Charter Senior Living

I would recommend that you make sure that your loved one is placed in the right program. If your loved one has memory care issues, I would recommend they go into the memory care unit. The memory care unit is more expensive. The food served had generous portions, along with cookies.

The first impressions were great; looks clean, no smell, and told about activities. My mom was in the memory care so the doors were locked all the time. You need someone to let you in and out. There were times when I was visiting there where I couldn't find anyone around to let me out. I was also felt nickel and dimed over things. I didn't want some services but were forced to pay for them. We were encouraged to let them take care of the medication but a few times when I was there they, we were giving the wrong medication. I know it is hard to manage all of the different residents but there was a resident that constantly went into rooms taking things. The good news is the staff knew where to retrieve the stuff. Eventually we needed to lock the door when not in the room. The big disappointment is mom fell and no one was able to say what had happened. She ended up with a broken hip and they felt the risk was too much to take her back even though they provide care for people in wheel chairs. It was difficult to communicate with them during this time. Emails were not returned and their charges were automatically deducted from mom's account. After 2 months we were able to leave and have found a new place for her. She can now walk with a walker when she has too. We wish the communication was better with the front office and that they payment reduction plan when you are paying for an empty room (2 month after they refuse to take her back). At one point a relative came to visit and the caregiver unlocked the door and discovered mom was not there and didn't know why. This was a couple weeks after she had left. Maybe the communication with the staff could be better too.

The facility is neat and clean. Most staff is friendly and helpful. Dining staff is less caring. Food is just ok. Limited choices and staff is not accommodating to help residents with choices. If the resident doesn’t eat, no one checks as to why. Aides on the floor were very nice and made sure the rooms are clean. There are activities that most seem to enjoy. Music seems to be very popular. There is a hair salon in the building. Would have like more communication from the staff about the resident’ health and well being. Never saw a health plan as in other facilities.

The activities here seemed geared more towards women. Dad did not like the food. This is an older community, however they do try and keep it clean. This community was all that was available at the time we needed one. The staff are the strength of this community. They are all really nice and seem to care about the residents. They have all been there for many years and are from the area. They did work with us, unfortunately this community was not the right fit for dad.

Nursing Med Staff and CNA's do not put in place procedures to adequately provide consistent care. Following through on In-House Doctors orders for new medications or tests is constantly overlooked. Nursing aide assistance is inadequate which includes coming within a reasonable amount of time when a residents pushes their help call button. (I was told within 15 minutes sometimes we have waited for an hour).Giving my mom her twice a week showers is a hit or miss. I'm not notified if my Mom's medications run out and if I am its after they have run out (I discover for myself she's not getting them) I visit my Mom almost everyday so I have first hand knowledge of the inconsistent care my Mom has received. It all depends on what nurses and CNA's are on the floor because some do their jobs professionally others don't. Directors have been informed of these shortcoming but nothing improves. The Dining Room Food preparation and selection needs improvement. I feel as if I have to visit my Mom everyday just to make sure she is properly cared for as I was promised she would be. Our family now takes her home each Friday,Saturday & Sunday just so we can make sure she's not [Removed].For those residents that don't have loved ones visiting I'm concerned about who is their advocate. My Mom has been a resident for over 3 months. Also we are still waiting on the wheel chair that was ordered the 3rd week of January.

This is a decent community, but there are improvements that needs to be made. For the most part they do a good job with the cleaning. The staff is good, but I do feel they are over worked and under paid. I think the management is more concerned about making a profit, rather than the care of the residents. There are activities offered for the residents. The food is decent. Overall it has been a decent experience.

The facility is laid out wonderfully for people with dementia. There are several very devoted caregivers and nursing team. Other than that, we have been disappointed at the rate of turnover in the staff and the crisis management style. The building is old and in need, although well maintained. The company that bought the facility is just concerned with making money. That is apparent after being there for a little while. There are other facilities that cost less and have more consistency.

The food is terrible! You get better in a hospital. Straight out of the can or package. This place costs a fortune. They should be receiving well prepared, nutritious food. Not many activities. This facility also lacks an exercise room.

You can enter this facility and OFTEN there is no one at the desk and no one answering the phone. Because of this I feel I can never leave town: if something happens I need to 1) take off work and 2) drive there. The personal care staff is good. . .But I could easily rob ANY room at from 5 PM to 9 am and no one would be there to stop me. When I try to address this, I just go around in circles with the administration.

There was a lot of turnover in management and recruiting, and with each change came different policies. When we moved her in, she had two full years of private pay. We specifically asked whether they allowed a Medicaid spend-down—meaning she could pay privately and then transition to Medicaid while remaining in the same room. We were only considering facilities that offered that option. We were told that transitioning to Medicaid would not be a problem and that they had done this for many residents. Now her private funds are nearly exhausted, and she has only a short time left. We were recently informed that she cannot remain there because they have too many residents on Medicaid. As a result, we are being forced to move her to another facility that will accept her without private pay.

- very short staffed, poor communication , unable to address concerns in a timely manor

My husband was there last November/December. The nurse was very uncooperative (even nasty) about my being there for his Hospice care. She said he didn't want me there and that I was coercing him. That was not true. As a result , I wasn't there when he passed! That was horrendous for me. I haven't reported this yet, since I've been in a very deep depression since this happened. He passed on [date removed].

This number is based on strictly the administration and the process for admittance. I know they have changed supervisors , so maybe it is better now. We are glad we chose not to put our mother there.

While the building looks good; the mgmt teams lack accountability. There is always an excuse for lack of care. Common restrooms are rarely clean enough to not need a respirator upon entry. Staff doesn’t tend to needs of residents without attitude. Residents have been eating off paper plates and using plastic utensils since January. Meals are substandard. Some can’t chew or cut the food and a healthy diet isn’t a consideration. Recent safety (security) concerns and vandalism are our most serious concern. Our parent has been here over a year. We will hate to move her; but I have no faith or patience left for their excuses and request for understanding.

From the time that we placed our loved one in this facility to the day that he passed away. The administrative staff tried consistently to up charges unnecessarily, or to tell us that they needed to kick our loved one out. The nursing staff is the one redeeming quality about this place. The nurses really cared about my loved one and gave him the best care possible. They even worked with us to try to help with some rehab in house to cut down on costs. Prices for rent and care were increased. With no knowledge upfront, no warning, no nothing. The facility always had an odor to it. But that is to be expected with an assisted living facility. However, we were informed by nursing staff. Not administrative staff that the facility had an issue with bed bugs, while our loved one was housed there instead of letting the families know. And being transparent, the administrative staff kept this a secret advised the nursing staff not to tell family members and proceeded to throw away items from our loved one's room without our permission. The administrative staff was incredibly rude. We had already found a different facility to place my loved one in the day before he passed away. We were going to leave charter in the dust. And try never to think about them again.

The facility was clean but admin did not follow through with care for my father. We paid an extra fee because my father required two person transfer, but there were several times we witnessed very young small aides moving my Dad alone. It took several days for maintenance to hang my Dad's flat screen tv in his room that they told us would take one day. TV was the only entertainment my Dad enjoyed. My Das passed after being there 13 days. It cost over $[removed] to move him in. We received $[removed] refund. We were billed for two months of medication from the pharmacy they partner with. My Dad was there 13 days. We never received a sympathy call or card from Charter Oaks.

My dad only ended up living for one week when transferred to Charter, so my experience is limited. It is difficult to work with Charter and Gilchrist Hospice together and to get medication when first getting there or a new prescription or a change in instruction as their pharmacy is in Virginia and delivers in the middle of the night. I felt gaslight when expressing concerns about my dad to both Charter and Hospice. If you or your loved one isn't at the very end of their life it could maybe be a decent place but unfortunately I don't know.

I wouldn't send anyone to this facility that has any level of mental decline. Their administrative staff are liars, and they fully refunded [name removed] move-in fee after being caught in lies multiple times. I wouldn't drop my garbage off at this place. The care staff were nice, but they were unable to provide [name removed] the care that was promised that would help him thrive as someone with cognitive issues.

I do not feel that the staff are as responsive to some of the needs of the residents as they should be.

The staff are very nice and kind. But my mom's room is always dirty and never gets cleaned. There will be poop all over everything that is dried and crusty when we come visit. Admin made promises they couldn't deliver. Staff is very sweet. We love the staff. That's why we have stayed. But the housekeeping needs serious work Knowing they are dealing with memory care people they need to be on top of checking their rooms.