Absolutely highly recommend Rachel, Johnell and David!! They took the time to understand our senior care needs, and with their knowledge of the senior community and availability of homes, scheduled tours to help us look at the options. The place they found for my aunts at Pacific Care is amazing -- both surroundings and the caring staff-- and they took the time to make other recommendations to us as well. We were able to find a new home for my aunts within a two week period. I can't thank them enough or recommend them more highly. read more

During a very difficult time, Mona was able to provide a high level of service to find last minute senior placement for my aunt and uncle. Because of my uncle's frail condition she searched and found availability when we thought we had no other options. Her expertise, gentle manner, and compassion made the move possible. I appreciate all of her support and warmth. read more

Mona has been awesome! When my dad first moved here 3 years ago, she really helped me find a place that we could afford and wasn't a pit! Had a nice ambiance, good range of activities and would be able to increase level of care for him. Recently the place he is in wanted to raise his rates and I again called Mona. She again quickly and compassionately helped me look at places that fit the bill. Super kind and very knowledgeable. Kept me from going around and around in circles. read more

Rachel is the best. She came up with some great options for my mom, was super kind and responsive, and didn't charge me a dime. If you are seeking options for senior care, you would do well to give her a call. read more

Mona is a caring, knowledgeable and supportive resource and angel! We (my siblings & I) have been looking for memory care facilities for my Mom for the last 2 years. The task was emotional and overwhelming for us because we wanted to find the best place for our Mom, but had no way of knowing the good from the bad. When it became clear that my Dad could no longer manage her care at home, it become more urgent for my Mom to be placed. I called Mona, and we found a facility within one week! A friend referred me to Mona, and when I called her, she called me back the next day with referrals to 4 facilities! She and her husband accompanied my father and I to visit several facilities and was very helpful in explaining the regulations governing care facilities, as well as sharing her own personal knowledge of the facilities. She listened carefully to our needs and respected our opinions. When we selected a facility and moved our Mom in, Mona called me the next day to make sure everything was satisfactory! My Mom has now been in the memory care home for 3 weeks, and it is very comforting to know that she is in a caring and therapeutic community. We could not have made an informed decision without Mona! Her expertise and personal knowledge of the care facilities helped us choose a facility that best met our Mom and our Dad's needs. I believe Mona takes a personal interest in the well being of all her clients. read more

I could not ask for a more caring and understanding angel. I have not placed my sister yet but she began working with the family immediately and keeps in contact daily. She is indeed a blessing. read more

Mona was great with getting my dad into a assisted living facility. She was very hands on and involved. She made the process painless and very easy for my family. I STRONGLY recommend her to anyone that's trying to find a place for their loved ones. Keenan read more

I can't say enough about how wonderful Rachel was during my parent's transition to assisted living. What started as an investigation for the future turned into an emergency where Dad needed to be placed within a day. Rachel responded with grace, helped us equip the room, managed the process, and set our expectations for the days and weeks to come. We would have been lost without her and the transition would have been so much harder. read more

The minute I talked to Rachel I felt my prayers had been answered. I had to quickly move my mom from Houston to the Bay Area due to her home flooding. I had days to find a suitable place for her near me in Alamo. Within one day Rachel had sent me a comprehensive list of assisted/independent living communities that she thought would be a good match for my mom based on the information I had quickly given her. She had done all the legwork for me...the pros/cons, price, availability. The next day Rachel took us to look at 3 communities and we chose the one we thought would be best. Rachel was wonderful to work with. She was very kind, compassionate and responsive. Everyone we met at each of the 3 communities we visited said they really liked working with Rachel. She's the kind of person you can't help but like. I had no idea that a service such as this even existed. I've told all my friends about her. Rachel, I can't thank you enough for the help you gave us!!! read more

My brother had open heart surgery to replace a aortic valve at Kasier Hospital in San Francisco. When he was in the Intensive Care Unit only for the second day, a social worker was already at his bedside asking where he was going to go when he was released from the hospital. He was still woozy from anesthesia and he had tubes in him for drainage. I was appalled by this situation. I contacted the social worker at Kaiser and told her how I felt about their insensitive approach towards patients like my brother. The social worker realized I did not want to continue dealing with her and put me in contact with Rachel from ESP. What a Blessing!! Rachel was such a pleasure to work with through all the ups and downs we encountered trying to find a place he could stay for two weeks to help assist him gain his strength and independence back. Rachel was compassionate, understanding and was always reassuring me we would find a place that my brother could afford and be comfortable with. I can't say "Thank You" enough to Rachel. She helped me through a hard situation I had never handled before. I will never forget the kindness and comfort she provided me during this difficult time. Thanks again Rachel, and all the work you and your husband do for seniors. You truly make a difference in their lives. read more

I worked with David when trying to find a new community for my Grandfather. Incredibly helpful, responsive, compassionate, knowledgeable, and speedy. This process can overwhelmingly difficult, it was so wonderful to feel like I had a great advocate on my side. Thanks again David. read more

I am very grateful for David's help and particularly grateful for the speed in which he addressed a close friend's situation. David has excellent communication, a genuine willingness to find an appropriate safe place for the senior and the organizational skills to follow through. I was impressed with his ability to set up next day weekend appointments at four facilities. He helped my friend tour the facilities and assisted her in asking the right questions. He stayed on budget and truly listened to the needs of the senior seeking a placement. David helped my friend place her husband in an board and care home faster than I have ever seen it happen. read more

Mona is simply the best! She helped my husband and me find a wonderful board and care home for his mother, and then, after his strokes, a similar placement for him. She is so caring and so knowledgeable. She will tell you which places to AVOID and which are the best. Mona knows them all from many years of working in the field, and she is tireless to help you. I have a stack of Mona's cards and give them out when someone tells me that they need help with finding care. She will give you care and support too! read more

Mona is absolutely wonderful. She helped our family place our Mother in an assisted living facility several years ago and has helped us again recently to place our Mom in another facility as our Mom's Alzheimer's has progressed. She takes the time to understand what the family is looking for and also takes the time to meet with the person to assess their needs. She has been extremely caring and patient as our family has been coping with an aging parent that requires special care. I have recommended Mona to several close friends and would recommend to her anyone needing assistance in finding the right place for a parent, spouse or friend that needs special attention. Thanks Mona! read more

Mona Lalchandani of Exceptional Senior Placement helped me twice in placing my mother into assisted living facilities. I cannot say enough of how compassionate, thoughtful, and resourceful Mona was both times. A few years ago, she helped me to find a senior living facility when I had to move my mother in a matter of only two weeks because the current facility abruptly informed me that they could not care for her. It was an extremely challenging situation because this facility had asked quite a few other residents to leave immediately as well and so there was a sudden demand on other similar facilities. Mona quickly made appointments for us to tour potential residences in a matter of only a couple days. She also personally contacted the executive director of a facility who immediately offered us an apartment, which we ended up taking. Remembering how capably Mona had helped me back then, I turned to her again to place my mother who had more recently progressed to needing a higher level of care due to her dementia. Again, Mona professionally assessed my mother's mental, physical, and medical needs and quickly found facilities that matched her needs. In the end, we selected Eden Villa of Castro Valley and couldn't be happier. Mona was also instrumental in negotiating a monthly rent that been fit my mother's finances. Because Mona is very knowledgeable of the senior living facilities in the San Leandro, Castro Valley, and Dublin areas (and likely beyond, we were focusing only in these areas), working with her took a lot of the stress off of me. I could rely on Mona to be professional, friendly, engaging, and empathetic. She responded quickly to emails and phone calls. Above all, though, what I most appreciated was her caring approach to helping my mother during such a challenging situation for an elderly person. I highly recommend Mona to assist you if you need to place your loved one in a senior living facility. read more

I was facing a very challenging placement situation with a friend who has a limited income. I called Exceptional Senior Placement and Mona responded right away. She had several suggestions and was able to negotiate a wonderful deal for my friend. Within 3 days, she set up an appointment and my friend will be moving into a friendly, clean, safe, affordable new home before the end of the month. I highly recommend Mona and Exceptional Senior Placement. Her knowledge of the available resources is invaluable and her compassionate, caring manner is a blessing to her clients. Thank you Mona! read more

Trying to find a placement for my elderly mother in April, I turned to Mona. She arranged for 6 facilities to tour. Normally, she only schedules three tours. After I decided and Mona concurred, I moved my mother into the most expensive. After all, Mother had specific needs of increased supervision than in regular assisted living. After Mother had lived there a week, I emailed and called staff about my concerns of their not meeting her needs. Mona said she called the facility staff and was told everything was fine. She didn't call her client, me, to ask. She said she eventually contacted the corporate office on my behalf. This period of time was very stressful for me and my mother because she wasn't transitioning as well as we had hoped. It got to the point that I considered moving Mother again and mentioned that in an email to Mona. She 'schooled' me that moving Mother again would be even more traumatic for her. That's the last I heard from Mona. She never contacted me again. I ended up moving my mother less than three months later with the assistance of a care manager, who was paid by me, not by the facility. The Executive Director of the facility lamented that Mona received 100% of the first month's rent as her commission. Other placement services receive 50%. Lesson learned and passed on to others who have this need. read more

David helped us at a very difficult time. My mother in law was "kicked out" of Saint Paul's Tower because she "outgrew" their ability to care for her. David found us a great option for her that we never even considered after she was rejected by Atria of Lafayette as well. He is diligent, caring, very professional, resourceful and knowledgeable. He called us and followed up with us several times a day. We were treated like we were his only clients. He is a joy to work with. I wish I can give 10 stars! Do not hesitate to call David. He will have options you did not know existed and the service is free to you, he is paid by the facility. read more

Not long ago I went through the process of selecting a place for my 87 year old mother to live when she suddenly lost her memory. It was a daunting process. Today I met Mona who introduced my friend to three memory care facilities she thought would be appropriate for my friend's mother. I wish I had known Mona when i could have used such help. She is a warm, wise and wondrous woman. With more than two decades in the field of senior placement, she knows all of the care facilities and she learns each client's needs so that she can recommend an appropriate selection of senior communities to select from. I am so glad to have met Mona so I can refer her to friends should the need arise. She is a tremendous resource. read more

A small, family run business that gives quality personal attention. I was fortunate to find them while dealing with a friend in SF who had suffered a trauma and could no longer live alone. She was in a skilled nursing facility and needed to transition to assisted living. Their one employee Johnell helped narrow down the vast choices in the Bay Area based on my friend's needs. She also went to every site visit with me and took notes and asked pertinent questions that I, as a novice to this field, wouldn't have considered. She advocated heavily for my friend when the skilled nursing facility began to waffle on discharging her. Without her help, I would not have landed her in a wonderful place in Marin. I had originally tried to navigate this journey on my own, with no experience. After a month on my own, I'm so glad I found them to help me. This organization knows their field inside and out. They are in constant contact with a wide variety of the types of assisted living available throughout the Bay Area. The cost? Nothing to me. They gain their "fees" from the assisted living places themselves -- much like an employment agency. They "vet" the retirement homes and the retirement homes know that the potential client has also been "vetted." A win-win situation. read more

Mona's service, caring, expertise and results deserve much, much more than 5 stars. My Father, at age 90, did not want to move out of his home and into Assisted Living. It was a really difficult time of adjustment and loss for him. I was touched by the loving way that Mona related to him and helped to make a seemingly impossible transition go smoothly, ending with my Father relocated to a wonderful new home which fits perfectly for him now. Mona was knowledgeable and effective on the business side, helping us to look at good options, ask the right questions, and ultimately create a new life setting for my Dad that really works. Combining her deep caring and compassion for people with her strong business and advocacy skills makes her an exceptional support person for elder transitions. Her business is named perfectly. read more

If I could give ten stars, I would. Mona help us place my mother in a wonderful facility that (financially speaking) would have normally been beyond her reach. As a result, my mother's last years will be such high quality. That's priceless. Mona is knowledgeable, connected, savvy, and, most importantly, the consummate professional. In a word---she's awesome! read more

Mona was truly one of the most helpful people that I met while trying to find new housing for my grandmother. She is patient and responsive and cares about all involved. Thank you Mona! read more

My stepmom had been very happy at Senior Living Facility "A" (I'm not naming names) for 22 years, but when my dad died, she no longer could live independently because of memory issues. After his death, she stayed at "A" for quite a while in their SNF, which did not offer any services aimed at memory-impaired residents despite exorbitant costs. It was difficult to imagine a change and I didn't want to do anything that would be upsetting. I also didn't want to alert "A" staff or my stepmom of what I was considering in case I decided not to do any move. Courtney was helpful from the first phone call. She came and spent an hour with my stepmom and me in "A" doing a thorough assessment in a friendly and warm manner. She had several suggestions, all of which involved a move to a facility with memory-impairment programs. She predicted that the change would NOT be emotionally or mentally difficult for my stepmom. She was also available for a couple of followup phone calls during which I expressed my anxiety about making changes. She was supportive. My stepmom has been in a different facility now for 3 months. This one has a memory unit. She is happy there, more involved in activities, distracted from grief about my dad's death, living in a very nice setting. As Courtney promised, the transition was not difficult for her and as Courtney also predicted, I find the staff to be warm, caring, patient, and positive. As a bonus, the fees are less than half of what she was paying. We received great service from this company, specifically Courtney Blair. read more

I worked with Sandra when we were looking at moving both of my parents into an assisted living facility. Sandra did a wonderful job communicating with both myself and my parents and was able to find a facility that served both my parents considerable needs. read more

I want to echo and support other Yelp reviews of Mona Lalchandani and Exceptional Senior Placement Services: with her passion, precision, and deep compassion, Mona has helped my Mother and our family tremendously. Mona has great energy and passion for her work to help families find the best services and living locations for Seniors: to our happy surprise, in her new home, Mom is much happier than she has been for the last 6 months since Dad's death. Mona is a great listener and is very specific in her referrals -- she has helped answer all our questions and make us all feel less anxious in a time of difficult decisions. She negotiates brilliantly with service and location providers and is a great advocate for Seniors and their families. The passion and precision in her work is based on a deep compassion for people and their suffering. I whole-heartedly recommend Mona Lalchandani and Exceptional Senior Placement Services: without them, I am not sure we could have managed, and I thank her with my whole heart. Alan B. read more

I was in a quandary with what to do with my 94 year old mother who has early stage dementia. The senior residence, where she lived as an independent, had been great for the past 5 years, but after a recent hospitalization, she needed more care and the facility did not have that capability. I was struggling with tons of questions and really did not have a good source of information and time was of the essence. What type of facility would be best for my Mom? What capabilities did they have? Could my Mom afford it? What level of care did she need? And most important, could I find a nurturing and caring environment and someplace both my Mom and I liked. The more I looked around and researched, the more confused I became. Exceptional Senior Placement Services to the rescue. It was like a lifeline. Mona Lalchandani was able to quickly evaluate my situation and what my Mom needed. She was compassionate and understanding and immediately made me feel things were under control - and I really needed that. After an initial telephone interview, she arranged for me to visit four facilities, keeping in mine the level of care required, the financial aspects and the timeline. She offered me helpful and well thought out suggestions. Thanks to Mona, I found an assisted living facility that works perfectly for my Mom and me. Mona's compassion and empathy are foremost to what makes this company a superior senior placement company. As an added benefit, this service is free of charge to the individuals, the cost being borne by the facilities where the individual is placed. If you are currently struggling with decisions about where to place your parent or loved one, please give Mona a call. You will not be sorry you did. Casey Landry, Castro Valley, CA read more

Mona has assisted me twice with placing my mother. Both times she found the best option available to suit our budget and unique care needs. She has a fantastic relationship with senior care providers and she is able to help negotiate and advocate on her client's behalf. I don't know what I would have done without Mona's support. Now that my mom has passed away, I can rest assured knowing that we found her the best care options to support her needs. Thank you, Mona! read more

I have recently been dealt the task of trying to figure out where my schizophrenic mother who has dementia can live & be taken care of properly...this task is daunting. I have been working with several social workers and elder care planning groups since December of 2015-it is now April and only after being put in contact with Mona do I have a solution to my problem. Let me start of by saying that I was overwhelmed with the information, rules, regulations, lists of placements, doctors etc... that I had to talk to, fill out and figure out and while working on this for months along with "seasoned professionals" nothing was accomplished, I felt more confused then when we began....enter Mona. I received a call from Mona-who was encouraged to reach out to my by my mother's social worker and I'm so glad that she did. Within 2 to 2.5 weeks she found a wonderful placement for my mother where she can be safe and have her physical & mental needs met without me running constant interference. Mona is a God send, she truly cares about the people she works with. Other agencies have left me with "well I don't know what to tell you." Whereas Mona has worked so hard to connect me with the right sort of facilities for my mother's unique needs. Thank you, thank you, thank you Mona for your hard work and perseverance. I don't know where we would be without you. read more

My brother and I went to Kerrrie Moon at Exceptional Senior Placement Services to help us find an assisted living place for my dad. He needed more care than what was available at his retirement apartment. She made all the difference. Most of the places were clean and cheerful. However, Kerrie knew the subtle differences - differences that weren't obvious. She knew which places had high staff turnover. She knew which places had lots of exits making it unsafe for someone like my dad who might wander. She knew which ones had great wellness management and which ones didn't. She knew which places gently redirected someone like my forgetful dad and which ones would be quick to pull the trigger and put him in memory care which he didn't need. In the end we chose Sunrise Senior living. My dad's only been there a few days. We'll know more as time passes. However, it is thumbs up from our family so far. The staff is kind. They interact with the residents. They remind my dad of important things like meals, and activities. The common areas are heavily used. My dad doesn't want to sit alone in his room any more. He used to do that a lot at the old place. We are very happy. Really glad we had Kerrie to help make the right choice. read more

I am so grateful that I found Mona at Exceptional Senior Placement Services. She single-handedly helped us research, identify and move into a senior residence that is a great fit for my mother on a very short time-frame. My mother experienced an unexpected health crisis that indicated she needed more support than she could get living home alone. I had no knowledge of local senior housing/assistance options and had my hands more than full with being out of town to care for my mom and taking care of a newborn. From the first phone call I had with Mona, I could tell I was in excellent hands. She was responsive, proactive, resourceful and extremely knowledgable of senior housing facilities (and their staff, services, pricing, etc.) in the East Bay. She quickly understood my mother's tastes and preferences and clarified the subtle distinctions between the different options. Mona regularly checked in with us, shared her opinions when we solicited them, and, throughout all of it, communicated genuine care and interest in getting the right fit for my mother. Mona made a very difficult situation manageable and successful. I would recommend her in a heartbeat. read more

Not even remotely surprising to see that Mona has a unanimous 5-star rating on Yelp. Mona knows her stuff and provides exceptional service. We were on a tight timeline due to treatment schedules, and Mona jumped in to help. She continued to follow up despite being on vacation out of the country. read more

Five stars! Working with Mona was much better than calling various facilities directly, or using one of those referral websites. Mona knows the facilities, the prices, and the people, and can quickly help you narrow your search to the best choices for your situation -- instead of you having to place cold calls to, and sort through, hundreds of possibilities. We had a tricky situation -- we needed someplace in a rush, and a place that would take a large dog. Mona came through for us and we are very pleased with my mom's new residence. read more

We contacted Mona after trying to sort through the system on our own, only getting more confused and frustrated. In a short interview on the phone, Mona was able to assess my 98 year mother-in-law's status and point us in the direction of the appropriate type of facility. She then took my wife and I on a tour of several facilities. She was helpful, sympathetic, knowledgeable and able to cut through red tape quickly. I highly recommend her services. read more

The Lake Merritt Independent Senior Living community in Oakland has worked with Exceptional Senior Placement Services for the past 7 years. It has been a joy to work with Mona and her staff. We are thankful for the wonderful people that Mona has brought to our community. Some have moved in and others have not, but the people who have moved in have had a positive impact on our community. Thank you Mona. read more

Working with Mona is like having your most trusted older sister by your side. She knows more than you do, has a more level head, and won't forget to follow up. More valuable than her expertise, more valuable than her contacts, more valuable even than her impressive prestige in the field, Mona brought every ounce of her compassion, deep and sensitive understanding, and a quick awareness of family dynamics to our process of finding the right new home -- and a whole new life -- to our relative relocating from the East Coast. Every journey should begin with such a wise and sensitive guide! read more

We worked with Kerri Moon to find a placement for our mom and help us through all the details and processes. She was absolutely fantastic! She is incredibly knowledgeable about this world and excels at working with seniors. She developed an instant rapport with our mom and guided us through countless difficult conversations. She spent a lot of time very patiently visiting communities with us, answering our many questions and emailing us information. She was genuinely concerned about our situation and finding the best place. I would not hesitate to recommend her to anyone, and we are thrilled with where mom has ended up. read more

Mona is seriously an angel here on earth. Although my parents tried to pre-plan, they obviously didn't anticipate the level of care my Mom would need at 93 years old. I spent almost two years trying to wade through all the red tape and confusion of finding an Assisted Living home that we could afford. Within two weeks of contacting Mona, we had toured 4 facilities and found the perfect place for my Mom. Not only did Mona find a wonderful place for Mom, within our budget, but she also put me in touch with an amazing attorney who deals specifically with trusts, POA and MediCal as well as putting me in touch with people to help wade through the confusion of applying for Veterans' Benefits. If you are looking for help with Senior Placement, call Mona. Now. You will be so happy you did! read more

Each review you read about Mona and Exceptional Senior Placement Services says she is the best, that's because it's true. When you have a parent who needs care, you're overwhelmed. Mona understands that. She believes that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect and as a result, she will only provide you with places and people who will treat your family members with loving care. Mona is kind and knowledgeable, wise and supportive, all the things a family needs to make the transition from independent living to assisted living. I know our family could't have done this without her! read more

I needed to find a new board and care for my brother on a somewhat limited budget. Mona immediately went into action and quickly had several referrals for us to check out. We settled on a place in a great location (Lake Merritt) and feel quite happy with the new placement. Mona is a genuine advocate for people in need of assisted living and retirement homes. read more