In short, this facility and the management team DO NOT recognize Advance Health Care Directives that are legally binding. The management team is easily swayed by the emotional taunts of family members who are thousands of miles away rather than relatives who live with and have cared for their loved one for years. The management team supports the assignment of Power of Attorney WITHOUT the patient's knowledge or signature in spite of the patient being of sound mind and body. read more

I have written at least 5 reviews for this business over the years, some of them are listed under the previous name (Emeritus). I always held something back for fear of retaliation. Brookdale is a conniving business. After my father's passing I can speak more candidly, so here I go. I must dilute my description of the executive director because words can not describe her. At first glance she seems inert, but when she is in attack mode she becomes a dragon. Imagine a heinous woman whose gaze is enough to shock a person into a panic with a voice that makes the hairs up and down your spine stick out like razor blades in a defense. Now multiply that by 10 and you can imagine this woman. My father moved to this facility many years ago and signed a contract that had annual cost increases fixed at 5% and a maximum care level that was within his budget. He bought his monthly fee down by paying a large up-front fee with the intention to live the rest of his like there. More on that to come... Over the years we have had a personal caregiver onsite at least every other day and have witnessed how the residents are treated and the way that they do business. During this time I have seen so many unprofessional things happen to list including: lack of respect for a patient's dignity, failure to comply with HIPPA rules, organized attempts to falsify investigations by the health department, staff losing his medical directive forms, and other devious tricks. Never in my wildest dreams could I anticipate all of the challenges we had to endure, but their final act was reprehensible. On May 26, the day my father passed, the executive staff called my brother and told him that my father had died of choking, a horrible end which caused grief for our family. We eventually found out that they made up the story and that he passed peacefully and quickly after talking to the nurse on duty. I can not imagine any reason that they would fabricate such an awful story which caused pain on so many levels. After a few years of living at this facility my dad began packing on weight. We asked them to feed him a 2,000 calorie diet but they said that they offer residents a variety of food and they must make their own choices. The menu includes high calorie options like Denver Omelettes for breakfast, huge lunches complete with dessert and another full meal with dessert at dinner to people who are unable to manage their lives. I finally had his physician write up a prescription for a healthy diet but he still kept packing on pounds and there was nothing that I could do to get them to control his caloric intake. One of the numerous incidences that our family calls poopy pants occurred a few years ago. When our caregiver showed up and he was sitting in a pile of his own filth. She requested that they change his clothes and discovered that they had merely changed the outer layer of clothing and left his soiled underwear on. Another similar incident occurred on a Sunday after he soiled himself and our caregiver requested a change of clothes and a shower. The caregivers flat out refused to bathe him stating that he can only be bathed on pre-scheduled days and he would just have to wait in his feces. I made a huge "stink" about this incident and asked for documentation. They flat out refused to document this in their records and essentially gave the employee a vague form to sign stating that respect for people's dignity was important. I was tasked with keeping a large stock of gloves, towelettes, and personal hygiene items. The alternative is to buy these items at a huge markup from Brookdale, they like to make a profit on every item people use. Brookdale charges for medication management and will only buy them at Vitas, a company that sells blister packs of medication and does not accept insurance. They refuse to order medications through insurance so be prepared to pay street prices. We submitted some complaints to the health department but learned that they get advance notice when a visit is imminent. The entire staff has a procedure to go through everyone's rooms and all common areas and cleanup all of the things that are not allowed which I think should be illegal. They also gave me a stack of another patient's confidential medical records one time violating HIPPA laws. After Brookdale took over the Emeritus facility they completely changed the business model and the personal care rates nearly tripled from what we signed up for. My father was being released from a three month stint in the hospital and being transferred to a hospice program onsite. The wicked executive director threatened to kick my father out of his death bed if we did not sign a new contract agreeing to an excessive new fee structure. That woman has a heart of stone and cares much more for her performance statistics than the well being of her patients. If you are in the market for elder care I hope that you read my review and find a better place for your loved one. read more

Brookdale - Injuries sustained under Brookdale's care. - Retirement Homes Near Me - Carlsbad, California

I've had the pleasure of touring Brookdale Carlsbad several times. I have no problem recommending Brookdale Carlsbad to my loved ones. The standards of a senior living community are driven by their care teams. Does the care team have great attention to detail? Does the care team have the tools to provide the expected level of care? Is the care team 'just doing their job?'. The care team at Brookdale is unmatched. Their concern for its residents, and their motivation to go beyond the call of duty is what makes them stand out. And the staff here aren't the only ones thriving, their residents are thriving. The collective attitude is joyous, and the bus trips are FUN. Do yourself a favor. If you are looking for a senior living community to place your loved ones. A place they would enjoy and a place you'd enjoy visiting; tour Brookdale Carlsbad. read more

So far this place has blown us away! #1 two years in a row. So far we are thrilled. Mom feels blessed to be her and so do we! Great centralized location. Near Carlsbad Mall off El Camino Real. They have a Dr on staff. Physical Thereapy 2x's a day, nutritionalist, health Cordinator working with Scripps Encinitas Hospital, her GP, her specialist and her insurances. Beautiful and clean facility. Well cared for inside and out. Lots of activities, church services etc going on. Many levels of care. Mom says they are taking good care of her, she loves her roommate and the food is excellent. read more

At first I thought this place would be great for my husband who recently had a stroke and lost his mobility however after only 1 week I was getting phone calls due to him falling multiple times. They wanted me to hire someone to "watch him" 24 hours per day at a cost of $528 per DAY! That's after paying them $326 per day for care. As far as I could tell, the only thing he was getting was a bed and 3 meals per day. He got no physical therapy, no interaction with other patients and minimal help from the nurses. I picked him up after only 2 weeks because I could not afford the additional $3700 per WEEK for someone to watching so he didn't fall. I've call 6 times since I picked him up 5 days ago asking for a refund for the 2 weeks remaining in the month that I prepaid and I have yet to be able to talk directly to anyone. I have only been able to leave voicemails and no return calls. They made sure to get their money up front but when they had to put out a little effort to care for him, they asked me to get someone from outside the facility. I'm really disappointed with the lack of care and frustrated about not getting a call back so I can collect the $5000 they owe me for the unused 2 weeks. read more

I'm writing this review for the Skilled Nursing area of Brookdale. My mother, who is in her 90s, broke her femur and was at Brookdale Carlsbad for about a month in Skilled Nursing. It was during the midst of the COVID-19 lockdown, so my elderly father and I could only visit my mother by standing outside of the closed window of her first-floor room, and phoning in. It wasn't ideal, but thank goodness she was on the first floor -- both for the first two weeks during which every new patient is quarantined in a special wing, then moved to a larger room in an easier-to access wing. My mother was in horrific pain the first few weeks and limited in terms of medications she could tolerate, so it was a trying time for all of us. But the nurses/CNAs were very helpful to my mom, and called me or my dad with updates regularly. We also called the nursing staff if we were outside her window and noticed she needed help with the phone or anything, and they would send someone right away. The physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists were all superb, knowledgeable and had insights on how to encourage my mom to try a little more each day. The therapists would also speak to me and my dad by phone when we were outside the window or they were accessible at other hours to update us on my mom's progress. I talked to the head of physical therapy about ways my dad and I could be outside the window to cheer my mom on during physical therapy and he was receptive to getting our family involved to motivate my mom, which helped her make progress. The supervising physician, who is from Scripps, was very good and compassionate. My dad and I were in touch with her by phone or text frequently and she was always very responsive. We were also able to talk to her a couple of times outside in the parking area of Brookdale with masks on and very physically distanced. My biggest shout-out is to Kianna, the Activities Director. She recognized my parents and me from when she worked at the retirement community my parents reside at. She was truly my lifeline at Brookdale, and went way above and beyond the call of duty to visit with my mom throughout the day, take her in the wheelchair outside to the courtyard for sunshine and conversation once my mom was out of quarantine, often take her to the dining room if my mom wasn't eating in her room, change my mom's hearing aid batteries and even gave my mom a much-needed manicure. Kianna would text me updates or issues -- given the COVID lockdown, I wasn't allowed to bring my mom's extra clothes in so I had to order new items from Amazon to be shipped directly to Brookdale. Kianna kept me informed of what my mom needed, such as an extra sweater, and made sure to locate items, unpack them and put them away. Kianna also had experience working with memory care patients at her previous employment, so she offered me insights when my mom began mentally backsliding due to the COVID isolation. I am so hugely grateful to Kianna that I wrote an email to Sasha, the Executive Director, because someone of Kianna's expertise and heart-of-gold is a keeper and needs to be recognized! The social workers/case managers were very helpful and I spoke to them by phone many times. My mom had mixed feelings about the food. Sometimes she wasn't thrilled by what the offerings of the day were, and other times she said it was good. When she was finally able/allowed to be taken to the dining room for a meal, she said the dining staff was very friendly and looked out for her. Because of COVID and the social distancing, my mom couldn't really interact with others, but the staff would do their best to chat with her. read more

Brook dale is a nice acceptable place for your loved one. The property is very nice. The help is few but willing to help you, if you ask. With all things, one must be the most appropriate advocate for your loved one. Since the facility is short-staffed, I wouldn't rely 100% on them to take care of your loved one. read more

Mom has lived at Brookdale Carlsbad for three years, starting in the assisted level and now in the memory care unit. In both of these levels, we have found the staff to be attentive, efficient, knowledgeable, and constantly individualizing Mom's care to fit her personal needs. In addition, there is a beautician and manicurist available on site by appointment. They also take personal interest in Mom's care. Communication of any concerns regarding Mom's health is facilitated by phone and email. The staff works together seamlessly so that any detail, no matter how small, regarding Mom's appearance, health or behavior does not go unnoticed and any needed action is taken immediately. Monthly menus and activities are posted online so we can see what Mom is eating and doing every day. We have eaten with Mom and the food is fabulous. There aren't enough kudos that we can give to come close to the gratitude we feel regarding Mom's quality of life at Brookdale. read more

I have written a positive review in the past for Brookdale Carlsbad Assisted Living and feel that I must add to that. My 96 year old mom has been a resident there for almost 7 years, first in Assisted Living and now in Memory Care. When the Corona Virus struck, Brookdale was the first to go on lock-down--no one in, no one out. To date, not one staff member nor resident has been affected. They have gone out of their way to arrange "visitation" for families via face time and/or visits with the resident in a room with an open but screened window while the visitor sits outside. My mom & I are the last of our core family and we have a very special bond. I thank Brookdale for helping us to maintain that! read more

DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT HAVE ONE OF YOUR LOVED ONES LIVE HERE!!!! I wish i could give negative starts. The care there is not good. I came in one evening after dinner to find my grandmother slumped over in her char with throw up on her pants and her shirt unbuttoned with her mid section showing, she didn't have her hearing aid on or a call button. She also had just thrown up at dinner, so I guess taking her to her room and changing her into a shirt that didn't fit and and leaving her when she was sick is the way they like to care for the people that live there. This is only 1 incident, I have many more. Be aware!!!!! read more

there is no where to park on a weekday or weekend. my mother in law was woken up last night for a shower at nine pm?????? she is 95. to have a meal brought up to your room cost $15 per meal. laundry is not included. read more

I am the friend and advocate for a Brookdale resident. The care and services provided by this Brookdale are outstanding. Kahina, my friend's care manager has been remarkable about keeping an eye on my friend during this quarantine. My friend had a pretty big setback with her health and Kahina stayed on top of it and made sure she received the extra care and services necessary to have a wonderful comeback. The caretakers on staff are efficient and loving. The entire staff began early enforcing the No Visitors rule and the faculity is virus-free. Just a wonderful facility! read more

I provide music therapy twice a month at Brookdale. When I walk in I feel the love and care that the employees have for the residents. They are all smiles in the dining room and common areas, playing games and chatting with each other, and it smells lovely- like good food and fresh coffee. When you walk over into the SNF units, you can really tell how much the activities staff cares for the residents. They go above and beyond providing fun things to do, and closely pay attention to the well being and the needs of each resident. Kianna the activities director, especially, pays special attention to each resident. You can feel her passion for people and the care she provides is exceptional, making sure that everyone feels included, cared for, and is having a wonderful time. Thank you for having me share the power of music with the residents. You can see physically and emotionally how it makes a difference. read more

My mother-in-law has been at Brookdale since February and our family couldn't be more pleased. She arrived addled and depressed after the death of her caretaker-daughter but has blossomed under the loving and supportive care of everyone on the staff! Olah is a riot, always singing, dancing and lifting all the residents on his buoyant joy. The nursing staff is always attendant, my mil even raves about "getting the best showers on the planet," and the food is wonderful for this kind of facility. When we brought her to Brookdale, my mil appeared at death's door, but now she's involved, happy, and swears she's going to live to 100! read more

My father moved into Brookdale 6 months ago from another Assisted Living Facility. Dad has improved so much in his short amount of time, and I attribute this to the exceptional care and attentiveness of all the staff. Dad has even started going to activities, which he had no interest in at the last facility. As with every facility, they are trying to remedy that they are short staffed at times especially in the dining room. However, everyone helps out wherever is needed and the meals are very good. I visit almost daily at different times and always have a positive experience. Even the residents are delightful to interact with. I feel very fortunate to have my father close to me in Carlsbad and I would highly recommend this facility. read more

I stayed at Brookdale in April 2019 in their skilled nursing section after my back surgery for 6 days. I had a horrible experience from the first day regarding my pain medication. At the hospital I was on pain medication every 4 hours. They gave me a pain pill before leaving the hospital with the idea that it would tide me over until I arrived at Brookdale and time for them to get my medication from their pharmacy. I arrived there around 4:30 in the afternoon and they did not get my pain medication until 4 AM the next day. I was in horrible pain! There is no excuse in this day in age to not be able for them to get my medication sooner. They said they do not have their own pharmacy so they have to get it from an outside pharmacy. Still they knew I was coming, I was there by 4:30, why would it take 12 hours to get the medication it beyond me. It is inhuman to have anyone be in that horrible pain for that long after a surgery. There is no excuse for that and I believe someone at Brookdale messed up or they need a new system. For this reason alone I would not recommend this place.The nurses for the most part were good, but a few were not! Sometimes it took a very long time to get someone to come for help. The lady in the room next to me was actually yelling for help for at least 15 minutes and no one was coming so I got out of bed and walked up to the nurses station to get help for her. The nurse at the desk seemed to not care at all about it. The aids for the most part were nice, but not well trained. Didn't even know what I was in for and wanted me to take full showers even when my surgeon had said not to get my incision wet. Extremely unorganized for patients time schedule. The aids, nurses, occupational therapist, physical therapists, all seem to come at once to get whatever it is they are assigned to do while often your breakfast or lunch is there at the same time too so it sits and gets cold. Things really need to be more organized time wise for the patients. It is very hurry up, get it done, while often your food sits and is cold by the time you can eat it. Then in the afternoon things slow down. They really need specific schedules for what the patient needs to do so that everything isn't slammed on you at once. One time I was taken for a shower, came back wet my long wet hair and there was the therapist waiting for me. I finally said I am going to dry my hair first, and then of course my lunch was delivered when I was out for therapy. No rim or reason! Too stressful and to unorganized! Plus once I wanted to leave it took 2 and a half days for them to talk to the nurses and therapists to see if I was okay to leave. I would think they should be able to do that within a few hours not days. Over all most people were nice, lacks some aides being trained, common sense help would be nice when food is brought, often just left on a tray out of reach so need to call for help, and very lacking in time organization. Really need organization and time schedules between patients and aids, and therapists so that everything doesn't happen at one time. Patients should be allowed to know when they are having treatments or showers, etc. As it was, everyone seemed to come at one time every day. It was like first one to get there type of thing. I never knew what I was doing when. Which meant often your food got cold or your showers were done at at time when you had a full wet head and someone else wants you to walk the parking lot. I would have been better off at home than being there. read more

I was lucky to get out of this awful place last Friday after 6 days of hell. First, I was at the rehab portion after bi-lateral knee replacement. Overall, the staff has very little interest in meeting the needs of the patients. The call button is never answered with 30 minutes, and usually much longer. I would just start screaming I need help in order to get anyone to come to my room. The attitude of most of the staff is why are you bothering me, and always seem to be mad at you. One day they just forgot to give me lunch, again, no one cared. I asked numerous times to see the direction of nursing, but never saw this person. They had a scanner come in (rent a scanner) who told the doc I had a blood clot, so he put me on blood thinners. This caused one of my knees to blow up like a balloon. Went back to surgeon who did another scan, turns out I did not have a blood clot. I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea. Stay away from this place at all costs, it may save your life. read more

Working with the Brookdale Carlsbad team is always a pleasure. They are responsive, timely, and always look out for the best interest of their residents and patients. As a healthcare professional, I have the opportunity to work a number of facilities and am always pleased when Brookdale Carlsbad is the right fit. read more