Our family had a mixed experience with Serenades, and I want to share an honest review for anyone…read moreconsidering this facility for their loved one.
Food & Nutrition:
The meals were consistently good, and my mom never had a single complaint about the food. In fact, she regained the weight she had lost during a prior illness, and we noticed improvements in her cognitive function that we attribute to better nutrition. For that, I truly give them credit.
Staff:
Every staff member we interacted with was friendly, professional, and caring. We never had issues with the people working directly with residents, and that's something we appreciated throughout her stay.
Activities:
This is where things start to fall short. While our family absolutely loved the activity director as a person--she is warm, dedicated, and clearly cares deeply about the residents--the activity program itself is lacking in both quantity and quality compared to other facilities we toured. Part of the issue seems to be that whenever the facility is short-staffed (for example, going over a month without a housekeeper or maintenance person), the activity director is pulled into those roles. While this shows her commitment, it also makes it clear that activities are not a priority here. If you're looking for a robust, engaging activity schedule to keep your loved one stimulated, this may not be the right fit.
Safety Concerns (Major Issue):
Our biggest and most serious concern is the facility's lack of functioning safety equipment--paired with the fact that they promote these features during tours despite them not working.
During our tour, the director highlighted the motion detector in the room, explaining that staff would be alerted if a resident was up at night. This was a major selling point for us because our mom had previously fallen during the night. She also emphasized the safety lighting around the bathroom door and over the toilet. On move-in day, we were told a safety bracelet had been ordered to alert staff if she exited the building.
None of these systems ever worked.
The motion detector never functioned.
The bracelet never arrived.
The bathroom safety lights worked inconsistently at best.
The emergency call cord--something standard in medical facilities--also failed because it was connected to the same malfunctioning server.
As a result, our mom managed to exit the facility, something that likely wouldn't have happened if the bracelet had been provided. She also had two nighttime falls in the bathroom when the safety light wasn't working, and both times the emergency cord failed to alert staff.
Despite all this, the facility remains "in compliance" because they can show a submitted work order. My mom was there for three months, and none of these issues were resolved--or even given a realistic timeline for repair. The Wellness Director even told me she had never seen the equipment functioning during her entire employment.
Overall:
While the staff is kind and the food is solid, the lack of functioning safety equipment is unacceptable, especially in a memory care or assisted living environment where residents rely on these systems for their well-being. The activity program also needs significant improvement. I hope the facility addresses these issues, but based on our experience, I cannot recommend Serenades for families prioritizing safety and engagement.
