I live on the assisted living side of Atria Walnut Creek, on independent status, and my experience here has been up to now mostly positive. Making it positive has been very much helped by the work of the Activities staff, led by "Engage Life" Director, Diana Lamsen. I Just want to say how much we all appreciate Diana and her Activity staff as they make Atria a much happier place to be, with her attention to producing very appealing and lively events like our recent Valentine's Day event! I have been here nearly 5 years, and Diana never fails to amaze me personally with the excellent work she and her staff do, day in and day out, to make Atria Walnut Creek attractive to residents, families, and visiting prospects! read more

My mother lived in the independent/assisted living wing at Atria WC for almost a year. She was content. One of the reasons we chose it was because she really wanted an outdoor space, and enjoyed many flowers on her balcony as well as visiting birds. The care, cleaning and dining staff was very friendly and helpful to her. However, when I requested that the nurse reevaluate her because she was beginning to need more assistance, she told me she'd visit my mom the next day but she never did. That was 2 months ago, (and my mom passed 1 month ago.) In general the reception and administration staff seemed very unorganized and unreliable. One of the main reasons we moved my mom to Atria was for them to check on her if she didn't show up for meals. They did sometimes but it seemed very casual. On Mother's Day, when mom hadn't responded to any of her many texts, I called for a well check at 1PM. It was too late. My mom had passed away sometime in the previous 24 hours. How do I know? State of her body. No activity on her cell phone for over a day. And with investigation we found out she had not been checked on by Atria staffe since lunch Saturday, despite having not eaten the next three meals. Hopefully my mom passed peacefully in her sleep and didn't suffer as that's what she wanted. We will never know for sure and we are very saddened about about this. We hope other families don't experience the extra grief of learning their loved one has been ignored that long. We have been told staff has had retraining on the check in procedure. I hope so! PS I gave 2 stars instead of 1 because like I said my mom was content and she loved the staff she interacted with. The extra star is for my sweet mom. read more

Bed bugs! Not even a one star.... My loved one experienced bed bugs at this facility and for TWO months the executive director blew off my concerns and finally had someone come to check it out. So strange that on the report they also claimed there were no bed bugs and I have pictures to prove it. My loved one lost ALL her belongings and I got her far away from this facility. Stay away, look elsewhere and do your research. read more

RUN FAST THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION!, I would give 0 stars if it let me. While it is a physically beautiful facility, don't waste your time looking at this facility. I had some warnings such as I was told a resident on the locked dementia unit had died drinking cleaning fluid that was left out on the counter a few years ago. Also, the turnover in staff, the 3 people I met in management when I signed up to move there had only worked there a few months. I was brought there by a person who places people in facilities like this. I believed him & I decided to move in. About a week after signing the contract, I decided not to move in. They are now deducting almost $4000 from qmy checking account for a months rent and I never lived there. I never even walked in the room after initially seeing it. They claim if they could have rented my apartment which I was told had "the best view" then I could have my money back. I have no way of knowing if they rented it or not, so,I will be following up legally to find out. PS - The woman I spoke to that answered the phone tonight told me she was new. What does that say about this place? The turnover of staff is so high. DO NOT MOVE HERE. read more

They don't give a crap about there residents! Carly lied to me! She said they have activities every single day which you see them on a calendar. I asked if these all happen every day. She said yes. She lied. For the few months my mother was there, not one activity happened for her and the people in their memory care or life guidance area. What ever they call it. My mother was extremely unhappy. She got more depressed and wanted to die. It was the most horrible thing I've ever seen from my mother. All of this is because Carly lied to me! She wanted to fill a room, that's all. She got what she wanted. I got a very depressed mother. :( PLEASE do not give Walnut Creek Atria any time of day. Move on! read more

After a fall at Atria Walnut Creek my mother passed away, seems unbelievable that she sustained a severe cervical spine fracture and was able to get up and walk to her chair, where Atria claims she was found. Staff has no idea of when or where she fell. Atria has given my family two very conflicting accounts on my Mom's accident. The turnover of staff and the recent death at this facility due to a resident drinking cleaning fluid that he was served and Atria told the family he died from eating Hot Cheetos, DO NOT PLACE YOUR LOVED ONE AT ATRIA. MINUS 10stars. Atria Walnut Creek is still being investigated by the State of California and is operating under a probationary license. read more

0/5 Stars - AVOID AT ALL COSTS - Unprepared for Real Memory Care Needs I desperately wish I had read all the negative reviews before placing my father in this facility. This place is completely unprepared to handle actual dementia patients, especially if they're anything other than docile. From day one, they showed their true colors when they made us take my father home for a week to "drug him" when he naturally wanted to leave. Unlike other reputable facilities that ask families to stay away during adjustment periods, they required family to be present 8 hours daily for two weeks. They never assigned staff to help dad adjust or get to know him, and the administrator openly admitted they don't know how to handle basic dementia behaviors like yelling and maybe his Hospice team can give tips to their staff. The situation became even worse when they couldn't handle my father's sundowning. They increased our monthly rate by 50% and required us to hire a private 1:1 sitter at $35/hour, bringing our total cost to over $1,000 PER DAY. We later discovered we weren't alone in this predicament, as at least seven other residents were forced to hire private sitters. Their medication management is dangerously inadequate, taking one to two weeks to implement doctor's orders - an unacceptable timeframe for progressing dementia patients. While their memory care director and med tech have recently quit or been fired, the real problem lies with the administration. They're purely profit-driven, HOSTILE during care meetings - with the memory care director even saying sorry to my mom after the meeting on how management yelled and treated her, and show zero compassion for residents. This place is essentially an overpriced hotel with no real dementia care expertise. Do yourself and your loved one a favor - read ALL the 1-star reviews and believe them, we are not a one off in our experience. I wish I had listened to these warnings. Save yourself the emotional and financial trauma of placing a family member here. Bottom line: If you truly love your family member, look elsewhere. This is no place for anyone needing actual memory care. read more

Such a beautiful community with a coy pond and very nice outside area to take your pup - wink wink to this pet friendly community!!! We need those pups on the hard days! The exercise classes had a lot of participation- loved seeing all the residents really getting into it!! Thank you, Teresa, for such a warm welcome and the difference you make in the lives of your residents! read more

We have serious issues with this facility. We had our mother here for 2 years, and initially (when the resident was independent) Atria worked well. But then all that was needed was to provide an apartment, medicine management and food. The care staff seems to genuinely care for the residents, and they were very friendly. Once things began to change and more attention was needed, finding someone to discuss those needs was difficult. We were told that a low-sugar diet would be put in place, but whenever the resident asked, sweets would be provided. Staffers, likely unknowingly, would slip cookies or cakes to the resident as they knew that made her happy. This resulted in several trips to the ER to control her blood sugar. When asked if they felt the resident's cognitive faculties were diminishing, or if she seemed depressed, we were told that nothing had changed. But we could see that things were changing. When we noticed the resident was no longer getting dressed for the day regularly, we again asked if anyone had noticed and were told everything is fine. We started hearing from the resident that she was not eating in the dining room (with no notice from the staff) and when we asked what she was eating, staff had to look it up. They were surprised to hear that the resident barely ate, ordering milk shakes and toast for every meal. This was noted, but not corrected. No mention was made of any behavioral changes (aside from what we could see in our visits) and no help was offered to the resident or to us. At one point Atria sent the resident to the ER without our knowledge for a sore arm. We were notified after she was sent by ambulance, (we live 20 minutes away and handle all medical affairs) and were told at the ER that she did not need to be there. The resident now has a $3000 ambulance bill. When we notified the facility of our 30-day intent to move, they immediately reassessed her for a much higher level of care, nearly half again her rate. This may have been needed, but the optics of this move looked like a cash grab and sat very poorly with us. During our move-out week, the manager saw us several times and never once made eye contact or spoke, even in farewell. Once the resident was moved, Atria attempted to charge her for the higher level of services, even though the resident was no longer in their care. read more

Be very wary of their memory care unit. They are on probation by the state for a reason. I moved my sister here in July, 2024 and was forced to move her out a week before Christmas. This program is designed for very complacent, easy to manage dementia residents. If your loved ones illness progresses, or becomes "unmanageable", you are on your own. Atria can and will require you to hire 1:1 caregivers from an outside agency, despite your loved one's being on their highest level of care. This actually translated to them not caring for my sister at all, it was left to the hired caregiver and the cost was not sustainable! The care plan by the LVN is intentionally vague, so you cannot possibly make a case that the resident isn't getting the care you are paying for. For reference, my family is in health care. We asked the hard questions about different scenarios, medication changes, progression of illness, etc and were assured that all levels of dementia could be handled. This certainly was not the case! There was such a lack of transparancy from the sales pitch to the director. We tried to communicate openly and frequently during her stay, to address the issues that came up but were made to feel like a problem and burden. I sincerely hope this review helps another family make a better choice than we did. read more

If I can give this place negative stars, I wouldn't hesitate. A good friend of mine is a resident at Atria. One night we returned from dinner and happened to see a fellow resident sitting at the stairwell, near the back entrance. He said, "oh, don't mind me. I'm ok, I'm trying to cool off. " The outside temperature had to been about 80 degrees. Poor guy, he was sitting, only had an adult diaper on, trying to cool off. He looked like he was short of breath as well. We walked away feeling bad and decided to check on him 15 minutes later. Fortunately, he was no longer sitting at the stairwell. With the current weather being so hot, you'd think there would be air conditioning at this place, especially with majority of the residents being seniors! My friend's room did not have AC. The fan he had did no justice. At any given time, his room is well over 83 degrees. He complained and got a new portable AC unit. Atria dropped it off in his room! You would think these people would install it. That was not the case. Fortunately we both were able to get it out of the box and got it to work. God forbid, if there is a problem requiring an engineer on the weekend, one would need to wait till Monday to get any assistance. Most of the employees don't care, they're there to collect a pay check. One early morning, before 7 am, my friend was awaken by a staff opening his bedroom door! What ever happened to respect, knocking on the door is not an option?? When he got up, he immediately reported the incident. Another time, someone knocked on his door. Before he could get up from the couch to check who was at the door, the person let herself in. It was a staff. She claimed she was "checking on him" because he had not shown up for breakfast. Well, it was literally before 8 am! There was an incident that occurred in one of the resident's room. As we were walking by, we saw this poor woman bleeding. We immediately looked for staff to assist. Unfortunately no one was around and we immediately called the Atria's number, found on their website, to report the problem. Atria, you need to get your act together! Based on other reviews posted on Yelp, this place needs to beef up management and the staff. read more

My name is Maureen and my mom, Dorothy, My mom moved to Atria in July 2012 and left the end of February 2024. Her reason for having to move was a change in her health due to falls at 96 years old which she had three in four days. she went to the emergency room two times as well as inpatient at the hospital, and NH rehabilitation with my hopes that she would be able to return to her apartment at Atria but after all she went through she declined mentally and physically. Atria was where I would have wanted her to love out her years but that was not to be. This review does not include the Memory Life Unit because she did not need the care they offer. Is Atria perfect no but what I wanted for her was to not live alone, safety, extra help when needed and she received all that plus she loved the meals and staff. She did not do many of the daily activities and after a time I accepted that she was happy just being with other residents. The staff was always willing to set a time for me to talk to them and I always felt welcomed when I would arrive a few times a week and visit with my mom usually in the main Living Room. Atria did a wonderful job during the pandemic shut down which impressed me since they are a large community and trying to make it as easy as possible for the residents with the County Health guidelines in place. Thank you to all the staff from our family, Maureen Charamuga read more

My 94 year old grandmother has been happy enough here for almost 5 years now in the life guidance wing for the memory impaired. I think the caregivers are good, but the lady, Flor, who works at the front desk is rude and difficult for no apparent reason. I guess she's bored or something i dont really know. Atria should let her go and get someone who can actually be respectful & professional, not some rude clown who makes simple things drawn out and difficult and frustrating. read more

My mom lived at Atria for over three years and she loved it! In fact, we tried to move her closer to where we live, at another assisted living place, but she had too many complaints and wanted to go back to Atria. She often said, "There's no place like Atria!" The current chef is top notch. My mom says it's some of the best gourmet food she's ever had. She said that the chef has been trained well and is the best Atria has ever had in the three years of her stay. She also made really good friends with many of the staff, a few of them she considers like family. We checked around many assisted living places and Atria also is one of the most affordable around. We were really surprised about this because it's one of the nicest looking, cleanest and friendly facilities we've visited. In fact, now, with the new remolding, it resembles a top notch five star hotel. I'd like to thank Atria for providing my mom a great place to live for the past three years. We are grateful that such a place exists and hope that anyone looking for assisted living would give Atria a visit and see for yourself this gem of a place. Sincerely, thanks, Andrew Kong Knight read more

We are very disappointed after being there three years. While the memory care staff and nurses were fabulous and seemed to truly care about our aunt, the administration is awful. Lack of communication is rampant and since her brother did not have email, he was constantly stressed trying to speak to care personnel for his sister on the phone. Often it would be days before he could get a response. I had to be brought in to help. When phone calls proved insufficient, I turned to emails to get faster response. While we understood the need to stay away due to Covid19, the lack of information that was coming to us regarding her condition was appalling. There was little explanation or information, no attempt to put her on video calls or any other sympathetic contact regarding her health. When she started having mobility issues they forced us to pay for 24-hour care which for two weeks amounted to over $7000! That plus the $9300 a month that covered what?? We thought that fee covered this sort of thing but then hospice was brought in instead of us having to hire private help. The limitations of covid again reduced the amount of care they were able to provide with insistence that the facility had ample care staff. Since her brother couldn't communicate with her, he insisted on moving her out. We gave notice for the month of February on January 31. On March 5th they submitted their autopayment from her account anyway. When I asked for a refund, they deducted rent for March 1 and 2! That is unfair considering we paid for the 28 days of February the same amount as we pay every other month!! To make matters worse, when we were preparing to move her out we were told we were not allowed in the facility for Covid restrictions, so they would have staff pack her stuff into boxes and we would show up with the truck in the parking lot to load. We showed up 3 hours before her ambulatory transport and simply waited around for nothing! We then found out that absolutely nothing was packed or ready to go and the move turned into a 2 day ordeal!! Not only that but when we took apart the apartment we found it to be the most unhealthy disgusting mess we could never have expected! I found poop stains on the underside of her couch cushions as well as mouse droppings and chewed up papers. I don't know when the rodent invasion happened but the fact that the facility did not do ANY basic cleaning of the apartments, makes me believe this is not a healthy atmosphere to be in! Perhaps it was already there when she moved from their assisted facility to memory care, but no one bothered to vacuum it up!!! Her clothes had to be thrown away as did much of her fabric furniture due to mold, mildew and dirt among other things! I can't believe that they would 1) continue to charge us after such awful treatment 2) not do basic disinfecting cleaning in the apartment and bathroom! It was really very gross and I am shocked that this is how a facility for elderly is run. While we really loved the care staff and felt they did their jobs the best they could, the management needs to take notice of the cleaning of their clients' living spaces and be more compassionate! One would think cleanliness is a priority in such circumstances! The excuse that no one was allowed to enter the building is lame. Having been a tenant for almost 3 years, I would have thought her send off would have been more agreeable and kind but it was extremely stressful and depressing. Our aunt was also almost catatonic which we were not warned of and so our first time seeing her in over a year was a slap in the face. Medical transport said they weren't sure if she'd make the 7 miles move. Just a couple of weeks later, her demeanor improved and she is alert and talking albeit not clearly as she was before due to her health issues. I will NEVER recommend Atria to anyone! They are a for profit company and have little compassion for the cliental they supposedly support! read more

My father spent the last three years of his life at Atria Montego Heights. This is a for-profit business, privately held, so perhaps the reviews below don't take that into account. There was a lot of changes in the management of the facility, but the folks that deliver the care and food were all wonderful. I looked forward to eating there with my dad as the fruit salad was always excellent and sometimes the meals were very good as well. I was not so happy with the attitude of the social worker as they basically forced him to leave as his health continued to deteriorate. As with any facility of this type, it pays for the family to stay on top of the quality of care being delivered. read more

Management is great at Atria Walnut Creek!! A family member of mine lives there and she loves the staff. It is very well organized, clean, and the staff members are very welcoming. I highly recommend this facility to anyone that plans on moving a family member (or themselves) into a senior living facility. read more

I will second Rich D's comments. This seems to be a really poorly run facility. As a small example, in our case, we ended up dropping one of the optional services since it wasn't be delivered very well. Yet the charge for $250 kept showing up on the bill every month. Every month I would call and they would promise to take care of it (of course, you can't leave a voicemail since no one on the staff *has* voicemail. I would try to escalate up the chain and would be told the exact same thing. The last time around, I told them I wasn't going to pay until I got a corrected bill. Guess what? The next bill just comes with a late fee. I would strongly recommend looking for a different facility. read more

Overall disappointing. 1. My Dad's 1st week in memory care a resident wandered into his room at 2 AM and scared him sleeping (door wasn't spring loaded properly). He pushed the person out and that person fell. I was called into the office by memory care director Kate and told HE wasn't a good fit. Really??? I asked her to have maintenance fix the door and she said "No." Really??? I watched a 5 minute youtube video and fixed the door in 15 minutes. It costs 8K a month for that service. I was told later by her boss that Kate replaced the original director last minute. She needs empathy training when dealing with the family of Alzheimer's sufferers. 2. Management was too surprised when my Dad mistook his closet for a bathroom (went to an Alz lecture where the speaker used the same behavior as an example of what to expect). Atria memory care opened last year and the inexperience shows. I will say the management tried to resolve the situation by making the bathroom easier to see and that was helpful. 3. Showers: My Dad was showered at best 5 times by staff during the 4 month stay. I supervised his bathing multiple times/week. 8K/month for me to make sure my Dad showers-total bargain! (His new place makes sure he showers twice/week=more experience). 4. During a game of catch a resident wouldn't throw the ball so my Dad kicked them in the leg multiple times. Why didn't a staff member step in? Guess: no one was in the room. Another resident (IN THEIR 90s), however, did have time to get up and get between them. Seriously? We were then asked to find a new place for my Dad. (Atria kept all but $500 of the $3500 community fee saying we were lucky to get anything back due to the contract-big companies can afford a full refund). The care staff at Atria is incredible! They are kind and caring and take care of our loved ones at all hours cleaning them and treating them like family. There just aren't enough of them (and with 2 levels in memory care there are more chances to lose track of residents). Staff also gets paid $13/hour at best (overheard) and work harder than most. This isn't a livable wage. PRN meds in memory care are not allowed even with a doctors OK. That's problematic when someone you love is upset and can't be given anything-not the case other places. read more

Two years ago Lucy came to live at Atria at 95, I was hoping this would be her last home. Ten days ago I moved her to a care home because she was not getting the care she deserved for $10,000 a month! She was quite resistant to being bathed and changed and for a woman that's 5' 2" 109 lbs , you would think this is common and would not be an issue. It was an issue. Because of her behavior, her monthly fee went up $820. That is certainly a way to ask someone to politely leave; just increase the fees. The management staff has changed three times going on a fourth in 2 years, also not good. The facility is very pretty and clean but this is corporate care.Most dementia and Alzheimer's patients need more personal care than I felt that she was getting .The day after she went to her new home, the new care staff discovered an infection on her genitals, so It appeared that Atria's staff neglected to clean her throughly for sometime . Shameful!! read more

The primary problems are; lack of real leadership, providing good direction; lack of a good set of systems of medication management. There is a lot of turnover in management, much less so among caregivers. The caregiver/resident ratio is problematic, in the early mornings especially when all the residents have to be gotten up, dressed and fed. There are long stretches where the administrator is not available. My mother-in-law has been a resident for several months but my brothers and I are already looking for a new place for her. read more

Our family is very pleased with the care my father is receiving at Atria Walnut Creek. All the folks working and caring for him are truly dedicated to the residents. It was a rough start with him accepting of care away from his home. But we feel he has turned the corner is now happy where he now lives. Keep up the good work and Thank You. Dan Ries read more

My mom has been in this facility for the past 2 years. My experience with staff has been very postive. The caregivers sincerely care about my mom's well being, as does the dining staff, the med techs and the executive staff. My mom has memory issues and physical disabilities that require her to need extra attention. The staff is very loving towards my mom and treat her with dignity and respect. The upper management cares about any concerns and expediantly responds to them as they arise. I live out of town, so it is a big relief to know that my mom is in good hands when I can't be there. read more

It's important to remember that this is a for-profit facility - and that headquarters never lets up on pushing management for better bottom line performance. A close friend signed a contract and moved in during late summer 2012, and less than six months later was faced with a whopping increase that forced her to move from a 2-room suite to a studio - because the increase was far greater than her increase in Social Security. 9 per cent ! It has to be said that the food is quite good and plentiful, the dining service friendly and efficient. There are multiple activities, but as another reviewer has noted, activities and services over and above the basics are charged at once. The "bus" runs on a first-come, first-served basis, and isn't always available to residents. Staff turnover is high - probably a condition of the industry, as wages are low (not for the managers, of course, and executives are paid as generously as bankers, that is to say, obscenely well). Even so, the people I met were helpful and solicitous, and there is no indication from residents of any but the kindest treatment. Premises are clean and the public areas well-presented, but there is apparently little possibility for residents to be outdoors, as a few are to be found on a sunny day on the main terrace in front of the entry, basking in wheelchairs and perusing their newspapers. The building has the feel of a frame (wood) Motel Six, with wide halls that resonate underfoot, sparse decor and elevators that have seen better days. I don't know the fire sprinkler or supression arrangements, but I would be reticent to reside there without assurances that the buildings were safe. The facility is not full - less than 80% occupancy, I was told. read more

I just left Atria walnut creek and was so thrilled I chose this facility to convalece . The Food superior And ample. The attendant care loving interested in your welfare and meticulous. Cleanliness reached impeccable. Above all else the entire staff was very Eager to make my stay happy, comfortable and pleasurable. OI made Many friends And the activities fun And well planned. read more

After a bad fall I came to Atria in October 2020 for rehab and expected to stay about six weeks. Due to Covid lockdowns and travel restrictions that time expanded to six months. I lived in the independent area, for the first month with some assistance in bathing and transferring but then unassisted. The studio apartment was well-equipped and peaceful and had a cheerful view of Mt. Diablo. Everyone on the staff was pleasant and helpful and seemed sincerely kind to the residents. The two drivers who brought residents to doctors' appointments and the receptionists at the front desk were especially patient, good-humored, and conscientious. Laundry service and housekeeping were reliable. Due to Covid we had meals in our rooms; the food was abundant and tasty (but not suitable for vegetarians or followers of low-fat Mediterranean diets). The outdoor patios and the garden were a consolation during this period of solitude. Longtime residents assured me that under normal circumstances the residence was much more lively and fun, with many more activities and outings. read more

My mom moved here from another assisted living facility in San Leandro 2 years ago. She is so much happier here & we are too as the cost is much more reasonable & the care is definitely superior. It was recommended to us by an elder care services advocate that we were fortunate enough to consult. The staff here is amazing. Everyone is so attentive, professional & caring. We love visiting, especially for the twice a month incredible brunch they put on for residents & their gusts. Today was Mother's Day & the roast beef & seafood offerings could compare with any fine dining experience in the area! We consider ourselves very fortunate to have found Atria. Mom is finally happy & well cared for, which of course makes every else in our family happy. read more

I have lived at Atria, Montego Heights, in Walnut Creek for just over two months and am quite satisfied here. The meals are good, the activities numerous, but the best part is the staff who are always friendly and helpful. Bill Bengtsson Apt #434 read more

Atria, where do we start. Three med techs were just fired, one other quit, management rotates like a revolving door (most quit) food quality is dropping despite a new chef (old one recently quit) lying is prevalent!!!! They nickle and dime you for everything here (above and beyond your contract) and the bus is nice when you can get a spot on it. Residents complaining all of the time about a wide variety of subjects here. This is a poorly run company at best, employees always quitting, since I have been here management has changed then changed yet again, no normalcy!!!! Would be a nice place if they could get their acts together and be consistant across the board from food to service to policies, time for a change, fire the management team, start fresh!!!! Update (7/16/2013) the bus driver quit thee weeks ago and little is being done to replace him (we pay for it), the maintenance manager just quit, the food continues to get worse ( got sick from the food and was in the hospital for five hours-documented) and this guy calls himself a chef-REALLY! They just jacked my rent $1400 a month without a letter to me explaining why (look at other reviews- Erik B. 6/21/2013- same thing(-60 days required by law). A major remodel is about to begin then the real problems will start! I have never seen a business anywhere where the managers don't have voicemail, its 2013, it appears they don't want to hear from you or deal with their many problems (like lying employee snitches-the staff will tell you), it all starts at the top!!! Residents are also leaving you can see it in the dining room at dinner!! The regional director was supposed to call me about my concerns, she did but left a brief message with no return number or e-mail. I called back the number(on my phone) and it just rang and rang, even corp. doesn't have voicemail, amazing!!! Montego Heights Residents read more

Let me just say, we moved my mom into memory care a few days ago. We are paying $9,000/mo plus to have a level of care that a dementia resident needs. However, now I am being told that the only reason she accepted her was because they thought we were hiring outside personal caregivers on top of their staff. Let me ask you-what the hell are we paying for here? Activities? A roof over her head? I can find less expensive places for this. Furthermore, last night as I was leaving, I spoke with the med Tech that was in charge. He basically told me that he doesn't feel equipped to work with dementia patients, and most of the staff does not have the skills necessary. He even had the boldness to tell me that I should probably not keep my mom here if she needs good care! Why would this organization leave someone in charge that is going to tell a family member this after 2 days of their loved one being there? I have so many expletive words I want to say to this organization. It seems that they paint a very pretty picture to lure you in, and once there, it is a whole different story. Sure people are nice, food is ok, but if you advertise a certain level of care, then follow through on your word. Please don't take my money and think it is all ok. They should be reported to the Better Business Bureau as far as I am concerned! read more

We initially thought this would be a great place for mom. Unfortunately, after 6 months she was asked to leave even though her condition had remained essentially the same as when she moved in. A major part of the problem was the high staff turnover rate and the fact that after 6 months the people who had assured us that this would be an appropriate living environment for mom had all left. After time, we also discovered a fair amount of unhappiness amongst the other residents. The place was undergoing a major renovation and residents were constantly being forced to move out of their rooms to accommodate construction. Management was also forced to send out a letter to everyone that they were working with the local police department to get a theft problem in the facility under control. Of major concern to me was the fact that on the day my mother moved out of the facility I had to wait an hour to get her medication because part of it had been filed under another residents name. Everyone's living requirements are different, and for some people Atria Montego Heights might work. However, based on our experience, we would recommend checking out the many other senior living facilities in the area. My mother is currently living at a facility only 10 miles away, and she seems to be having much fewer problems. read more

Atria walnut Creek is a wonderful facility. The food is delicious and you can order whatever you want. Residents are happy and are well taken care of. It is beautifully remodeled and they offer lots of activities for the residents to partake if they wish. read more

My Dad was a resident at Atria Walnut Creek for 15 months. While living there, my brother and I visited multiple times a week. The entire experience with Atria's staff, from the first introduction to the final goodbye was, without exception, outstanding. They were incredibly supportive during one of the most difficult transitions we have had to face as a family. It takes a real commitment to have the consistent empathy and compassion shown by their staff in how my Dad was treated and cared for. It was critical that he be able to maintain a sense of independence and dignity. Several of the team members, I could actually say all but the Resident Services Director, in particular, became an integral resource to our family staying on top of the details of his condition, latest RX changes, and immediate needs. Her and her staff would proactively encourage my Dad to stay social and take advantage of the day-to-day events. Honestly, I felt like this was an extension of family which really helped us feel he was in good hands. My Dad loved the food and particularly enjoyed the daily happy hour. The property is clean and set in a great location. I would definitely recommend checking this place out. It is a bit pricey but this level of quality care and personalized attention does not come cheap. read more

What's going on here? I work in Elder Care and have seen many facilities. This is one of the BEST! Not only do I have an in law there but so does a colleague have a parent there. Both of us and more importantly the residence are very happy. Yes the facility is going through a renovation. Would you want your loved one in a facility that has never been up graded? Yes there has been staff turn over. I want people working there that want to be there. Caring for the elderly is VERY stressful. I must make special comment about the Kitchen and dining room staff. If you ever visit a facility ask to see the kitchen. Are they cooking or unpacking pre-packaged meal? Eating is a big deal for these residence and the food is excellent. We has a holiday brunch there recently and both the executive chief and director were running around greeting people and making sure everything was ok. Several of the dinning room staff came by to say hi. There was piles of fresh made-on-the-premise food and desserts. All of high quality and very tasty. I'm sorry some people have bad experiences with elder care facilities. Care for a loved one is very stressful. Reading these bad reviews you would think this is a 4 resident hole in East Oakland. Believe me it's not. read more

I looked at Atria Montego Heights in the Memory Care section of this facility. They were adding a new wing which seemed very nice. However, after talking to them it seemed that they were only interested in taking people who were either drugged into calmness or wouldn't give them any agitation problems. That seemed strange to me since agitation often goes along with dementia and the staff should be properly trained to deal with it. Therefore, I would not recommend this facility as a place for dementia patients. read more

I have been living at Atria Walnut Creek since October 2012. I notice daily improvements since a seismic retrofit was started some 2 years ago. I moved here with my late wife that needed more help that I was able to provide. She died as a result of falling from her wheelchair with fractures and internal bleeding. The helpers were very compassionate and well trained immediately called Paramedics. The selection of the Staff is quite effective and they are all dedicated loving and alert to all residents needs. Residents are provided with a Bus to handle personal needs of transportation for shopping, medical appointments and entertainment outings to local shows and restaurants. . . read more

The things I like are my apts large balcony, however they neglected to put in any insulation in the flooring or ceiling so if you are not on the top floor, pray you have a quiet upstairs neighbor There is little space for recreation,a small dark library , the activity room is small and a cold theatre. The food has been terrible , has started to improve since the chief was fired. Although the building has undergone remodeling, the heating system is like third world.. I have to open the patio door when my room gets too warm...residents have been without hot water.. Seems like something is always breaking .Then just got a rent increase.....mine was 10.5% some 10.9 % some 11%.....Normally your rent increases the same percentage for all residents while your apt rent may vary, ..When checking other Assisted/Independent living facilities in the area most where getting a 4 1/2 % increase. Since I am independent living I cannot comment on the care giving aspect. However all the staff is T very nice. ALL I CAN SAY IS LOOK ELSEWHERE... THIS IS A 2 STAR HOTEL WITH 5 STAR PRICES......... read more

I looked at a few different places before deciding on Atria Montego Heights. It helped that the chef was BBQing on the grill on the patio when I came; it was a beautiful day & the food was good. I decided to move in right away because the staff was very helpful and friendly, but my family insisted they come the next day to check out the place. They too, thought Atria Montego was a great place. The location is good because it's very close to the county bus service and within walking distance to doctors, labs, dentists, John Muir hospital and a pharmacy. Ever since I moved in I've been on the go-I take advantage of all the outings and trips since I'm still able to walk around. I like the food here; I order a triple order of the shrimp because it's so good. I've gained 15 pounds since I've been here. My daughter asked her son where he wanted to go to eat and he picked here! Although I don't need much help from the care staff, they've helped me when I've needed it. You can be what you want to be here. I'm now on the resident council and I'm the librarian. I've made so many great friends here. It sometimes takes me awhile to get from one place to another because so many people stop and talk along the way. There are plenty of opportunities for physical activity, exercise, sports classes, even chair exercises. Being a veteran, I like the special Veterans Room. read more