. They report to share holders and have no heart in charging more and more. There are also times when you think "Where is the ASSISTED in assisted living?" It is also UNSAFE if there were a fire. There are better, nicer places in NYC to house your elder. Until this place gets a reality check on cost and services, better to go elsewhere. read more

My father is a resident at Atria. He is happy with the accommodations, the food and the activities and I commend Atria on the variety and quality of offerings, especially their trips around town. That comes with a big "but". The business side of Atria is a train wreck. The coordination is non-existent and as a result there are apt to be multiple crises. This was the case at initial lease signing, during move in, and when setting up monthly payments, among others. The latest, discovered after 4 full months in residence, is that he was never given a mail box key or told about mail delivery at the facility. Since he maintains his NY apartment and has mail delivered there, it would not occur to him to ask about mail at Atria. We only found out about this from a collection agency whose bills were sent there but never received. We have had discussions with Atria management after each snafu but to no avail, which is why this should now be publicly aired. What Atria needs is to have one staff member assigned to each resident to coordinate all aspects of life there. Instead, each staff member handles his or her small part of a multi step process with no handoff for the next step, leaving the resident and family members in the dark. The resident has no idea there IS a next step until it's a last minute crisis. Lots of agita and a colossal waste of time and resources. All easily fixable but there seems to be no motivation to fix it. I can't give it any more than 3 stars because they are such poor administrators. read more

I have read some of the negative reviews and it's shocking really. Perhaps a more thorough review of assisted living facilities in NYC is necessary for those whom are dissatisfied. The Atria West 86th is the best bar none. I toured many facilities prior to having my mom move there more than 6 years ago. I directly credit her living there with her being alive today. My sister and I moved her there right after a knee replacement surgery. But for the kind staff, high caliber residents, activities and surroundings my mom would have deteriorated quickly being away from her family. Not only did she not deteriorate, she has thrived there. There have been at least 3 occasions that she would have passed away if she were living anywhere else. On those occasions she was not well and the staff quickly had her assessed and got her the help she needed without my sister and I needing to do a thing. That piece of mind is simply priceless. To balance things out, yes, the elevators do get crowded around meal times. Two things folks (a) it's New York City, and (b) what's their hurry! Late for work? read more