Whoever gives this facility less than four stars is either naive to the assisted living industry or is the competition. My sister has been at Brookdale Sterling for ten months and I never saw a better change in her quality of life and temperament! The associates wear genuine smiles on their face, and in a myriad of occasions proved to me they really care! Their food is really great and the amount of interesting activities is overwhelming and trumps my days at summer camp. I really don't think they can come up with a better environment for seniors and disabled people, than they present at Brookdale Sterling! It has to be one of the best assisted living facility in Northern Virginia! read more

This facility is located in Hagerstown MD. Our family member went there about 2 years ago. She could no longer stay at home due to many falls. It looked nice and pleasant at first with rocking chairs and friendly people. We thought it would be a good fit. She was excited at first with the restaurant atmosphere in the dining room and the dinner selections were good. Plenty of food and variety but later the quality went down hill. Many times they ran out of food or were served odd combinations. One time we observed a restaurant catering dinner because they ran out of food. On several occasions she fell in her room and there was blood on the carpet that was never cleaned. The staff had to be told to clean her filthy, stinky toilet. Many days when she returned from dinner she would find an employee in her room using her chair and her phone. Residents all had locking drawers for personal items and cash. Several times cash was stolen from her drawer. The family was charged extra money for weighing, showering, and transport to the dining area among other things. Towards the end there was very little contact with her from the staff her except for medication. When complaints were made to staff from the family regarding her being hungry or hurt, they would place the blame on the patient. Family members personally cleaned 2 bags of trash from her room. She was neglected to the point that she had her final fall and ended up dying shortly thereafter in the hospital. This wonderful deserved so much better. read more

I have been involved in many decisions for skilled care facilities for loved ones. I have worked in many care facilities as well as served on my local Ombudsman committee to investigate senior facilities. Going into this facility, we thought it was the best decision for my mother as a decision was made quickly upon her release from skilled care rehabilitation for a surgically repaired broken femur. This is the case for most families when loved ones cannot return home after a traumatic health event. The room was spacious and the staff was warm and welcoming during the initial tour. Upon moving in, everything changed. Less than adequate staff/patient ratio with only 4 medical staff/1000+ beds. Even though her apartment was right next to the nurses station, she was left unattended for hours on end. We paid additional money to have her checked every 2 hours. The facility was aware she was a fall risk as she was still recuperating from her surgery. After 4 falls, the last one left her with a fractured vertebrae in her back. In extreme pain and now confined to a wheelchair, my mother is a mere shadow of what she was upon admission in just 2 short months. When her demeanor changed drastically, we suspected a UTI. It took them 2 weeks to get a urinalysis to confirm our suspicions. Even at that point, my sister had to step in to help them collect the specimen because they were unable to. Her dementia has advanced more quickly due to the pain and infection she suffered as a result of their neglect. Their lack of concern and care is unfathomable for an assisted living facility. I know Brookdale is a huge conglomerate but they need to pay more attention to the patients instead of their stock price because all lives matter. What looks good from the outside and upon initial tour of the facility is a deception. Do not consider this facility if you care about your loved one. read more

My advice is Watch your bill! especially a couple months after they move in. get a detailed list of your loved one's personal care charges. I caught them charging for services that they were not providing. if your loved one has temporary changes in their health, they will add on charges to provide services needed. if they recover their independence you will have to hound them to remove the extra charges. brookdale will take your extra money if you don't monitor them. read more

If you are considering assisted living for a relative, pass this one up. The apartment I got for my mother was very nice and they keep the place clean. That's all that is adequate. My mother was recovering from a broken hip when she moved in two months ago. She was walking with a walker, could transfer from wheelchair unassisted, go out to lunch, have a conversation. Now, she is a bedridden invalid. She fell four times even though the staff knew she was a fall risk. The last fall was right in front of a staff member who did nothing to prevent her fall. She had a UTI which affected her cognition. It took them a week to get a urine sample. She had broken a bone in her back when they let her fall and sat around in horrible pain for two weeks. I finally took her to the hospital where she remained for 6 days. I was there every day since she moved because they are totally understaffed--4 med personnel for the entire 3 story building. There is no leadership at all. Staff is unmotivated and uncaring. They all have heavy accents so it is impossible for hearing impaired, dementia patients to understand. They seem to have no clue how to take care of elderly people. This is a big money making machine for sure. They apparently have no training at all. It is unfortunate that you have to quickly find a place for a parent in a crisis. I hope this prevents someone from making the same mistake I did. Thought I was doing the right thing. The experience is nothing like the sales pitch. Don't even get me started on the food. read more