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.

My grandparents recently had to have a couple of short term stays at Piedmont Gardens to recover…read morefrom a fracture and surgery. The members of staff at Piedmont Gardens were very helpful and friendly. They were always in contact with me during the stay and kept me informed of my family's status no matter what happened any time of day. Nurses were easy to reach and administrative staff was easy to talk to. Facilities were clean, well kept, and up to date. If there were any unfortunate reasons why we would have to go back, I wouldn't hesitate to reach back out to Piedmont Gardens. I would also like to thank Georgia and Rogger for helping me navigate the stressful time with my grandparents recovering from their hospital visit. Their help allowed me to get the best care for my grandparents.

I am writing this for my 94 year old friend. She is not happy here. She has had things stolen and…read morehas a great deal of fear. It's really sad. If you have your loved one stay here, be VERY vigilant and make sure protections are in place. Appearances are good here, food is fine - AND the elderly can be taken advantage of here. Be aware.

My mother has been very happy at Merrill Gardens for the past year and a half. Our family is…read moreespecially grateful to Merrill for its support in offering the use of the facility's lovely Living Room for Mom's 100th birthday party. Grace Ray, the Active Living Program Director, helped us all the way through the process, including suggesting the use of the Living Room and providing us with glasses, utensils, plates, water--and even providing balloon decorations. Grace was on-site during the set-up process to make sure everything was in order. We were able to add a table and some extra chairs, and she helped us with climate control in the room. We are very grateful, too, to the staff members who provided us all that we needed to be able to serve a catered lunch and who took care of the dish washing and cleaning up. This was an activities director and staff who went over-the-top to ensure a happy 100th birthday for a resident. It was a special day for our family. Thank you, Merrill Gardens!

The Point At Rockridge was the third place we looked at for my husband, Alan. We were already on…read morethe waiting list for Belmont Village in Albany but Alan wanted to keep looking and I went along. It didn't start out well. Parking is very difficult in that neighborhood and when I called the front desk for information the receptionist working that Friday was clueless and unhelpful. Rather than suggesting I park in the circle in front or in their garage, which has a space designated for people touring the facility, she suggested I park across Pleasant Valley Road in the Safeway shopping center, a nonstarter w/ our mobility issues. I saw a yellow zone, parked in it, hung up our blue tag and hoped for the best. By the time we had signed in and gone through the COVID protocols I was fuming. Sharon, who showed us around, listened to me respectfully and then changed the whole tone of the visit. As we walked through the facility she introduced us to the people we encountered on the way, staff and residents, joking and playing w/ the residents and teasing Alan about being a troublemaker. By the time we had finished the tour we were sold. The place seemed warm and homey and Alan felt at home, particularly liking the resident involvement. We put down a deposit and waited for a one bedroom apartment to come available. We knew one was coming in 6-8 weeks because its occupant was moving to the Memory Care unit on the second floor. It was actually a bit sooner, more like 4-6 weeks. Jeff was the nurse who came to our house to do the assessment of Alan's abilities and needs. I was impressed w/ his thoroughness and his charm. We took possession of the apartment June 28 and Alan moved in July 1. Everything went smoothly. The IKEA delivery was June 28. Mel, from maintenance, was our guardian angel that morning, helping us in multiple ways, small and large, even to the point of bringing up the IKEA furniture so the delivery people didn't have to deal w/ the COVID protocols. She was wonderful and made clear she wouldn't be available in the afternoon. I appreciated her communication, which was clear and warm. Andre was also extremely helpful, particularly in telling us which electric plugs were operated by the wall switches. Every staff member we encountered has been welcoming and warm. Alan reports they call residents by name from day 1. Deborah is the facility administrator and it's clear the tone starts w/ her, warm yet professional. Tammy, Kevin and I helped settle Alan in, putting things away, assembling lamps, hooking up electronics, etc. His new desk won't be delivered until the 16th, so desk-related things are makeshift, but things are mostly organized. They assigned an "ambassador", another resident to introduce Alan to the facility and people and that's a very nice thing. Alan has liked the food a lot and has participated in some of the activities. We got him an alarm device to wear so he can call for help if he falls or has another need for assistance. It's been just a few days, but we agree we made the right choice for him. We talk on the phone at night and in the morning and I have visited every day except today because there's a July 4th BBQ which nonresidents can't attend because of COVID protocols. It's been hard being apart, but I'm not worried about him in the way I was at home.

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.

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.

Last week I was invited to play music in the courtyard of a beautiful buiding with a flowery open…read morecourtyard thas I enjoyed playing violin at. It was a perfect setting for the classical music and their clients enjoyed the calm peacefulness of the performance. Their clients were well taken care of.

Silverado Memory Care in Berkeley is a remarkable place doing innovative intervention and…read morecaregiving for what many similar facilities would find a difficult population. From the physical layout which is both beautiful and homey to the excellent staff, well versed in the needs of clients with dementia and how best to help them, this place is different in the best possible way. The advocacy for your family member begins before they ever arrive there. It is my profound regret that my husband passed away before he could move in. But I can say it was remarkable the outreach and advocacy that was made on his behalf with his hospital physician team and the hospital discharge planners to be sure my husband was getting the care he needed . I can't say enough how the support I received from Morgan,, the RN Administrator working with me, eased my anxiety and gave me comfort during the hardest time of my life. Please check Silverado out if you have a family member with dementia. The clients I saw on my visits there seemed to be enjoying their lives. There are dogs, cats birds, a bunny and beautiful gardens. Families are welcome to enjoy meals there with their family member. There are so many features of comfort and normalcy to help the clients navigate their challenges.

The business is poorly run, without care for individuals, only concerned with the bottom line. The…read morefacility is understaffed and not concerned with true improvement. Employee turnover is incredibly high, ask why if you visit.

Simply the best. Staff has done a great job and are much appreciated. Activities are excellent…read morewith people who know what they are doing serving as instructors. The give away programs are much needed. Thanks Trader Joe's. I wish and have suggested they find away to be open more hours, but this is Berkeley. There things I disagree with, but that will be for another posting.

Date: 6/6/2026. Time: 5:25 PM. 67°. Sunny…read more Getting to this senior center from Alameda to Berkeley was quite an adventure on public transportation. I rode AC#96 to Downtown Oakland. I boarded the wrong bus AC#72 and got off at San Pablo Avenue and Delaware. I walked a block south to Hearst Avenue, realizing I was nowhere close to my destination. I requested Lyft to take me to 1901 Hearst Avenue. The bus I was supposed to catch was AC#12 from Oakland to Berkeley. Dub uh...clueless. LOL The purpose of my visit to the North Berkeley Senior Center was for my friend's mother's 95th birthday party. Wow! I am impressed with this facility. The dining room for this party is very spacious and probably can hold over 250 people. Definitely it is nice venue to host a party for any occasion. There is a kitchen for food preparation. Entering this facility, one is greeted by the employees. As in the two senior centers I have been to, Alameda and Downtown Oakland, they have classes, activities, games, information on different types of services and assistance for people over 60 years of age. Being here reminds me to renew my membership with Mastick Senior Center in Alameda by June 30, 2026. I am definitely missing out on their lunches, donated breads and the reading room.

Cynthia was warm, dedicated and professional. She went above and beyond in caring for our loved one…read morein Hospice.

My uncle received beautiful care from Sophia. He felt calm and happy after the care, bathing and…read moreconversations they shared. I am grateful that he passed away knowing he received the care and respect he deserved.

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.

A bit of education:…read more So when something happens with a loved one and they are in the hospital, a Case Manager is typically assigned who will help with the next steps, such as helping with selecting a skilled nursing facility. The decision, ultimately, will be with the loved one and the people closest to them. Unfortunately, the loved one and/or their relations will have no idea of which of the 2 or 3 skilled nursing options are the best or even remotely appropriate for their loved one. Ask your loved one's Case Manager, "Is Saint Paul's Towers Skilled Nursing Facility" on the list? If yes, and Saint Paul's has an opening, your search is over; there is no better place to put a loved one. They are skilled, they are compassionate and they are ultimately extremely equipped to help with getting your loved one back on the road to better health. A little bit of history-the main donor, who donated the land to make St. Paul's Towers happen, did so on the condition that all the Skilled Nursing patients have the best view in the house-so your loved one will rehabilitate on the 22nd floor with panoramic (and I do mean panoramic views) of the San Francisco Bay and beyond. If on the other side of the building, views of the hills of Oakland/Berkeley await with views of Cal Berkeley and the Campanile. I can't think of a better environment to convalesce. Attention to detail-Initially, patients' beds are not those "hospital" type beds with restrictive rails - the beds do move like hospital beds (to sit up, or move the legs up), but unless patients are a specific fall risk, beds feel more luxurious than "hospital"-ly. This may be trivial, but the TV has every channel known to man! Sports, reality TV, news, whatever, this also may a long way toward making a loved one feel comfortable in an uncomfortable situation. The Help-The Management and the staff are some of the best around. From the minute you hit the front door, you are in the midst of helpful, supportive and knowledgeable staff. The Security at the front door is fast, friendly and efficient at checking you in and getting you on your way to see your loved one. Management ensures everything runs smoothly and efficiently (I'm not gonna lie, in the beginning, there will be forms to fill out, documents to be digested and information to be relayed on the way to getting things settled). The staff is professional and works hard at accomodating the patient and their needs. Let's face it, being in Skilled Nursing is not a picnic, so patients may not be in the best of moods or "like" being there, but I feel Management and Staff do their best to help patients get the most from their stay. From meetings with Management to establish a "game plan" for the patient's stay, to the rank and file that assist patients in every way and the cleaning staff that make sure things don't smell too "hospital"-ly, this is an operation built for getting loved ones the help they need to rehabilitate from whatever ails them. The Medical staff are all on the same page and are a united front when it comes to rehabilitating their patient. Because of the COVID-19 situation, there was no Geriatric Psychiatrist on staff, probably the only thing that I would have liked to have access. Otherwise, there were no complaints and it was apparent how much they cared for their patient while at Saint Paul's Towers. Food-The food staff does their best to accommodate, with meal options such as cut small (chopped), pureed, and every option in between to ensure the patient stays well nourished during their stay. There were always several meal options available and a snack cart that rolled around every so often to cure the in-between meal munchies. Skilled Nursing in COVID times. Another wrinkle in the rehabilitation journey. Expect to have your loved one in isolation and getting familiar with a lot of PPE (Personal Protection Equipment). When we stayed there, there were 3 days of face shields, gowns, masks, and gloves. Pretty much the full-on bunny suit to ensure the safety and health of everyone around. It is inconvenient, but in these times, is something to be endured. Expect visits to be scheduled with management and to show vaccine cards every visit. Elevators have minimum occupancy. This is not optimal, but I feel good that they do their best to ensure the health & safety of patients, staff, & visitors. On being a visitor at Saint Paul's Towers. Expect to have some downtime, while loved ones are being attended to - whether it be a bath, check-up, or physical therapy, there will be times when visitors will be "on their own". Because of Saint Paul's Towers location, this is not a problem, as there is a great coffee shop (Equator) across the street and a Whole Foods right next door. Skilled Nursing stays are not fun for loved ones or their relations. If you are going to stay in Skilled Nursing, make sure it is one of the best. I recommend Saint Paul's Towers Skilled Nursing. We were not disappointed.

they did a superb job of assessing our needs, having detailed conversations in advance, and then…read moreselecting a care giver, who was dedicated, patient and professional. it is refreshing to see this level of concern for the needs of the patient.

ComForCare Home Care has been a blessing for my husband , Santiago and I . They have excellent…read moreskills, Frankie and Michelle work with you 100%. We've been with them for over 4 years now and looking forward to stay with them in the future. Excellent care, professional and caring . Thank you so much , Montoya Family!

I had a wonderful birthing experience here and could not imagine going anywhere else. It was near…read moremy house at the time with less than a 10 minute drive. When we were discharged from the hospital, I remember one of the nurses like walking me all the way to the car making sure I was like buckled in and they warmly said goodbye to me. Before doing so on my earlier part after the birth, the nurses would check on me. I had unlimited supply of water and round the clock assistance whenever I needed it, and they worked with my birthing Doula quite well during the actual birth.

Family member is in ICU and I called the nursing station for an update but nurse was on break and…read morewas told they'd call me back. IM OUT OF TOWN FOR WORK or I'd be there. Never got a call. Then saw they charted "Family at bedside/ POC updated and care of plan explained". I BEG YOUR PARDON. YEAH, SURE.