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.

Like all facilities, they will make promises that they can't and keep. If anything they offer is important to you, or if you have special requests that they agree to, get it in writing before signing the paperwork. Their price is higher than most in the area, but their treatment of residents is also above par, for the most part. The staff is very friendly (except the kitchen manager) and I have never witnessed a staff member being unkind to a resident, though some are surely better than others. Staff is specially trained in treatment of those with memory issues and it shows, but they are often understaffed which is problematic and leads to unintentional neglect. Activities are frequent unlike some other places, but it is hard to keep decent activities staff. My parent is no longer with them, but I would recommend this facility over any of the others we have personally experienced.

The community gave me an uncomfortable feeling during our tour. The staff was very awkward and didn't have direct answers to the many different questions I had presented to them. The main living and dinning room needed more natural light and not so many dimmed lights.

My mom has fell walking down the hall. The staff called me and let me know this but I also noticed a few more residents had fallen too. Otherwise, she is doing fine and well. The place looks pretty clean and looks good. My mom does not enjoy the food at times. I am unsure why she does not like the meals.

Really would like to see more "quality" menu w less quantity. Would be happy to discuss

We visited this community while looking into care options for a loved one. This seemed like a very nice place overall, in terms of the facility being clean and well maintained and the care that they provided. However it just felt too much like a hospital, and I did not think my loved one would be comfortable living here.

It's going okay so far. The food would be about a four. I am disappointed, as a new resident in the facility, I was expecting more medical feedback, and information, about how she was adjusting. I had to initiate all of that myself, It would have been very nice to have them let me know how things are going. Communication could be a lot better, if that was a category, I would give it a two. Initially when I was choosing, I liked that it was new, I liked that it had a private bath. It seemed like they could keep track of the residents really well.

Overall, I thought Dad had good care and a clean, friendly environment. My sister & I did experience some frustration when we needed to call to check on Dad after hours or on the weekend. Staff would hang up on us, or the phone would just ring incessantly or the person answering the phone could not get through to the caregivers in the back. Feel like they are not adequately staffed on the nights and weekends.

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.

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.

One of the factors that attracted me to this facility. Unbeknownst to us their had been a large replacement of staff. This made the move in process for my relatives quite frustrating. No one really knew that we were coming, there was no assistance to get the family, and residents, moved in and no attempt to explain procedures or policies to the family. We simply moved in blind. Every resident has an emergency button fob that they wear. It took 2 weeks to get one of my relatives fob to work, in the meantime she had fallen a few times and we had to go to the front desk to get help. There was a week and a half delay in getting them on the prescription program. My husband and I ran in circles trying to find te right person to assist us with our questions, if we found someone. The sales manager never followed up with us until we demanded a meeting 4 weeks after move in. My family members have been there for over a month and things seem to be going smoother for them

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.

I like that my husband has a private room. The facility is kept exceptionally clean. I like they occasionally take residents out to an activity. There are some excellent care providers. There is not enough staff during the night , no way to call for help to use the bathroom and my husband has to stay in a wet bed. And it is unfortunate some employees neither speak or understand English. Caring for folks with memory challenges is difficult. At Inspired Living there is room for improvement, luckily there are some really excellent caregivers that work hard . And also the facility is clean!

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.

Frequent management changes, activities are not as frequent

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.

Beautiful building and grounds only have experienced small mishaps. I would rate the food an 7 on most days. The nurses are always willing to assist. No facility is perfect. I have found it is a must to be a frequent face to everyone

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.