Distinctive Living

This community is where my dad is and it's nice and clean. When we first got there they were very attentive. The food is good and he has options to choose from. I like that it is set back from a busy street. He does some daily activities. I didn't like that there was a fire drill and we asked 3 different people who worked there what to do and NO ONE knew the answer. I think the director should hold a meeting before a fire drill to be able to guide the residents.

It was nice place but it's just seemed like a big office building like right on the highway. I didn't like that setting.

After buying The Chelsea about 2 years ago, Mira Vie has undergone major renovations throughout the facility. It is freshly painted, well lit with plenty of natural lighting and very clean, and beautifully decorated. It has a nice library and a natural garden in the back, if you like to get outside to read and/or relax. Management is friendly and keeps open communications with families of residents as much as needed. The overall care from aides and nursing is ok, but you definitely need to be on top of the meds and the effects on your loved ones. Regular communications with doctors and staff is crucial to their quality care. Meals are fair but not much variety in entrees. Not good for someone needing a special diet, especially, a soft diet. Laundry comes back inside out and not folded but stuffed in drawers causing wrinkled clothing and often disorganized. Activities seem to be positive, keeping residents happy, together and involved. Room for improvement for sure in areas mentioned.

The staff is very nice...the food is poor. Definitely not as presented in the brochure. My mom sent back a pork chop a while ago. She never sends back food. Another resident sent back the same dish. It was inedible. Her apartment is nice. However, there isn't any room in the kitchen terrace to make a cup of tea.

The place and rooms were beautiful, but the strange thing was that we didn’t see much staff. Not only didn’t we see any residents around, but also no staff, like an eerie ghost town. Something was off about this place.

The Staff is very friendly. The place is clean and the nurses are attentive. More activities are needed. More diverse menu as well. The cable TV is terrible and the WiFi too weak.

My grandma does not enjoy the food and is disappointed that the Bingo is called by an automated device rather than a live person. That may seem silly but she finds it to be very dull that way so she doesn't even play. The day time front desk, nurses, and housekeeping staff have been helpful and friendly.

Staff - for the most part, not too bad. Staff needs to keep a closer eye on each persons belongings. My mom had a [Amount Removed] pair of Hoka sneakers removed from her room by another resident and they we virtually destroyed by the time we figured out what happened to them. We received them back with stains all over them, the shoe laces were missing along with one of the insoles. They are no longer wearable. It would also be nice if there were nicer places to sit in the memory care unit. Most chairs are old and uncomfortable looking , while the assisted living area had much nicer furniture.

The people were pleasant and friendly. The smaller size of the facility was a plus. The apartment was well appointed. My concern is the multiple very large stains in the hallway carpet...is this an indication of unseen issues elsewhere?

Finding Mira Vie was made easier because A Place For Mom connected us. Touring and interviewing was also smooth. Signing the paperwork and moving in were not pleasant or smooth experiences. The director was cold and somewhat passive aggressive. There was no welcome packet or documentation to tell us and our mom the names, titles and contact info of staff. In the year my mom has lived there the staff turnover has been constant. It was a blessing when the nasty director left. It was months before she was replaced by someone permanent. He was great but has since left. There is yet another interim director. It was sad and shocking when the head nurse was suddenly gone. EVERYONE loved him! He was FABULOUS at his job! After a bit of time he was replaced by another very good nurse. Surprise: she is also no longer on staff. Another interim person is there. Communication is HORRIBLE. They either don't share info or fill us in after a bit of time. We have learned how the system works and accept it for what it is. My mom is really happy. She enjoys the activities and has made lovely friends. There are staff members who really care, enjoy their jobs and truly make a difference. We value them. Overall, my mom is safe and enjoys life there. So my sister and I are happy and comfortable with our choice.

I would rate it a 3. Food was OK. Staff was under staff. They forced fed people and they didn't like it. The dining area always had spilled drinks and was sticky all the time it would be nice if they would mop after every meal. Because people with dementia spill. It happens. It takes two seconds to mop up the floor. Their activities were actually really good. They try to get residence involved all the time. They had a lot of activities and music. A lot of the staff, especially the activity staff were great. But most of the employees there did not speak good English, and cannot communicate with the residence or myself. That was very frustrating. Residence are already confused, so not understanding what people are saying to them is not OK. My mom has been in other places before, this place was better. I don't think there's any place that's actually really really good. I had to get my mom's teeth pulled, and I told five staff members not to give her food or drinks the night before or the day before and they did not listen and gave her food and drinks. I had to reschedule her appointment because they did not listen to what I had asked. Again, I think the best part of their place was all the activities they offered.

The biggest thing they could improve on is hiring more aides that speak English and have more compassion. There is a very large communication gap which is frustrating to older adults.

The Director had dementia. he food quality went signicantly downhill when the Mira Vie took over from the [community removed]. They are understaffed with 1 Registered Nurse. I had to call an ambulance myself because the unfamiliar staff that takes blood pressure are incompetent. Activities were very good. The fact that they use IPPC pharmacy was a major hassle. My loved one was consistently deprived of adequate hydration that landed her hospital on more than one occasion. I didn't eat there my loved one did so I can't say specifics; the quality and volume of food was significantly reduced. They ran out of chicken noodle soup the one time I did dine there. I relocated my loved one to another facility in Paramus in February of this year.

This building is welcoming, light and airy, and conveniently located with a “being in the country” feel. There are some real bright spots regarding staff and resident services. The nurses are knowledgeable and responsive. The common areas and resident rooms are clean and well maintained, laundry is done with care, and the dining department is helpful with changes in dietary needs. The aides are generally helpful, but often seen congregating in the medical office. Our family has concerns with administrative staffing. In just over 2 years, there have been 3 nursing directors, 3 directors in sales/community outreach, and 4 activity directors. These employees left abruptly with little/no communication with family. There has been no dedicated receptionist for almost 6 months. The front desk is often vacant with a bell on the counter for “service.” Residents and their families build relationships with employees. It’s concerning to have this frequency/manner of turnover.

These answers are based on experience in November 2024, before my mother's stroke. When she first arrived in May of 2024, prior to the changes that evolved after Mira Vie took over. [community name removed] run facility was much better, and most of the best staff members left. While they certainly slipped in Quality they are not horrible.

They just got rid of the director. Going through a transition. As long as not much care is needed, it is ok. Some of the staff are really caring, but is hard for them to get good med techs. A number of residents have left.

The housekeeping was abysmal. I cleaned the room and bathroom when I visited. Some of the aides were positively lovely but there were a few that were cruel and unhelpful. The front desk staff during the day were pleasant and helpful. [name removed] (a nurse) was excellent.

I've found in my dealings with quite a few facilities while dealing with my fathers health issues they all talk (administrative side) a good game but once you sign and are in the facility that same attention is not close to what was advertised. I'm a pretty laid back and a patient guy but anytime we would request anything as important as ants in his room and as little as getting his name plate board outside his door fixed it was like pulling teeth. Staff was hit or miss but I feel that's anywhere, some of the aids were absolutely wonderful while others were not great. They really need to be paid more if any of these facilities want consistent and good help in such a tough and challenging job. Side note, my father was in the memory care unit which turned out to be a fancy term for nursing home. My issue isn't so much with the facility it is the cost and the service not matching the cost in my opinion.

This facility is not reliable currently. It looks great but things are very unorganized and management seems overwhelmed. Numerous staff have shared concerns about the care the residents receive. Communication is poor. If you have a loved one who needs MINIMAL support and oversight this facility could work for you. Otherwise I would look elsewhere.

Everyone was very friendly and helpful! Any lower marks has nothing to do with the staff!