Last year I spent two weeks in rehab after a spinal fusion. I can't say enough about the staff and…read morethe facility. I went to look at a lot of rehabs before I selected this one and boy I'm I'm glad I did.

If you are considering placing your loved one in Arleigh Burke, please read my comments which are…read moresolely based on my personal observation and experience with the staff of this facility and their treatment of my husband. My husband became wheelchair-bound due to a fall at home. After months of home care, we determined it best if he had more wraparound services in a skilled nursing facility. So we placed him in Arleigh Burke. He entered the facility frail but healthy. Less than two months later, he was dead. Here is my story. Transfers and Bathroom Hygiene. My husband was 98 and somewhat physically handicapped but cognizant. He had very limited mobility and needed to be transferred by two people in and out of bed to the wheelchair, and to the toilet. The staff complained to him and to me for needing the help of two people, although this was an expectation in a skilled nursing facility. The transfer problem was especially challenging for the toilet. He would ring the call button for the toilet and often wait a half hour or more for help. Other times, he would be left to sit on the toilet for an hour or more, even though he rang the call button multiple times for assistance to be put back in the wheelchair. In addition, he was not able to reach the lever to flush the toilet. Often I would visit and the toilet would be full. At one point, they decided that he should defecate in his bed rather than transfer him to the toilet. I put a stop to that, but near the end of his life, they started making him do that again. Condom Catheter. He also needed a condom catheter. Although I learned how to arrange it myself at home, the facility said that it required a nurse to do this for him. More often than not, he would end up peeing in the bed because the condom was put on incorrectly. Many times, the staff would leave the urine bag in the room rather than flush the contents down the toilet and rinse the bag for reuse. Staff Responsiveness. Once when I visited, I found him yelling for help because he was falling out of bed. Another visitor (not a staff member) and I got him back into bed. No staff member ever came despite the use of the call button. I will also add that during times I was visiting, I heard many patients yelling for help, and no staff member was around. Once, I went to the nurse's station to tell them about a patient who was in distress and had been yelling for help for a while. Four senior staff listened to me and did nothing. When I later followed up, I was told that the person in distress was Mr. xxx and he was in hospice, as if that explained the lack of attention to him. The lack of empathy for patients was stunning to me. Promises Unfulfilled. The facility documents state that they shower the patient twice per week. That did not happen. They state that a list of snacks and drinks is available at all times. That didn't happen. I ended up bringing some refreshments and had to ask a staff member to retrieve them for me, if one was available. You are not allowed to get them for yourself. He got physical therapy only about five times in two months. The meal options are not particularly healthy, and the menu repeats to the point of boredom. His Death. One day when I visited, my husband was out of his room and about 5 feet from the nurse's medication station. When I saw him, I immediately knew that something was very wrong. Not only did he look grey, but he was coughing and wheezing and was obviously having trouble breathing. The nurse was right there and did nothing until I intervened. Turns out he had pneumonia and was not being treated for it. This was 3 days before he died. Medication Costs. I started with a medication bill of over $1,700. They would submit the paperwork to Medicare, but not beyond that to supplemental insurance for some reason. When I asked them to submit it to Tricare for Life, the bill came down to about $400. When asked to explain the other items on the bill, they could not, so the bill became $0. Even the billing provider, OmniCare, could not explain the itemized bill when I called them. I wonder if other families just pay the bill without questioning it. With a monthly bill of $17,000 for room and board, paying more for medications than necessary does not seem wise. The Environment. The atmosphere at Arleigh Burke is gloomy and depressing. It is not a happy place. There are few windows and little sunshine. There are few stimulating activities available to the patients. As a result, my husband, normally a good-natured, intelligent, and happy guy, became depressed. Learn from My Experience. My husband served his country in uniform for 31 years. I placed him at Arleigh Burke because I believed he would be safer and better cared for than he could be at home. I wish I had known then what I know now. I cannot change the decision I made for my husband, but perhaps sharing our experience will help another family ask more questions, look more closely, and make a more informed decision.

I toured Kensington at Falls Church recently as I was looking to move my 93-year-old mother from an…read moreassisted living facility in Florida to a location closer to me in Northern Virginia. Kensington was quite impressive! Upon entering I was welcomed by the friendly staff and an elegant but comfortable atmosphere. Fern, the Director of Community Relations, gave me an engaging tour and even let me enter two of the apartments and speak with a resident and her daughter who was visiting. I appreciated how much time Fern spent with me and how informative she was. The environment at Kensington felt home-like, well-kept, and it was safely designed for residents with mobility issues to feel at home while ensuring support was available if needed. It was clear that the staff were caring and attentive, with an emphasis on engaging residents in activities. One of the residents told me how much she enjoyed the services - she loved the fact that she no longer had to worry about cleaning, cooking, doing laundry, and all the chores she had to do when she lived in her own home. I walked through the dining area and saw happy residents engaged in meals and chatting. Another highlight was the excellent food offered by a top-notch chef where residents could pick one of two displayed meals or order from a menu if they preferred. I liked Kensington's model for ongoing personalized evaluation and care. Unlike several of the other assisted living arrangements I had looked at for my mother, Kensington had the ability to support her over the long term. This is because they are licensed as an enhanced assisted living residence and can offer a higher level of care. At this time, I plan to delay moving my mother here, but if I feel she requires increased care and more in-person attention, I will be recontacting Kensington to see if they will evaluate her for assisted living and possibly memory care.

Lovely Mother's Day Tea at the Kensington. We are blessed that our mom found this new next phase…read moreof life family. Daily live music, families welcome to meals and lots of special events! The staff truly cares

I had the pleasure of touring the original facility on Heights Court in McLean. I was incredibly…read moreimpressed with the quality of the facility, the care, and the programs VIE Village offers its residents. The ratio of staff to residents is very low, three residents per caregiver. The eight-resident home is huge, immaculate, and filled with great amenities to help the residents enjoy life. I was there around lunch time. The food their chef prepared smelled very appetizing to me. The residents were comfortable and happy. I am clear this is a great option for seniors. Both of my parents were assisted care residents for the last chapter of their lives. Despite the reluctance to leave their home, each enjoyed better health and were happier than being in their home. Had they been at VIE Village, I am sure the benefits would have been even greater.

The staff is very caring and attentive. They make their residents a priority at all times. The food…read moreis also very good! You won't regret choosing Chesterbrook for your loved ones!

My father has been a resident for over a year and he has been pretty happy. The other residents are…read morevery active and engaging. I have had many meals there and they have been consistently good quality and delicious. They have many activities, including local excursions to theaters and even a recent boat trip on the Potomac. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a safe, affordable, and comfortable place for their parents.

My father lived at Sunrise of Arlington for the last 4 months of his life. I really wanted to give…read moreSunrise the highest marks because the front-line staff who do the daily caretaking of residents are very kind and compassionate, and I think they do a very difficult job about as well as could be expected. I was very touched by their kindness at times. An organization is only as strong as its weakest link, however, and given our experience with the director of medical care there, I cannot recommend Sunrise. The lack of compassion and even professionalism made the final weeks of my father's life and the experience of his death much harder for him and the family than it needed to be. At the time of our greatest distress, the medical director responded to our needs and concerns with callous indifference. When choosing Sunrise for dad, I was focused on daily living questions but it turns out, the medical director is by far the most important position there. I regret I didn't realize that when we were looking for a place for dad. At the toughest time in your life, you'll want people who will help you not make it harder.

I had a lot of anxiety about my 89 year old father moving into assisted living. My main concern…read morewas would anyone really care about him because he had dementia and wasn't easy to relate to anymore? I was so impressed by the kindness and quality of the staff, despite the low salaries. There is an angelic woman named Pierrette Kayombo, the activities coordinator in memory care. Any day I wanted to talk to my dad, I could just text her and she would arrange for me to talk to him on her ipad (he couldn't follow calls anymore). That was invaluable for me. She was always so warm and good-spirited--she just put all the residents in a good mood. I remember she was working on Christmas--not able to be with her own family--and was so positive--just a model of the Christmas spirit and put on a concert and other activities. There will always be frustrations with institutions, but I think this is a really good place.

My experience from my ninety five year old mom who broke her hip and was sent there only because my…read morefirst choice didn't have a room. The communication between the higher ups and staff doesn't exist. The doctors are reachable and are only there in the. I could never reach anyone by phone or return call.Because a physical therapist are not on site. I can't get any accountability on paper of the number of times my mom was seen for physical therapy. The Times that I've been there.Many are calling out and are not heard or ignored.Because certain people may not have that room. My mom herself stated you're lucky if you call out and see someone in an hour or two. During the day, there seems to be more people at night.But overall , I believe it's short staffed. And the owners , whoever they are , can argue that , but when you are short staff , people after a while who can't keep up , just block the patients out who are calling. I get that some that are calling.Call out just to call because they have alzheimer's. But many are calling out because they need to be changed and they feel horrible sitting in their deposit. My mom caught an upper respiratory virus that they kept saying was a cold. The doctor eventually saw it had gotten worse and put her on antibiotics. The doctor was good at getting back to me.But the problem is , the doctors are only there in the morning. Then my mom had a setback when a piece of a wheelchair , either fell on her foot , or she stepped on it. That put was X-ray, but it's still not doing too good.I have to try and figure out why. Then this was her last week there , and she fell and had I not been in to see her that same day , it would not have gotten reported. She was reaching for a cable of a phone in the room that wasn't working and fell out of bed. Had it not been for her roommate's daughter who came to visit her mother and found my mother on the floor she might have still been sitting there a few hours. When they move a patient from one room to the other , they completely forget their personal belongings behind. You can't bring them any type of meds or even arthritic cream , because they will take it away , they can only administer stuff for safety reasons. But then , again , arthritis cream? My mom couldn't keep her contacts cause quite frankly , there's no way she could get to a sink to clean him out and put him in every day , and they don't have the time to do that for you. The website says they get physical therapy every day.But I'm not sure that's true.It may be contingent on medicare? If you notice on their sites , they have nothing but great reviews. But here you can actually see the real reviews. Railings can get ordered , but they don't last very long because a staff person told me it bothers them when they have to keep moving them to get to the patient. I didn't post any photos cause I don't think I could have legally taken any. And a photo really doesn't show much.

I also forgot to add that he is profoundly deaf and can't hear a thing and closing the door on an…read moreelderly deaf person in their 90s in a skilled hell hole nursing home and leaving him with no call bell and no access to his iPad for communication is wow very dangerous - I'm glad my dad survived that place....

My husband completely recovered from a broken tail bone at Cherrydale Health and Rehabilitation…read more The medical staff gave him prompt and excellent care. They are intelligent, compassionate, and talented individuals. It was my observation that the entire staff is welcoming, considerate and kind to patients. My husband will be returning shortly to receive care related to a separate medical issue. We are looking forward to his care at Cherrydale.*****

TRAVELING THERAPISTS, EYES HERE!!!…read more As a traveling therapist, I would strongly advise other therapists to think carefully before accepting an assignment at Cherrydale Health & Rehabilitation Center in Arlington, VA. My experience at this facility was one of the most disappointing and exhausting assignments I have ever taken. The management style, particularly from the DOR and ADOR, felt extremely micromanaging. Rather than feeling supported as a clinician, I constantly felt scrutinized and monitored. What was most discouraging was the lack of recognition and appreciation for therapists' hard work. No matter how much effort therapists put into patient care, evaluations, documentation, and maintaining productivity, those efforts often went unnoticed. Instead, management seemed to wait for mistakes to happen and then magnify them. Small errors were heavily emphasized, while dedication, hard work, and positive contributions were rarely acknowledged. The focus often felt more centered on what therapists did wrong rather than everything they did right. One of the biggest issues was the caseload. It was not uncommon to have 15-18 patients scheduled in a day, with some days reaching 19 patients. Evaluations were frequently added on top of full treatment schedules, making it extremely difficult to provide quality care, complete documentation, coordinate with nursing and families, and stay within an eight-hour workday. The expectations often felt unrealistic and unsustainable. What made the situation even more frustrating was the lack of concern for therapist well-being. Burnout was obvious, yet management appeared to be more focused on productivity numbers and billable minutes than on whether therapists were physically and mentally exhausted. The message many therapists received was that the minutes mattered more than the people providing the care. The environment created a culture where many therapists felt undervalued and overworked. During my time there, I witnessed multiple therapists and employees become frustrated, discouraged, and burned out. Several employees resigned effective immediately rather than giving traditional notice. While everyone has their own reasons for leaving, concerns regarding workload, micromanagement, stress, and burnout were common themes. A large percentage of the therapy department consisted of travelers, which raises legitimate questions about staff retention, workplace culture, and employee satisfaction. When a facility struggles to retain permanent staff and relies heavily on travelers, it often reflects deeper organizational issues. My contract recently ended, and I can honestly say this was one of the most exhausting assignments I have experienced. What is most telling is that my concerns were not unique. Many of the traveling therapists I worked alongside shared the same frustrations regarding management, micromanagement, workload, lack of appreciation, and the overall culture of the department. For therapists considering an assignment here, I strongly encourage speaking with current and former employees before accepting a position. Patient care should always come first, but therapists also deserve to work in an environment where their hard work is recognized, their efforts are appreciated, and they are treated as healthcare professionals rather than productivity machines.

Agree w review from 12 years ago: this place is "fine" if the resident can advocate and care for…read morethemselves - otherwise, not so much. Literally always understaffed, and while some staff are fantastic, others are just collecting paychecks and hiding around corners rather than actually working. The new ED is absent at best, and does not seem to care one way or another if his staff are working or doing their jobs. Weekends are ghost-towns here, staff-wise: literally, they seem to think that residents do not "live" on the weekends, because there are skeleton staff only, no resident activities, and little oversight - EVEN THOUGH you pay exactly the same for weekends as you do during the week. And the food: forget it. Not good, period. It was recently renovated, so looks great; but it is expensive and not supportive.

Corporate regulations and care for the elderly do not mesh. Sunrise is a fit for residents who can…read morespeak up for themselves or have an advocate to closely oversee their medical and daily care. Both of my parents' last home was at this facility. Last month my mother passed; in less than 24 hours her new clothes, jewelry, radio system and toiletries were taken by the staff. The corporate office has sent our family two invoices to date, including late fees incurred after her death. This is acceptable to Sunrise's Falls Church management team - not to us. Previous Director left the facility due to poor resident care resulting from corporate regulations and cost-saving measures.