I went to Chapparal House after a back surgery and having Guillane Barre syndrome. I couldn't walk when I got there. I strongly recommend this place. The nursing staff comes quickly when you call them. They are very attentive. The physical therapists worked very hard with me and after a month I left there walking on my own. The social services there are also very good. The kitchen serves a very varied menu and the food is tasty. There is some amazing artwork on the walls. And there are wonderful grounds and gardens. I heartily give Chapparal House five stars. read more

I'm living there now and mostly it's fine. Today I knew I was laying on something that gave me extreme pain . One aide tried to lift me off the folded blanket and it still hurt . He responded to my yelling . And he's a sweetie . That's all I have to say now . read more

Please know how deceptive and dangerous this place is. I found my father curled in the fetal position, in the rain, lying in the parking lot. I had to go to the state department to get door alarms for his safety, and that of all residents. read more

chaparral is a very very good rehab hospital. The staff is wonderful caring and compassionate. I am a caregiver and I take care of a woman that was there for a month and they treated her like she was a queen. She is at home now thriving and a big thank you to the doctors nurses CNAs and office staff . i would recommend this hospital to family my friends and associates. the ground are kept well the people are kind and they have animals to come visit the patients it cheers them up read more

I can't say enough good things about the staff. They care about their residents and the residents' families and they all go above and beyond the call of duty. My father-in-law's final days and passing were handled with care, compassion, and sensitivity. Side note: The facilities and grounds are beautiful, clean, and obviously well-run. read more

I wish I could give this place 10 stars. We brought my dad there a year ago. He was in pretty bad shape with congestive heart failure and when we got him out of the hospital Chaparral House was highly recommended. The staff was very friendly, warm and attentive. They had classes and a lot of socializing for the residents. The place seemed great. Unfortunately, like I said, my dad was in bad shape and it was his time to go. After a few days he went into hospice care there and again the staff was really kind, helpful and supportive. They really had hearts and you could tell, cared about the residents. When my dad passed and they removed his body, the staff asked if they could line up and sing amazing grace as his body was wheeled away. They said they offer this for all their residents who pass no matter how long they were there. This still chokes me up that they did this. It was such a beautiful gesture in my families hardest time. How many places do something like that? I will never forget Chaparral House and they will always be in my heart. read more

Chaparral House is a rare find. My 89-year-old father suffered a fall at his fancy Assisted Living facility, ended up in the hospital, and then needed to go to a Skilled Nursing Facility to finish his recovery. We found Chaparral House on a friend's recommendation and I'm so glad we did. They are truly in 'the business' of eldercare for the right reasons: THEY CARE! Technically, they are a non-profit, so they're not really in the business, but I digress. The team there went out of their way to give him the best possible experience. The administrators are available, the activities staff is delightful, and the on-staff nursing team and supervising physician are excellent. They are kind, compassionate, and believe in human dignity for all. read more

Most nursing homes are owned by private equity, but Chaparral House, a nonprofit, is an exception and a gem. My 98 year-old mother was here for 10 months before passing away. The staff including nursing, administration, activities, maintenance, laundry, dining are all kind, caring and competent. My mother and I considered it her home. She had a sunny room with a bird feeder outside her window. The spacious grounds are beautifully landscaped. It was a pleasure to take her outside and stroll in the gardens during our visits. I can honestly say I will miss seeing all the wonderful people I met while she was there. read more

It took a lot of miracles on the road to recovery after my partner coded due to poor aftercare following heart surgery. Chaparral House was the big one. After the big "mistake" at the hospital, my partner went into respiratory and heart failure, was on an ECMO machine for two weeks, was in the ICU for 6 weeks and critical care for two more. It was a stressful and unpleasant stay - the staff knew what happened was wrong. After all that time, he was given three days to find a skilled nursing facility for short-term rehab and I spent that time calling SNF's all over the Bay Area. No one would take my guy as he was still on a wound vac and a nasal feeding tube. I called almost all of them on the Medicare.gov site, where the star ratings mean very little. I was running out of time and in a panic. Then P.A., the director of Chaparral House, called me back. And that's when the miracle started. He worked over the weekend to get Dave admitted. And we landed in a place of love and caring. What a difference from where we had been. The staff there is the best, professionally and personally. Dave had lost almost all muscle mass and 40 pounds due to immobilization in the ICU. At Chaparral House, their physical therapist, Jen (she is the best!), had my guy walking down the hall with a walker within three weeks. The social worker and therapists made certain he met the goals he needed to meet to get into Alta Bates Acute Rehab right at the moment he was ready. Which gets me to the staff at Chaparral House. Unbelievably kind and so very professional. Lots of good meal options. Dave was a hard case and there was no room at the inn for him at any other facility. But, then, Chaparral House isn't just any facility. It is the best short-term rehab facility in the Bay Area. And don't take my word for it. The director of California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform let me know it was the best place that Dave could be for the short-term physical, occupational and speech therapy he needed. 30 days of the best care, for Dave, and towards me, his partner. And BTW, Dave is doing great. Still doing cardio rehab and some physical therapy, but he is almost there! Can't thank you enough, Chaparral House. read more

You wouldn't expect such a lush green place between Sacramento Street and San Pablo Ave - but there it is, almost unreal, a pretty, modern, lively site that takes care of older people for whom this haven has become home. Although relatively small, the inside has wide hallways, and the main area, where the nurses sit - the hub of life - is especially generous. A very thoughtful extra: the desks, where the nurses are sitting and working and answering the residents' questions are low so that you, in a wheelchair, come face to face with them. A unique and very good idea! While this is a non-profit home, it is not cheap, their daily rate is among the highest in Berkeley and Oakland. Another thing to keep in mind: In order to be accepted, you need to bring a lot of money up-front. Not that you have to "buy yourself in", but if you are privately paying (and show that you can do just that for a couple of years at least) you will move to the head of the line for a space. If you only come with your Medi-Cal card, you'll probably won't make it in - although it's not impossible. read more

I was at Chapparal House for two months recovering from an arduous two month hospitalization with pancreatitis. I give it ten stars! I visited 7 nursing homes in my quest, years ago, for my mom & left each one in tears. Chappal is in an excellence class all it's own. The entire staff is amazingly compassionate, caring, proactive & interactive to both residents & each other. The food is tailored to your needs and tasty. The physical & occupational therapists are attentive & effective. Rooms & hallways are cleaned & mopped daily; there is never an odor. It is set in the middle of a 3.5 acre park with garden views from every window. If I ever have the need again I will happily go back. read more

It has taken me awhile to write this review after loosing my Mother on October 13th. Even as i start this review, I am finding it difficult to write. My mother spent her final days on this earth at Chaparral House and overall the experience was truly wonderful. I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to the entire staff of Chaparral House. The team from the Director of Admissions P.A. Cooley, to the Nursing and rehab team, the Kitchen Crew, namely Stephon, and the residents are truly amazing and caring people. Everyone I came into contact there was professional, kind and welcoming. The facility is clean and well ran. If you or anyone you know needs a skilled nursing facility for an aging parent, this is the place. Bless you all and the work that you do.... Sincerely, Shelby Dantzler read more

I won't say this place felt like home but almost. It was a great place to be when recovering from surgery. Particularly outstanding is Adrienne, the chef who really went all out to meet each patient's dietary needs. She's also a great cook, with very innovative dishes. The PT and OT services were also great. The setting is in a wonderful garden with trees, grass, lots of wild creatures and flowers. Tim is also a great coordinator of activities along with his allies who kept a number of special events flowing. Tim also presides over a number of library materials in the building and can help find information patients or staff might seek from outside. The drum group was something I didn't expect. So was the showing of Wavy Gravy's video. In addition, they have musical groups, sports' playoff nights, documentary films, ice cream socials and barbecues for special days. The herb garden outside maintained by volunteers was a special treat. Nursing staff are dedicated and more present than any in our local hospitals. Students also train there too. I was only there for about three weeks, but there were more than enough things to do while I was there. Visitors are welcome and treated with respect as are patients. Friends and family are welcomed to join patients for meals, TV nights, special events etc. Perhaps my only distress while there was that there was one patient who was not respectful of his nurses and demanded a lot of patience from them. However, Chaparral has a policy of not over-medicating patients to control them, something I totally agree with. Compared to nursing homes where I've visited and hospitals I've stayed in, this place was a delight. I've never been in a rehab house before, but I'd totally recommend this place (and did while out walking one day) to anyone who me asked about it. Several of my visitors expressed a wish that they could stay there! My only advice is bring a cell-phone since rooms do not have phones. But please note that every room has windows with a view outside to the trees, animals and gardens that surround the building. read more

After my husband left Chaparral House in middle of 2015 for a year I intended to write a review of the place without compromising my privacy but after many months I forgot about it. I don't want to undermine other people who might have had bad experiences because I understand how helpless you feel in these situation. But our experience there was positive and the staff were very kind and understanding. I can see in retrospect how awkward it must be for them to tend to patients with over protective family members (like myself) hovering around. Chaparral House people were kind enough to let me stay with my husband and they let me eat healthy and well prepared food from their canteen for very little. I want to thank Lo and Chris at the therapy department for being specially understanding and kind. I don't remember most names now but thank you. So in short if you want to leave your family member there for good it is a very good place. But if you want thorough physical therapy to get them out of there as soon as you can then may be you can look at another place where they are more focused on those things. Also they have physical therapy only five days a week. read more

I am a private fiduciary who moved one of my clients to Chaparral House in June 2017. He died recently from a very difficult and long disease. The care at Chaparral House was top notch. The place does its best not feel "institutional" and to feel homelike. Especially to be commended was one of the activities people, Tim, who spent countless hours providing individual enrichment and companionship to him, and made sure that friends and relatives across the country were able to make facetime calls and keep in touch. Tim is a real treasure! HIghly recommended! read more

I am a counselor at Sprouts Cooking Club and Chaparral House kindly allows us to use their outdoor kitchen as a venue to host our camps for kids ages 7-12. Chaparral is a beautiful place that is clean and well-cared for. Erika, the Activities Director, is a great help to our camp and is a wonderful communicator. The kids love exploring the gardens and lounging under the trees whenever we have a break. The kitchen is equipped with a grill, pizza oven, and a large amount of counter space which is perfect for our camps. Thank you to all the staff at the Chaparral House! You are all so kind, generous, and accommodating. read more

My father in law has resided at Chaparral House for two years. We discovered Chaparral when he needed to recover from a couple of medical emergencies when he resided in a Assisted Living home. Chaparral was a easy choice when we realized assisted living was not enough care for his needs. Chaparral is unique and has a home-like feel to it. Most of the staff have worked here for years and take care of patients with all levels of need. The staff are truly caring people and I have never once worried about his medical care. If your family member loves music. Chaparral is the place to be. At a minimum live performances are offered by various artists who provide wonderful musical interludes. The food is good and varied offering fresh foods planned for the patient's needs. Besides Friday Seders and Sunday services, spiritual support is provided daily. If I live as long as the patients I see at Chaparral, this is the place I would want to find myself. read more

Investigations are proceeding,: CA Dept of Health, and Board of Vocational Nursing. Please read my primary review that this follows up for details of major problems and horrendous medication mistakes. Those of you reading other reviews please note the difference between weak reviews supported by comments based on very limited experience and what you are reading now: Me and my Sister spent so many hours advocating for my Mom here we should have been paid by the Dept of Health. One will never know what goes on in the deep hours unless they stick it out and fight for their parent, or grandparent like we did, (if you have to, or are otherwise lucky enough that he or she is very low maintenance and can speak for themselves). Unfortunately, but like many of those we observed at Chaparral, our Mom was more or less helpless and at the mercy of whomever was the caretaker of the moment, most of whom were wonderful, (Vern, Ogen, Norbu, Tsering, and CNA's Mary, Nordu, and others) but with a nurse like the aptly named (Bad) Karma, breaking time release capsules, nearly choking the patient by laying her flat immediately after giving meds with food, and playing the role of Doctor by making his own decisions on NOT giving the crucial heart medicine Cardizem that went against instructions, no one is safe. The sad part is we thought this would be the place where we would NOT have to work so hard to get things right. Before we plunked down our 12K for the first month this is what we were led to believe. Probably worse is the fact that so much happens under the radar here that is missed by the average family member who drops their Mom or Dad off and expects everything to be taken care of. You want to believe this is a cut above the sad places where Grandma slumps in her wheelchair at the nursing station in her drool or waste on the weekend because of low staffing levels. Guess what; this IS that place for 3 times the cost, and NOT covered by insurance, unless your lucky enough to qualify for Med-I-Cal. (But you'd be unlucky here). We noticed that the large majority of patients at Chaparral did not have anywhere near the level of advocacy as we for our Mom, in fact we saw few visitors. That leaves a lot to go unnoticed. For every mistake made with our Mom during her stay, we could only imagine how many mistakes were and are made with others. The fact that they have a better choice of activities and volunteers (but only on weekdays) than the typical nursing home does not make up for the mistakes and bad communication. For God-sakes, it took a month for them to fix the medication list so that nurses could read it properly. It took a month for diet preferences to be fixed. We were NOT ever told there was a weekly menu that we could pick from or add to. I found out ACCIDENTALLY...."Hey what's this ?" On my Mom's first day there, they could not even use the meds we got from the pharmacy as we'd arranged and set up with them so they had to order meds they did not have in stock, some of which did not come in that day ! On my Mom's first night the on call nurse forgot to give her the sleep meds and she was a wreck the next day. They could not ever get the proper heart medicine on order and had to give a substitute. They finally realized their mistake and fixed the problem but not til mid week. To note: we loved MOST of the nurses and CNA's. But unfortunately, with poor management (KJ and Sue), seeing now many emails it took to get any changes and needs communicated, and with just ONE terribly careless nurse, the safety and health of patients can be greatly compromised. We were also disappointed with the therapists; Deanne the director had a very poor rapport with the PT, ST,and OT, all of who were limited in there skills and effort. After a month and a half, there was barely a clear plan. The terrible nurse, ironically named Kamra, who's should have his license stripped, is still on the job there, for now, pending investigation as noted. At worst my final hope is that he, and management will be scared into doing things correctly, carefully, better, clearer. Ultimately a nursing home is only as good as its weakest link. 10- 15 amazing nurses and CNA's cannot make up for the one who is putting lives in jeopardy. read more

Non profit skilled nursing center with many activities for their residents. The numerous volunteers, staff, nurses that do an excellent job in maintaining the comfort of the residents. The facility itself is very Berkeley, diverse in colors, bright, friendly, with mini gardens, piano, and activity rooms. Definitely a rewarding place to volunteer. read more

Yet another special "only in Berkeley" place. My mom spent her last four years here. I always referred to it as being like a summer camp for fragile elders. Although a 5 star rated Skilled Nursing Facility, you won't find tedious institutional paint nor the odor of antiseptic wafting about. The grounds are lovely. Great programs, reliable care services and an extraordinary area from which to draw its eclectic band of volunteers combine with a caring staff to make the best possible environment for our family members who are no longer safe in their own homes. If you are making these difficult choices with/for someone in your life, do take the time to 'vette what's available at Chaparral House! read more

Overpriced. I believe they are understaffed. The nurses or cnas do not spend quality time with residents, instead they just hand out meds and document numbers all day. What happened to the warmth in nursing, have we fallen so far? Luckily they have an activity department, but even then, your loved will most likely end up lying in bed all day. read more

I am a private professional care manager, and as such, I have a lot of occasions to be exposed to many skilled nursing facilities throughout the Bay Area as I care for frail elderly clients. As a non-profit facility, Chaparral House is known in my professional circles as one of the few places that consistently delivers holistically excellent care for their patients. They are so much in demand that quite often they are full and have a waiting list to get in. What makes them so "in demand?" From my perspective, it begins with their high staff to patient ratio that ensures that all patients receive timely and thorough attention to their medical, emotional and spiritual needs. Besides Chaparral House's top notch medical and caregiving staff, they have a whole activities department that provides a myriad of enjoyable activities to meet patient's individual interests and desires. In my visits, I have regularly stumbled upon live musical performances, therapy animals, lively exercise classes and celebrations. I also appreciate that they are physically situated in a quiet culda sac in Berkeley and offer spacious rooms and gardens surrounding the building, which allow residents, staff and visitors to ease their stress. As I stated, the Chaparral House has always been excellent but it was during the COVID-19 epidemic that my esteem for them soared even higher, as I got a window into their commitment to serving and caring. To start, they provided regular and specific communication with family members and professionals who have loved ones in their facility. This was critical as we all felt so much understandable fear about how the frail elderly would be kept safe in our country's facilities, given the lethality of COVID-19, the close proximately of people, the shortage of PPE and the overload at hospitals. They continue to provide weekly updates on how many staff and residents have tested positive to COVID-19 (which has been none), their robust staffing levels, and multiple ways that family and friends could connect with loved ones. While many other care facility's lagged, the Chaparral House administrators were adroit in their initiatives to procure necessary PPE, food and other supplies (that were short market supply). They immediately took measures to protect their staff which included raising their pay and supporting them with appropriate PPE and regular trainings. In my opinion, the Chaparral House should really be studied as a national model of how a facility should care for patients, staff and their community during a pandemic or under emergency conditions. We are fortunate to have such a gem in our community! read more

My mom spent the last month of her life in Chaparral house. She went for rehabilitation after a hospitalization. She received excellent care from the professional and loving staff. My brother and I also received excellent 'care'. We always felt at home there [we spent an enormous amount of time there]. From the nurses to the physical and occupational therapists to the kitchen staff to the maintenance staff, we found excellent, caring people who cared about the residents. Our concerns were listened to and responded to. Even though our mom has passed, we are still invited to stop by and say 'hello'. I can't think of a better place for elders in need of care or rehabilitation in the Berkeley/Oakland area. We always knew our mom would be treated with care and respect. Us too! I highly recommend Chaparral House! read more

My Mom is at Chaparral House now, for rehab, following a fall and general decline in her condition. Our family is very impressed and grateful to the wonderful staff at CH for their warm and professional care. From the first day, they have paid attention to what may seem the smallest details of my Mom's comfort and well-being, but that make the most essential difference in her recovery. They treat the residents with respect and dignity and tailor their care to the individual's needs and preferences. The dietitian, Adrienne, has done a superb job, sitting down with us and creating an appealing menu, different each week, for my Mom who needs low-sodium. The meals are something to look forward to because they are varied and appetizing and nicely presented. The therapy staff go above and beyond the call of duty to cheer her on and provide safe and professional therapy of all kinds. They have good communication so the continuity of care is seamless. The same is true of the nursing staff who are diligent in carrying out medical orders, administering medication, wound care, and anything else required. They do everything to make her comfortable using creative solutions, pillows, and upbeat attitude. The management team has been helpful from minus Day One, smoothing the admissions process, being available, and offering helpful suggestions. Leavel in Social Services led a Care Conference that included all family members as well as Mom and caregivers and we evaluated everything she is experiencing. Open and transparent and compassionate. Erika, Tim, and staff provide the most interesting and engaging activities schedule I have ever seen, as well as tending to spiritual needs. We are Jewish, and there is a lovely Shabbat observance on Friday evenings. The garden areas are paradise and add greatly to the healing and nurturing atmosphere. How uplifting it is to go outside and see so many plants in bloom and the many birds visiting the bird feeders that hang off trees in front of most rooms windows which provide a cheering view. Organic veggies from the health garden are included in the menu! Thank you, Chaparral House for being the second home our Mom needs right now. Highly recommended! read more

My mother stayed at Chaparral House for 8 weeks for rehab following a 2 week hospital stay where she was treated for a severe leg infection and septic shock. We had shopped around a few skilled nursing facilities in the area that had gotten good reviews but were disheartened by the general depressing atmosphere of those facilities and were thrilled when we found this one. When she arrived at Chaparral House she was completey non ambulatory and had to be taken in and out of bed with a Hoyer lift, but after 8 weeks of working with the fantastic PT and OT staff she was able to walk out of there with her walker last week. While she was there my sister and I visited every day for several hours at a time, and saw operations in the mornings, afternoons, and evenings on both weekdays and weekends. I can't say enough good things about the staff here, just that I was impressed at every level - from admissions to nursing assistants to therapists to activities staff and even laundry and custodial, everyone was incredibly helpful and empathetic and made her stay here very comfortable and effective. Therapists Linda and Corrine were absolutely fantastic as was director Deanna who was very involved in my mom's care plan every step of the way. The only thing that would have pleased me more with her therapy was if it could have been on a somewhat more regular schedule, but my understanding is that they didn't have enough residents requiring therapy at the time my mother was there so the therapy staff were all part time and had to be at other facilities at fluctuating times. The consistency did improve in her last few weeks though and she could generally count on seeing her therapists each weekday before noon. The nursing staff were also great, tolerating my constant pestering questions about all her medications, changes in dosage, requests to switch pain meds until we finally found the perfect one that worked quickly and effectively without making her too groggy for therapy, etc. The largest complaints that we had were a couple of incidents where she had to wait upwards of an hour for someone to change an overflowing diaper so she could continue with her physical therapy session. It only happened a couple of times over an 8-week stay and when we voiced our complaints they were addressed immediately and it never happened again, so my review stands at 5 stars. Aside from the fabulous staff, Chaparral House also has a lovely organic vegetable and herb garden which is used to supplement resident meals and very large, beautifully maintained grounds that we walked around every day and ate lunch in many times. Pretty much every day the activities team had something engaging scheduled such as live music, little outings to nearby venues, book readings and crafts or games in the main activity room. My mother rarely participated in these until the very end of her stay because she focused most of her energy on therapy and then preferred to relax in her room the rest of the time, but I was impressed enough that I thought it needed a mention here. Overall I'm extremely satisfied with our experience at Chaparral House and would recommend it to anyone looking for a skilled nursing facility in the area. read more

My 102 year old mother was fairing well until an infection forced her into Alta Bates hospital. Upon her discharge, she was no longer able to care for herself and I chose to place her in a skilled nursing facility and following visits to several in the Berkeley - Oakland area, I chose Chaparral House and never regretted my decision. My mother's case was unusual in that both her mental and physical health declined quite quickly making her bed ridden and delusional. In spite of her condition, the staff was wonderfully helpful and patient and (up until the Coronavirus pandemic) allowed me to see her charts for medication and food intake. All my questions were answered and when I would ask for something out of the ordinary, staff members were always accommodating. My mother passed away in her sleep, but before that happened, I was able to sleep at night confident in the thought that she was being well cared for and that she was safe. read more

Review from my father-in-law who does not have yelp: "Following a total knee replacement surgery on my right knee, I spent 20 days at Chaparrel House. Most outstanding were the physical therapist and the occupational therapist. The food was well prepared and quite good. The nurses were very attentive and provided excellent care." read more

I recently helped out at their Christmas party: Reading appropriate stories to the assembled attendees. The care and attention the staff gave these wonderful folks was touching. Although I was an outsider I felt a warm and welcoming embrace as I worked with the staff to put on the event. Erika, the events planner, was especially helpful, serving as an interim emcee. read more

My aunt spent the last 6 months of her life at Chaparral House. She could be a very difficult person to care for, yet she was treated, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, in the kindest, most caring manner imaginable by every single member of the staff, no matter what their job. Though CH is very expensive for the private resident, it is a very fine, non-profit institution with thoughtful programming and an excellent nutritional staff. Those who can pay privately help subsidize those whose care is (insufficiently) provided by Medicare and MediCal. But all services and amenities are available to everyone, and it's entirely up to the resident how much or how little s/he wishes to partake of it all. I also have friends who perform at CH in some of their programs and they love the reception they get there. In fact, I have never heard a bad review at all! Thank you, Chaparral House, for being so good to Aunt Connie. Carla Petievich read more

A very good friend of mine was a resident of Chaparral House this past year. He received wonderful care and loved the people who care for him. While he was there I took him on outings and the staff helped me make this possible. When returning after the outing, my friend came to refer to CH as home. My family and I are grateful to Chaparral House and the staff who made his last few months a very warm, comfortable and friendly place to live. read more

My father has been at Chaparral House for a month's stay to continue rehab from a fall. The loving and professional care at Chaparral has made me change my mind about skilled nursing facilities. I used to think of nursing homes as pissy smelling places of despair, but after this experience at Chaparral I now know that they can be just the opposite! Chaparral House, embodied by P.A. the administrator, the nursing, dietary, and rehab staff, the energetic volunteers and the resident kitties are all like a loving extended family in a great big home with (41 at capacity) grandparents to dote on. There is even a lovely organic garden outside. The best compliment I can pay Chaparral is that if I am in need of a skilled nursing facility later on in life, and if Chaparral is still run the way it is today- SIGN ME UP!! read more

A decade ago, my mother became a volunteer Trustee for an elderly Russian woman who had neither family nor friends to look after her. When her ward, now in her 90's, became bedridden suffering from dementia, and could no longer be cared for in her own home, she had the great good fortune of having Chaparral House recommended to her for on-going care. My mother cannot speak highly enough of Chaparral House which offers rehab care, end-of-life care, physical therapy, in a lovely atmosphere of comfort, high staff-to-patient ratio, high presence of volunteer help and volunteer entertainment. It is quiet, light, and immaculate, with pleasant gardens, good food tailored to each patient. It is a non-profit institution and the best my mother has ever encountered on either coast of the USA. read more

A dear friend came to Chaparral House after a bad fall. The team there was warm, professional and extremely helpful. They all seem to have an extra degree of patience for their guests and a tender way of communicating. I can't say enough great things about the staff! Thank you! read more

I have visited many skilled nursing facilities in the Bay Area, and Chaprral House is right at the top of the list. Caring staff, many wonderful volunteers, nice grounds, the whole package. read more

Our 83 yr. old mother just spent almost 3 months at Chaparral House following a car accident. The overwhelming benefit of this establishment is the staff. Every last one of them is incredibly kind, loving, and patient with the clients. i visited 6 days/week and observed gentle and tender treatment of people who couldn't care for themselves. Their competent nursing staff alerted our doctor when things didn't look right. they have daily activities available for entertainment. We are grateful for the care they gave our mother. read more

We moved my father here after much research and with high hopes. We chose the Chaparral House because it was independently owned and we were attracted to its promises of a stimulating environment and a staff and set of interns and volunteers who would keep up my father's spirits and treat him with respect. We also chose this place because we thought my father would be safe and physically well cared for--he had advanced Parkinson's and was prone to falling. The Chaparral House came through in terms of safety and, with some prodding, making sure he was clean and well-kept, but in terms of his emotional health it was a complete failure. Promises of interns or volunteers who would engage him in his sets of interests (art, music, languages) never materialized--he spent most of his time in bed, or was parked in a common space. The nursing staff did not seem to communicate with one another and no one seemed to be coordinating his care, and whenever I called to see how he was doing, I was made to feel like a bother and I know he felt this way too--the frequent checks made of him that kept him safe were always perfunctory. In scheduled phone conferences to discuss his care (including the introductory conference that they delayed for months), the staff was often late and then cut me and my siblings off early. My father took a while with his speech and no one seemed to have the patience or desire to try and talk with him and he became profoundly depressed. The food was sub-par (scandalously so given the expense of the place) and reflected the general lack of care. Granted, my father was not easy at this point in his life, but I also know that this was in part because he felt uncared for by the staff--at the prior assisted living place which could no longer meet his physical needs, the staff was loving and patient and he had good relations with them that brought him pleasure and lifted his spirits. read more

My husband an 81 year old long term stroke survivor came to Chaparral for rehab for 7 weeks. Non ambulatory but mentally alert, he had lost use of his muscles and standing ability in his previous assisted living facility. The Chaparral occupational and physical therapists brought him back to use of muscles and transfer abilities so that he was able to achieve standing weight bearing. The nursing staff carefully treated and healed an open wound. The staff was extremely helpful to me while I searched for a new assisted living placement., I observed that the skilled nursing, frail residents including dementia patients are treated with loving respect and dignity. Chaparral House is well staffed with a wonderful core of visiting volunteers that provide art, music and stimulating conversations. I believe that the staff saved my husband from facing physical deterioration and me from ongoing emotional stress while I searched for a new, wonderful assisted living facility that he has now moved to. Highly recommended. read more