Avalon House on Gerard Court

My mother has been at Avalon House on Gelston Circle for about two months. She has some dementia, and after two falls needed a place with closer supervision than her large assisted living facility could offer. The home is lovely and the well-trained staff is very caring and attentive. It has given me peace of mind.

Nice group home setup, max 8 residents, in a "McMansion" home on a quiet street, good for residents with dementia. Spacious open kitchen/DR/LR setting good for family visiting. Currently this house (among others in small Avalon chain) serves dementia residents, and the price is excellent for the care, nearly half the cost of nursing home. Attractive environment inside, clean, and no smells other than aide [name removed]'s good cooking. Two main live-in aides are easygoing but attentive, setting a relaxed and positive atmosphere. We moved Mom and Dad there recently since our 24/7 aide setup at home couldn't handle bed-to-wheelchair transfers anymore for Dad, but Avalon staff managed to do it, so Dad was able to wheel around again. (Dad passed away recently after six weeks there, but I'm satisfied that he received excellent care.) Avalon has an efficient setup, and staff are thoughtful and flexible in figuring what works best for the individual. They know what they're doing. With live-in staff, care is consistent, and they know residents' habits well. Lovely people. One daughter of a resident we met said her mom has been there five years (a testament in itself) and without one bedsore. I'll be telling friends about this place.

Avalon house on Gerard Court is a great place for my mother, who has severe dementia and needs help with all aspects of daily living functions. The personnel there are very caring and kind and they take very good care of my mother.

Management - [Name removed] - was extraordinarily kind and compassionate. Home was comfortable with a clean pleasant atmosphere. Caretakers we’re engaged and upbeat. Kitchen smelled delicious from breakfast and homemade chicken soup for lunch. Price was reasonable and relatively stable.

My experience with this home has been very good. It really has what my Mom needs in terms of staff to resident ratio and the home is small, so it doesn’t feel like she’ll get lost in the crowd as she did at her former placement. The staff is well trained and the focus is very much on direct care. It may not have all the amenities of a large community, but at this stage of my mother's life what she needs is quality care in a safe, comfortable and clean setting and that is what she's receiving. I’m very grateful to Avalon for the care they give my Mom. If your loved one has advanced dementia with behavioral disturbances, this place is good and I would recommend them.

My father-in-law has been staying at Avalon 9, and we are delighted overall so far. [Removed], their front end contact has been beyond fantastic. She is flexible and helpful, but also no nonsense, truthful, and very matter-of-fact. It's a small place. There are 6-8 other residents in each home. The staff is fantastic at keeping on top of his meds and keeping us up to date on his care. The food is very good, and he has gained back 5 pounds since arriving. We wanted to have him closer so we could visit more often, and Avalon 9 has given us this ability along with so much more. Highly recommended.

This community for the care for my mom. This is more of a group home and not what we needed at this time. The menu was nice and clean. They would have had activities from time to time and we wanted something on a daily basis. The community was bigger than what we wanted. Families might want to consider a tour for the care of a loved.

Avalon House is very clean and well kept. The staff takes really good care of my mom and she is very comfortable here. The staff is very warm and make my mom feel loved. My mom enjoys the food and the staff keeps up on her meals.

Our experience has only been a brief one, but so far things seem to be going very well at Avalon House! My loved one has settled in well, and seems to be doing much better than the location she was in previously. She's always clean and seems happy here. I do think they could do a bitter better when it comes to activities, but overall it is a very nice place!

Avalon House has been a good fit for us. As far as activities, they don't really have any since it's a memory care facility, but I seem to remember something about a gal coming and playing music. Everyone there really seems to really care about who's living there, and it's a small facility with a really good ratio of residents to caretakers.

A wonderful home. People are terrific. So glad it was suggested!

It is a wonderful place for my father. They cater to his needs and make him a part of their family.

I toured this house, and another Avalon House residence recently, as part of a "multi-sibling" effort to find the best place for our mom. The two Avalon houses I toured were the only places where I felt very comfortable and confident that they would be a good choice for my mom. They are homey and affordable, but very clean and well maintained. There is an aura of peace and calm. I was at one of the Avalon houses in McLean during lunch time and the food was home cooked and healthy, and the residents sat together around a family-style dining room table. I particularly appreciated the personality of Sandy, the manager who showed me around the two facilities. She has a matter of fact demeanor, but is warm and personable. I never felt like she was doing a sales job. A big selling point for me is that these places are happy to accompany your loved one on a walk around the neighborhood. I advocated for placement for my mom in an Avalon facility, but we ultimately opted for placement in the town where she was already living, and where a brother is located. I advise visiting one of the Avalon houses if you are trying to get a feel for what is available in the D.C metro region, as they are different in a good way and more affordable than many other options.

I toured this home recently and though it was clean, well-run and lovely, I opted to place my 91-year old mother in another Avalon House nearby on High Street. The Avalon Homes owner, Georgia Weiss, offers thorough and honest answers to prospective client's questions and is sensitive to special requests. [ex: My mom likes the color yellow, so her room was painted yellow ] Caregivers are compassionate and professional. Everyone has years of experience, and it shows.

We are only one week in, but I am so happy with Avalon House and A Place for Mom. You were there at a time I was so in need! The neighborhood is beautiful, the home seems like a happy place, the caregivers are like the house mothers. We feel very good about the decision. I have met some of the other family members there visiting and they all have very positive comments. Sharon is very good at keeping in touch and letting me know things I need to know about. I am really very relieved and happy, and while Mom doesn't know where she is anyway, I know she feels like she's at home. Thanks

The staff is very caring and it’s a very good environment for family members. The food seems good food. My mom likes the variety. The outside grounds are very nice. There is enough parking. The only issue that I have is that the residents they have are all very limited and advanced in their diseases. My loved one is active still, so she can be a little lonely.

They are a great community. They are a small home with only about eight rooms. My loved one's condition has improved since she has been there. They have PT and they bring musicians and entertainment. They keep it clean and the staff is very friendly. They are a great value, they are very responsive. She is enjoying the food, and what I have been impressed with is they tailor her meal schedule to her preference. They usually do the bigger meal at lunch, and she prefers it in the evening. I really liked the room that was available, and the house was so nice. They have a whole medical team on-call. I'm very impressed.

This home was wonderful! There was little they could have done better (well, lunch could have been a little more inspired at times, but that is a minor consideration given everything else the staff does so well). They took great care of the residents, and of the facility itself--everyone and everything was clean, neat, tidy, in order, even polished! I visited at all times of the day and evening and always found the same situation--everything in order and everyone in good spirits and in fine condition. This is a loving, experienced staff, and I always felt like it was a family and that my family was a big part of it. I think of them often and am reminded how lucky we were that our family member was in #1 Avalon House. They ARE #1 in our book.

Very fine directors who have carefully chosen their personnel. Very caring and thoughtful caregivers,excellent and plentiful food, great facility,great ancillary people. It is a challenge caring for patients but they do it with grace and they aim to please.

I moved Mom in her new home on November 30, 2013 so we are new to Avalon. Fairfax County is not cheap but Avalon appears to provide better care and more care than other places that charge the same price. The staff appears to be helpful, caring and friendly. Their English is perfect. (not like other places in Fairfax County) I picked this place not only for the above reasons but because the home is bright and cheerful. The meals appear to be well prepared/good tasting. There does not seem to be as big a variety at meal time as in the place she was in before, it was much bigger, but the food looks more appealing. They take care to keep her clothes covered and clean when she eats. I use to have to change her clothes before taking her out, where she use to live because of food stains from the previous meal(s). Not only are her clothes cleaner but her body is cleaner. She use to fall a few times a week and does not seem to have the same problem in this place. Avalon seems more attentive to her needs. Mom appears to be participating more in activities and meals. Unfortunately her room is small with no closet but I was more concerned with her care than the size of her room.