Ardent Senior Living

My loved one has very severe dementia, and although they said they could handle him I don't know that their staff was entirely prepared. He was only in their memory care unit for four nights total, and on two of those nights he managed to get up, injure himself, and get back in bed without anyone noticing. It may be due to the fact that they only have 1 staff member watching 18 people overnight. I was not impressed with, nor did I have confidence in, their memory care capabilities. That being said, it was a nice enough looking facility, they kept it clean, and the staff were friendly. I think it might be a nice place for those with lower care needs and no memory issues.

Birchwood Suites is situated on beautiful grounds. It was a former estate. However on the inside I got a feeling it was more like a nursing home than an assisted living facility. Everyone seemed pleasant, but it was not well lit and had a depressing feel. I didn't like that you had to bathe in another area across the hall. It is less expensive than other facilities though and I like the all-inclusive price (no levels of care or charge for dispensing meds), but not the best option for me.

I actually ended up picking my dad out of here and getting him home care instead. He just wasn't happy there, it was like they were feeding him just whatever everybody else was eating and that wasn't good for his diabetes, his diabetes was really high there. It smelled like old people but I guess that's what happens when you're there but it smelled pretty bad. I didn't see anything on the floor or anything like that, he was pretty clean and he didn't smell but the smell in Sutton was bad.

Mom & I met w/ Avi on 8/28. EALR facility. Not best option.

The place had a slight odor. It was a small place but the people did not look happy. I did not like the fact that when you walked in the front door that you were in the middle of the dining area. There were activities planned however there were no activites planned for outside the facility.

If I had to do it all over again, I would not put my loved one here again. I feel that they do not pay attention to detail like they should. They have had a lot of turnover of staff members, everyday staff and administration. We have not had a very good experience. If your family member is here, make sure to keep a close eye on them and be an advocate for them.

I would tell others that it is relative to your loved ones condition, my mother had dementia and the medication that they were approved for use were not good and we constantly battled with the doctors that it was doing more damage than good. I do think if your loved one does not have these memory issues it would be a good fit, but if they do have memory issues they may have some issues. Overall, I would recommend to people with normal circumstances and I would tell others that if they have any medications you want your loved ones to have, to keep a close eye on it.

It's a mixed bag. They are an enhanced facility so they take residents that need more assistance. That part is good. The food is horrible, there are no activities, space is very small and the staff doesn't really care. Residents fight each other, my mom was hit with a wheelchair multiple times by another resident. The staff not watching the residents. I think they need more staff for the types of people they have there.

Several times I went to visit and couldn't get in because nobody was at the front. I waited for over an hour and nobody came. When I got inside my uncle was clearly in distress and slumped over in his wheelchair so that his hands were almost on the floor. There were staff in the same room and nobody even noticed or cared. Right before his death, he was clearly having another stroke or major issue. He was soaked with sweat, [name removed] distorted, moaning and he was just slumped over at the tables in the common room. I had them call in a dr.I also was upset by the fact that I would bring in clothes, items such as pressure pads and things to help him with comfort and they would sit in the boxes. I will say there were two really wonderful staff members that stayed with my uncle during his last week. They were kind and compassionate.

My ratings are generous, just being honest. All of those things were sub par. Mostly poor communication, not enough staff. I would not recommend the facility.

Our tour experience with Sutton Gardens did not go well. The staff were not interacting with the residents and a lot of them were just slumped over in their wheelchairs. I did not feel the connection that I was looking for.

Outside property is beautiful but the inside seemed dark and uninviting not like "home" at all. Sale person was nice but did not get a warm fuzzy from other staff.

The price is the only thing going for them here. High staff turnover and the hallways smell of urine and feces. I took 2 tours here based on a friend who has a loved one here and I feel bad because she had to keep her dad here due to rhe cheap price but I would never put my mom here!

I placed my husband, [Name removed], back in [date removed]. I only kept him there two weeks. He's been home with me ever since. Reasons I took him out: They weren't giving him the care I expected. They lost his glasses and other articles of clothing. There wasn't enough stimulating activities for him. I did not like the commute for me to Bayville from Syosset. They made me pay for next months room and board because of their policy of giving them 30 days notice. I don't recommend the place. [Name removed]

Location, property and building get high marks. Unexpected visit revealed patient left in shower and calling for help to be assisted. Dinner finished and multiple patients waiting to be taken back to their rooms. Only 2 visible aides available. Understaffed.

The place smells and is actually not well maintained at all. Staffing levels seem inadequate and staff is always different , they cant seem to keep people there.

We toured this community when we were looking into care options for our loved one. Overall I just was not impressed by what I saw here. It wasn't the worst place we saw, but it was not some place that I would have considered placing my loved one.

In all honesty, the photos in the ad are VERY false. Sutton looks nothing like them, nor do the well dressed people with happy faces. In reality, the place smells like one giant foul restroom. The blast after I opened the front door almost knocks me out nearly every time. It is best described as a powerful mix of Lysol and aged human urine. The people sit in the TV room nearly 18 hours a day and they will stare and solicit visitors. One woman asked if she could use my cell phone. Another man asked if I could spare a few dollars. When the head maid saw this she immediately put a stop to the begging. This place looks like a 1 floor motel shaped like a T. A straight hallway with rooms on each side. The rooms are vanilla much like what you would find at a YMCA. The beds US Army barracks spring type. Sit on it and you'll sink into it. Very hard to get up without help. The maids understaffed and thus stressed out. They are invariably moving around doing all sorts of things all over the place, especially when the owner is around. They tell me they receive minimum wage and how under paid they are. My initial impression was that they were more or less asking for a monthly tip in so many words. The door as a combination to get in or out [removed]. But everyone knows it and were trying to escape with no place to go. Erika, the recruiter is a very nice lady. She was very helpful and always answers all questions. The owner, Brian, who drives an expensive car is on the prowl twice a week at his leisure. He is on the ball though. He may not seem that way but he does take care of problems. But he will nickle and dime you out of diaper fees and anything he can get away with. If you present a good argument to Erika, the fees will be expunged. The food is standard and is well managed according to the resident. Entertainment comes in the form of TV movies card games, coloring books. Every week a CD of a concert is played. The same concert. Never a new one. No one pays attention to it. Most are sleeping anyway.

Tracy has mentioned a number of times so probably worth a visit. Studio $4500 per month (including cost of care? for both?) Closest to family. Has social activities.

High staff turnover, no RN to dispense meds , they rotate the housekeeping and kitchen staff to dispense meds. Rooms smell of urine and feces.