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.

My parents both stayed at Piedmont Gardens several years ago for several years, and overall, they…read morereceived genuinely good care. The nursing staff was caring and attentive, the physicians seemed on top of my parents' conditions, there were a few activities that my mom who had dementia liked, and the social workers were excellent in helping me navigate paperwork and logistics. We had regular care meetings, and communication was generally strong. There weren't a lot of bells and whistles - it wasn't fancy, but when either I or another caregiver visited four to five times a week, every time we visited, my parents appeared clean, comfortable, and well cared for. For example, the care team made a decision which is hindsight was stellar - my dad really struggled with seeing my cognitively decline and my mom was struggling with seeing my dad, and so they separated them - a few rooms apart. At the time I was advocating for them to be in the same room, but I recognize it was better psychologically for both of them to be apart and visit each other. For most of their stay, I felt confident that they were in good hands. The one exception, and the reason I am writing this review, was the night my mother passed away. On her final evening, she was clearly experiencing increased pain and discomfort. Earlier, I had spoken with her physician, who told me should probably pass that night and that there was a prescription on file allowing her morphine dosage to be increased if needed. However, late in the evening, the nurse on duty (who may have been new) when I asked for the dosage to be upped, she repeatedly said that no such order was on file and that she could not increase the dose. She also said that she had attempted to reach the physician but was unable to get in touch with him. In a state of panic, I left briefly to try to reach my husband who was a physician himself. When I returned, my mother had passed. The following day, I spoke directly with the physician, who insisted that there was an order on file to increase her medication and that he did not understand why he had not been reached. At the time, I was deep in grief and did not have the energy to pursue a he-said-she-said situation. In my final conversation with the physician, even though I appreciated his overall care and the respect he showed my family, I told him I would never forgive him or Piedmont for my mom's final moments, and to be honest, I haven't. Even now, years later, the experience has stayed with me. The idea that my mom suffered and I was not there in her final moments haunts me with sadness, because it was so avoidable. I'm not sure what to do with the grief; so I thought I would write this out and try to tell a balanced story. I'm sharing this not to criticize the overall quality of care, which for the most part was very good, but to help other families make informed decisions and advocate for their loved ones. Would I have sent my parents to Piedmont Gardens again, based on our experience at the time? Yes, with important caveats. My advice to families is this: * Double-check that all medication orders are clearly documented and on file - also know what those medications are. * If there are any conditional or "as needed" medication changes, confirm that nursing staff can see them in the system. * When visiting, especially during hospice or end-of-life care, don't hesitate to ask staff to confirm current medication orders so there are no surprises in urgent moments. I don't know what Piedmont Gardens is like today, but when my parents were there (about 5 years ago), it was largely a caring and competent facility. I hope this review helps others ask the right questions and feel more prepared during an incredibly difficult time.

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!

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.

I highly recommend this assisted living facility. My 97 year old grandmother has lived there for…read morethree years. The caregivers, dining staff, maintenance crew, cleaning staff, front door greeter, med techs, and management, have all been great. Like truly the heart of this facility are the people who work there. Everyone is so friendly and truly caring about my grandmother like she is their own. The waitresses know her likes and what she usually orders, they have a set menu daily or you can order from the anytime menu. Served on white dining cloth tables with flowers. They have monthly live music bands and entertainment that frequent the facility. There is always something going on. The grounds have a lovely backyard patio with plenty of tables and comfortable chairs to enjoy the outdoors and the pretty landscaping. I feel like my grandmother is in great hands and I visit weekly so I know first hand how it is. Highly recommend.

I was evaluating senior facilities for my Mom until mid March 2020. Lakeside Park came highly…read morerecommended and I had great conversations with Anne Sanabria, as well as the activities director (sorry I cannot recall her name-maybe Marsha?). Just before we were going to tour Lakeside, Coronavirus shut everything down. I was not able to get my Mom placed before the shelter in place mandate so she is still receving care at home. I am writing this review because Anne Sanabria has been very helpful checking in on me and my family situation several times even though we are not residents. She gave me a long list of in home care givers should we 'run out' of options. My Mom is not a resident at Lakeside, but the care offered and personal connection is very evident! I hope we are able to visit in a few months when we get thru this. Thanks Anne!

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.

Silverado Memory Care in Berkeley provides exceptional care with a caring and compassionate staff…read morewho treat their residents like family. The environment is welcoming, clean, and thoughtfully designed for those with memory needs. I highly recommend Silverado for anyone seeking a quality memory care community for their loved one. I can't say enough great things about the team here!

My father was at Silverado in 2024. They honestly cared about him. He smiled. He was…read morecomfortable. They were patient and respectful. I recommend it highly.

I came here as my zumba teacher was starting a class here and wanted me to join in. So I got here…read morein time to look for parking as their parking lot is small so you have to look for street parking. Then you need to pre-register for the class and after you have completed your paperwork they give you a card. The room where the class was held has a stage and plenty of room to dance. The facility is clean and people who work there are friendly. Just allow time for parking.

This place is pretty much above-average for a senior center. The space appears to be well…read moremaintained, and the bathrooms are clean with ample signs telling visitors not to bathe or shave in the center. I was here tonight for an awards ceremony and accompanying banquet. I don't know how much the rent was for the night, but I'm sure it was a value value for the area. Basically, everything worked and that is becoming rarer and rarer at the city-operated public facilities. The bottom line is that I would consider this space for any event I was hosting in the Berkeley area.

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.

I am starting to get INCREASINGLY worried about my parents in law in this facility. They are on…read moreCOVID LOCK DOWN, Quarantine FOR 3 YEARS NOW... We were told recently they are confined to their apartments, no dining and 52 of 53 people have the virus. It is October 27, 2023!! I don't know of ANY retirement community still in LOCK DOWN in CA!! My Mom is in a huge one in So Cal -they've NEVER been in LOCK DOWN. What is going on in this place?1 Parents in law are in their 90's, I'm getting VERY CONCERNED they and the other residents are being taken advantage of so they can get funding. I'm going to investigate this place now, I've had it! We cannot even visit them!

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.

This business is in one of the most difficult industries ... period. When you need their services…read moreyou're already in trouble. ComForCare Vallejo, CA jumps in with both feet and takes care of your loved one as if their own. As we entered this most difficult time ... securing the safety of our loved one ... we found Mel and her crew to be a Godsend! How they do what they do is a mystery. Mel is the leader but, the staff she hires are the real stars. We had a lousy job to take care of. We received several recommendations. For whatever reason, we connected with Mel. She didn't disappoint ... not once, not for one second. Every difficulty was met with, "Don't worry, we've got this!" Thank God for Mel and her crew! We were blessed and forever in her debt!

My dad experienced several ER visits at Summit Oakland, surgery at Alta Bates Berkeley and follow…read moreup appointments at local office. The service is good but some scheduling department is terrible. And automated system of billing office and pre-registration is annoying. He's 92 years old, with hearing problem and non English speaker. I handle all calls for appointments, answer questions without issues except the GI surgery scheduling department on 3/18/26. They never ask for my dad's concent before. Back in 7/16/25, my dad implant the temporary plastic bile duct stent, hospital stay from ER. Followed up appointment at Berkeley office on 8/26/25 for stent replacement. After visit summary: "Will call to schedule surgery appointment. (No phone number giving)" Few days later received a voice message with call back number. I called and scheduled 12/1/25, 2:15pm. (But I didn't save that number.) I started getting pre-registration automated message around 11/18/25. 11/20/25, after the oncolog visit, the doctor suggested to postpone the surgery for one month. So I search the phone number associated with 12/1/2025 surgery in MyHealthOnline app, which was not reachable. I drove to Alta Bates Berkeley ask for help. She gave me the surgery department phone number. I called but that's not for GI surgery scheduling. She told me to called the office, I explained to her that I don't have the correct number, she redirected for me. It's a voicemail box and I left the message. I also called Berkeley office (from Hospital discharge summary) as well. I got a call back and cancelled the surgery. Also she said next available is March 2026, so she put my dad in urgent request. After that, I never get a call for a new date. (Now I know why.) 12/18/25, the oncologist reviewed my dad's case. Since he is doing well, he suggested to wait till he has sign of blockage. I messaged back to Berkeley office and Dr Kurpath. After 7 months from stent implant, I returned to Berkeley office on 3/3/26 for stent removal. Same as phone conversation on 11/20/25, urgent request. Lots of details in after visit summary this time: "include phone number for scheduling department, if I don't get a call in 5 business days, I can call by the 6 business day." I was waiting but never get a call. Called on 3/16/26 at 11:20 am, wait too long after music playing. Leave a message, no one call back. Called on 3/17/26 around 10:30 am, same, leave message and no call back. 3/18/26, I get through the line but she refused to talk to me without my dad's authorization. It's my first time being asked for concent at Sutter Health facility, except pre-registration. Is the policy newly change or all my previous calls didn't follow the rules? Another scheduling issue with ultrasound at Summit Oakland during holiday season, last week of 2023 (12/26-29). The line was redirected to a voicemail box immediately (no ring tone) at all time for the whole week, never return the call. If you don't want to return the call, don't tell me to leave the message. I tried that number first week of 2024 (1/2/2024), it went through with the ringtone. Another GOOD experience to compare. My dad had an gallbladder IR external drain in March 2025. The follow up appointment on 5/1/2025. He's OK to have IR removal on 5/15/25 Summit Oakland, no time. (I'm not sure, I supposed to wait for a call.) The phone number on summary is the hospital front desk. I tried several times, but they can't redirect to the right department. I drove to the Summit Oakland for help. She bring to the radiation department. Unfortunately, the person who can schedule the appointment was not available. But she gave the direct line number to call. I can schedule the appointment time successfully on next day without any issue. This experience is OK to me. If you have a upcoming surgery, the automated pre-registration message is very annoying. It's difficult for my dad to complete it over the phone. If you don't complete, you will get the message daily. He will do it at the hospital on surgery day. Always received the bill and messages when pending for the secondary insurance. The system generated the bill to you after the first insurance.

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.