I cannot say enough good things about Brookdale Walden Ridge and the care they provided my mom during the last two months of her life. We came to Brookdale during an incredibly difficult chapter for our family, and looking back, I truly don’t think we could have chosen a better place for her.
The facility itself was always exceptionally clean, and the programming was wonderful. There was always something happening, including live entertainment-Motown Mary was a particular favorite! More importantly, though, the staff was dedicated, caring, responsive, and respectful. Communication with our family was excellent, and we always felt that Mom was genuinely known and cared for as a person.
Karen, the Marketing Director, was a standout from the very beginning. She went above and beyond to help us get Mom a room at exactly the time we needed one, but her involvement didn’t stop once Mom moved in. She became one of Mom’s trusted people and would frequently step into a caregiver role when Mom was anxious, helping to soothe and reassure her. My mom had always been an incredibly busy person who wanted to be involved and useful, and Karen understood that about her. During her own busy workdays, she would bring Mom into her office and give her little “jobs” to do with charts, sticky notes, labels, and other office tasks. Mom truly believed she was helping, and it gave her a sense of purpose while keeping her happily occupied for extended periods of time. It was such a thoughtful and compassionate way to meet Mom where she was.
And Karen’s care continued all the way through the end. When Mom was dying, she even came in on her day off just to see her and spend some time with her. That meant more to us than I can express.
Sonya, the Director of Nursing, became an anchor for our family during Mom’s final days, and through it all, became a dear friend. Her depth of knowledge and experience with hospice and end of life care was invaluable. She sat with us often while Mom was dying, helped us navigate the complicated world of comfort medications, answered our questions, and continually put our minds at ease during an incredibly emotional and challenging time.
One thing I will never forget was Sonya’s advocacy for my mom over a holiday weekend. When communication with the hospice company became difficult at a time when Mom’s needs were changing quickly, Sonya stepped in and facilitated communication in a way that I simply wasn’t able to do myself. She went to bat for my mom and our family when we needed someone to advocate for her, and it meant the world to me. Having someone with her knowledge, compassion, and determination beside us during those final days was an incredible gift.
Joel was one of Mom’s primary caregivers and med techs, and he also went far beyond what we could have expected. He is such a genuinely kind and authentic person, and by the end, he felt like family. When Mom passed in the middle of the night, Joel was the one who called us. Somehow, it felt completely appropriate that his was the first voice we heard. He also sat with all of us and asked the most thoughtful, beautiful questions about my mom, which allowed us space to reminisce.
There were so many other med techs, caregivers, and staff members who treated Mom, and our entire family, with kindness, dignity, patience, and respect. Caring for someone at the end of life is incredibly difficult work, and we will always be grateful for the way the people at Brookdale Walden Ridge cared for her and for us at the end.
My mom spent only the final two months of her life there, but in those two months, the staff became an important part of our lives. During one of the hardest experiences our family has ever faced, we knew she was surrounded by people who cared about her.
Five stars for the facility, the programming, the communication, and most of all, the people. We could not have chosen a better place for Mom at the end of her life, and our family will always be grateful to Brookdale Walden Ridge.
Brookdale Asheville Walden Ridge is at the top of the list for care, enrichment, and a safe space for anyone whose family member needs the specialized care for Alzheimer's. This facility has a small number of residents and a high number of caregivers, allowing for one-on-one interactions, focused care, and enrichment opportunities to maintain a healthy balance of client freedom. I am a volunteer who spends time speaking with the residents from morning to night. Each resident has a beautiful story that they may not be able to share due to this debilitating disease that takes their precious memories away. It is the caregivers who love and nurture these beautiful people when their families cannot be due to location. I challenge anyone to come and spend a few hours (not just 30 minutes to say you were there for a visit) with the residents to see that their care is outstanding, before passing judgment. I am appalled at the misleading review below about the condition of the facility. I volunteer because my mother-in-law was an Alzheimer's victim; now my future holds a loving father who is heading down the same road. I would not hesitate to have my loved one be a part of this community in the future. Thank you, Brookdale Asheville Walden Ridge, for allowing me to give back, support a forgotten community, and nurture the minds of your residents, who may not work as they once did but still have something to offer.
We are so thankful we found Brookdale. The staff is caring, engaged with the residents, and knowledgeable about health issues. They ensure your loved one is included and comfortable. Staff and caregivers are always available to answer questions, listen to concerns, and you are treated like family.
I would NOT recommend this facility for your loved one due to physical safety concerns and lack of resident care that we witnessed. While very expensive, we were glad to find a place we felt would be socially healthy for Dad. Several of the staff are absolutely wonderful human beings making a difference in the lives of the residents. However, we began noticing that personal hygiene was not even being attempted. For one example, we would leave his toothbrush and toothpaste in very specific ways to see if they moved and they never did indicating no attempt was being made. Our concerns were shared with management but no change was witnessed by us. Next, we began noticing a number of bruises, some quite large and dark, almost entirely on his torso. Researching this, it appears to be quite a strong sign of potential abuse which unfortunately affects about 10% of residents in care facilities is rarely reported. Having taken pictures of the bruises, I brought up my concerns with the Executive Director of the facility. She immediately dismissed my concerns as probably just accidents. This is unlikely as they would likely be numerous on his arms and legs if he was clumsy or imbalanced (he is not either). However, we were told by staff that a newer resident had a history of violence. That resident had come into my dads room and there was some kind of scuffle between them. The director showed absolutely no interest in investigating or preventing bruising and whatever was causing it. When I told her that if she would not look into it, I would ask the state to, she made threats and retaliation (on a voicemail) and warned me that Brookdale is a large corporation that does not deal kindly with threats [of going to the state]. I brought up concerns with Brookdale corporate who seemed to just tell me what they thought I wanted to hear. I have reached back out to them after many weeks for follow up and have heard nothing.
