Merrill Gardens

My Dad has lived at Merrill Gardens at Gilroy for 3 + years. Initially, when it was Village Green, we were very pleased with the management and care taken with residents. However, after Merrill Gardens took over, the facility, management, and care given the residents has declined, while the cost continues to rise. My review below is generally not good. However, it does not apply to all work staff and all caregivers. Some do quite well. My overall impression is that this facility is not a warm, caring facility. Rather, it appears to care mostly about profit. The management is currently poor. The manager does not know or show any personal interest in any of the residents. The employees hired (care givers and waiters, housekeepers, etc.) generally have very little of the training that should be required for working with elders who need assistance. If someone falls, they can plan to spend some time on the ground before someone comes to their aid. If someone is sick, it may be hours before the resident nurse (if there is one) checks on them. If they are restricted to their room (in case they are ill), food doesn't show up in a timely manner. The resident may need to call and request food repeatedly before finally getting some. Also, they are then told that they need to pay for the food that is delivered to their room. Initially, laundry once a week was covered in the room price. Now, residents must pay for each load of laundry. The launderers are careless with the laundry. They will wash rugs with delicates. The washing machines are not maintained and are dirty. Weekly room cleaning is included in the price. However, there are some housecleaners that don't even know how to clean a toilet. The food is generally good. However, there are days when the people order food and it never gets to their table. On occasion, residents leave the dining room without their dinners. At night time the staff disappears and if a resident buzzes for help, the call is not always answered. It appears that no one monitors the phones or the doors. Initially, residents were taken to their doctor appointments up to three days a week. That service is now limited to one day a week. Sometimes it is difficult for the residents to get to a doctor. This review is very negative, but the management is negative. Overall, I feel that the staff is under trained, under paid, and just doesn't care about the residents. The corporation seems mainly interested in padding their bottom line at the expense of the residents. Initially, I would have given this facility at least four stars. However, there are many problems that need to be addressed, and competent, friendly management is a must. This is the residents' home and they should be made to feel like it is their home. Merrill Gardens at Gilroy has some work to do! If I was making the decision now in choosing a residence for my parent, I would not choose this facility.

should give better "assistance" to the ones in greater need. people should not be slouched over in chairs ALL day. how many staff members just walk by. People who have a hard time eating should be helped. If food is all over them and the floor, they obviously need help. instead of sitting in a chair yourself staring, give them a hand.

We did not have a good experience with The Legacy at Georgetown. It started out as a very nice place, but over the course of a year really went downhill. They had a lot of staff turnover, and ended up very understaffed. We stuck it out with them for quite a while, but they never came through on the promises they made to improve things. Eventually we moved our loved one to a different place, it just didn't feel safe here.

I did not feel comfortable and welcome. They told me that I didn't qualify, without even checking to see my financial situation. I just didn't feel comfortable there, the community was not very diverse, culturally.

I'm happy with the place except for one thing. I moved into a room right on the freeway and had a written agreement that they would move me to another apartment once one became available. They have this thing where you can pay fee to lock in your price for life then they moved me and the said that I would have to pay the fee again. It did say in the contract that it was only applicable to on apartment but I was in no condition to read the agreement at the time and they were aware that I was moving so they should have made that clear. On that basis I am extremely unhappy with Bridgecreek. I sent a letter to the corporate headquarters so I'm waiting to hear what's going on. I think it was kind of deceptive of them. The meals are decent. They're not gourmet but they're decent. The management is very friendly and helpful. We have a few old crabs but most of the residents are very nice. If I could just get that one adjustment made I'd be very happy here. They were fully aware that I was moving and no body made that clear that I would have to pay again if I moved. It was also in writing that they were going to do the move with no charge and my family ended up doing most of the move.

Our family had an in person tour and we were disappointed - the tour got off to a wrong start and just had a bad impression

You people must be delusional. The food you serve is generally not eatable. Your maintenance is going down hill. The value of your product is sorely lacking. What you purport to be and what you deliver is polar opposite.

Mom has lived in this community for over a year now. The community has gone down hill, a lot of the managers have come and gone. We loved the activities, but they have gone down hill too. The movie theater is no longer offering free popcorn and snacks when we first got here, matter of fact, they haven't offered snack for over 8 months now. Always an excuse from the Executive Director and the Assistant Executive Director. We had to evacuate the building a few months back do to a staff member calling in a bomb threat. How are the management team venting the people working at this community? Now with the COVID19, and we no social life in this community, don't see any cleaning going on in this community. We had more cleaning when we had the bad stomach virus that closed our community to visitors for over 4 weeks. When this COVID19 is over, we are leaving this community. Just because this community is nice, doesn't mean that this is the ideal community for your loved ones, it's not for us.

Over time the energy within Arbour Square disappears. When we first toured this community about a year ago and the first couple of months, the energy within Arbour Square was great. The staff was very fast with answering my Mom’s call button. But over time the response time has been longer and past the so called “5 minute” window. The movie theater, the bar, rooftop deck wow us. But, it seems that that is catering to the Independent people who live here more than my Mom who lives in the assisted living part. I want Mom to go to the diner and the regular restaurant for meals, but the nursing staff (not really nurses - only one shift of an actual LPN on duty and weekends - Never), only take Mom to the 2nd floor dining room. When my Brother or I take her down to those restaurants, she tells us the next day of the other residents who mock her cause she’s in the assisted living part of the community. If your loved one needs assisted living, we would not recommend.

Fig Garden advertises as “pet friendly”...don’t believe it !! Absolutely zero provisions for pets, unless you keep them in your room at all times. Also, general maintenance is sadly lacking, from dirty exterior and windows to non-functional exterior lighting. Menus are often misleading, with some items not available and/or short quantities. Management staff is office-bound, and rarely makes rounds. Can you make it work ??? Yes, but you have to push yourself constantly to make it pleasant.

Since being under new management this place has gone down hill. Mom has roaches the they can't seem to get rid of. (Do not think they are even trying) The food was good at one time but now it's awful. The management there doesn't seem to care about the residents. Price is going g up and the amenities are getting less and less. I would steer clear if you have other options. The staff that does the daily work (not management and office staff) are just amazing the way they treat the residents. My mom loves them and I do too for looking after my mom and being so caring and sweet to her. They all deserve raises.

The caregivers are amazing. The apartments are nice. Management is really nice. The food is horrific and should not be apart of the monthly cost. The management is not on site over night. The cost are very high and go up 5% yearly, it's outrageous! These are seniors who do not have a income any more. Rent should not be triple what it would cost for a mortgage.

My first hand experience is I would not recommend that anyone place a loved one in this facility. If I could get the balance of my money back from them I would bring my mother home today. This facility claims to be "assisted", but other than meals, making beds and administering medications I don't see any "assistance"!!! I talked with them prior to putting my mother in their facility and told them specifically what she needed assistance with: help with putting the batteries in her hearing aids and putting them in her ears correctly and then make sure she takes them out at night and completely remove the batteries (they last a lot longer this way) in the evening; assistance with making sure she removes her dentures and properly cleans them and her oral hygiene; some assistance with her clothing to make sure it matches and assistance with her bathing. The reason we put her in their care for a month was so that we could have a break after having her 24/7 for 2 years and we needed some time to recoup, regroup and unwind. Caring for a loved on with Dementia is not easy. I requested that she see the physical therapist and occupational therapist for help with walking gait, etc,. Two weeks later I am told they need a Dr.s order for this. She was bathing herself and couldn't get out of the tub and was screaming for help and when help arrived she fell and said she was having chest pains and her leg hurt so I told them to send her to ER which is maybe a block away and I would meet them there. No one accompanied her to the ER and she was confused, alone and scared when the hospital staff allowed me to with her. When I first got to ER I had inquired about her and wanted to make sure she was registered and they didn't know she was there---only that ambulance had brought in a resident of The Gardens. Once the hospital determined that she had no injuries and that she was not having a heart attack I took her back to The Gardens and other than ask for her discharge papers no inquired about her. I made sure she had dinner, got her ready for bed and left. 2 days later she still had the id bracelet from the ER still on her wrist irritating her skin and when I asked for a pair of scissors was told to leave it on as they through it was a door alarm bracelet which she had never been provided. If they had been "assisting" her with anything you think that someone would have noticed this. The toilet in her bathroom rocks from side to side and is so loose you can turn it to the side, there is no shower chair for this 89 year old to sit on in the tub/shower, the water is way too hot for a facility that has patients this old that could scald themselves. When the director asked me this morning how things were going the above is exactly what I told her. I also told her that I would not put my mother back into their facility nor would I recommend it to anyone else. Maybe I am out of line, but I expected more from a facility that is "assisted"living than providing 3 meals, meds and a clean bed. Too my knowledge, she was never taken out on any of the "trips" in the Van that I was told were weekly as she has dementia and didn't realize she needed to sign up for them. The only activities that I knew were going on were daily Bingo games and exercise, Every time I went up there the main lobby hall was lined with residents in wheelchairs, walkers and sitting on the Love seats and chairs waiting for time for the next meal.

My parent lived at the Merrill Gardens memory care house for over a year. She started going downhill, and was sent to the hospital where she remained until another placement was finally found. I did not appreciate the way the incident was handled. It was disrespectful and the administration was not helpful at all. My parent was overlooked in many incidents; Merrill Gardens claims to help find appropriate new placements for folks who can't live there anymore. But excuses of staff shortages, and other excuses were not acceptable. I would not recommend this facility to anyone.

RESIDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO PAY STAFF'S CHRISTMAS BONUSES We liked the facility until we received a letter from the facility requesting money so that the staff could receive Christmas bonuses. I have never heard of such a practice. Imagine movie theaters asking for "donations" so that their employees can get extra cash for Christmas. It is an absolutely ludicrous practice and I am worried that if my parent does not feed Legacy more money (on top of the 52 THOUSAND/year) that her level of care may be affected.

I lived there for three months and did not like it at all. In my opinion, there were no activities to speak of and the atmosphere was cold. There was a monthly drawing of names to sign up for bus trips. If the trips were popular, there was a chance they would be booked up. I had to pay $1000.00 up front to get in. It was an expensive boring three months.

*Meals were terrible *A resident was verbally attacked for complaining about the quality of the meal during mealtime in front of other residents. *Wait time to be serve meals was disgraceful for the residents because they were frequently short of help. My parents chose to return to their apt without eating because of the long wait for service. *Housekeeping was terrible. Apartment floors were not mopped on regular basis. *Facility exterior security/safety lights were not fixed for the duration my parents were there (1 year). *Landscaping was nicely done at the front of the facility but the east side area was neglected. *Window screen was missing from the time my parents moved up until they moved out in spite of reminding manager and maintenance staff on several occasions. *Balcony was filthy and so were the windows. *East side 2nd floor exit door lock mechanism was not fixed for several weeks even after my repeated complaints *My parents' rent increase by $250.00 after 1 year. When I informed the manager that my parents were moving out, the rent increase was changed to $25.00.

I don’t even work here and I could still tell something was seriously off just from visiting family. If it’s this obvious to outsiders, I can’t imagine how bad it is behind closed doors. The way staff are treated is honestly disturbing. You can feel the tension the second you walk in. At one point, I was told that most of the kitchen staff had either quit or "being fired", which says everything you need to know about how this place is run. Management is very unprofessional. There’s constant drama, and somehow residents are being pulled into it, which is entirely inappropriate. This is supposed to be a place where people feel comfortable and cared for, not like they’re stuck in the middle of workplace issues. And [Name Removed],she may come across as nice at first, but it quickly feels forced. There’s a clear difference between the front that’s put on and what’s actually going on underneath. It doesn’t take long to see through it. The environment feels disorganized, negative, and uncomfortable.

Terrible experience for memory care Our experience at Truewood Memory Care was a nightmare of mismanagement and medical disregard. We moved my father here in late [date removed], and within the first week started looking for a new facility. We started here because they had no wait list. Issues: 1. Lack of Staff Training: Despite being a specialized memory care unit, the staff seemed untrained in dementia behaviors. They labeled typical symptoms like agitation, talking loudly, not following directions, or being easily distracted when someone is talking as "aggression." Instead of utilizing prescribed medications or redirection techniques, staff called the police on my agitated father. 2. Safety & Communication Failures: My father suffered two falls in the first week that led them to send him to the ER. He lived with me 3 years prior to going to this facility and never needed ER care or police escalation. After the second fall, he was in the ER and no one notified our family. We are moving

Went to see the memory care with a friend visiting mom, loud smelly and unorganized. I would never put a loved one here and I saw something’s that should be reported to someone in charge, care ppl on phones and ignoring residents, who runs this dump?