My grandmother recently passed away and I wanted to write about where she spent her last couple of…read moreyears. When my parents and my grandmother moved to the Ocala area about ten years ago my grandmother was already starting to show some signs of short term memory loss and dementia, but she insisted on living in her own home and not with my parents. The retirement community they moved into was great and it's the kind of community where everyone seems to look after each other. When my grandmother got to the point where it just wasn't possible for her to take care of herself any more they sold her house and my Mom found her a place called the Bridge at Ocala. It was a difficult decision, and a very expensive one, but the employees at The Bridge cared for my grandmother until her last breath. When I say they cared for her, I don't mean they just took care of her, I mean they cared, they really did. When she was still able to get around they brought her into the community rooms and sometimes even forced her to have some fun (she'd fight it, but then tell my Mom afterwards that she was really glad she went). When over the past year or so she had gotten so weak and ill they would get her up into her wheelchair and bring her outside to sit with her or at least so my parents could sit with her. The place wasn't perfect, and there were times when there were miscommunications and even issues with things like her meals and the cleanliness of the place, but they were few and far between. The last time I visited my grandmother it took her quite some time to figure out who I was, but it was a nice visit for me...even if she didn't remember it the next day. My grandmother passed away yesterday in the early morning, in her sleep, and I'm happy she was at The Bridge with people around her who cared for her and about her. I can't thank you all enough for everything you did with my grandmother over the past couple years and for my mother who just simply couldn't be there all the time...I don't know what she would have done without you.

Abysmal facility and terrible employees. Lotti Smith had doctor's orders to distribute seizure…read moremedication to my grandma. My grandma indicated to multiple facility team members that she never received the medicine; to which they told her she was wrong and they know she took it this morning. She got denied today from each person she informed. I call and ask for the report of medicine distribution, at which point I was informed by Amber Grace that the delivery did NOT take place at 9am as I was first told. She will die without this medicine and nobody will give it to her without consent from a manager. None of the managers will answer...so the charge nurse Tamara refuses to give her the medicine that my grandma took by herself every day for over 60 years. I admitted her to this facility yesterday. I figured she could stay at The Bridge for around a month... Two days ago I took her out of HealthSouth acute rehab for a hip fracture. I will be taking her from The Bridge tomorrow if she is still alive and filing a lawsuit for incompetence and misconduct where they are medically liable.

Our family had a very concerning experience at this facility…read more My grandmother was admitted following a hospital discharge after a fall in which she hit her head and injured her shoulder. Despite this, neither issue was evaluated or addressed for more than a week, and only after our family repeatedly raised concerns with staff. She required a two-person assist for toileting, yet staff frequently refused to help her, leaving her in soiled briefs. When assistance was provided, the treatment was often lacking in compassion and professionalism. The facility was fully aware that our family holds power of attorney and health care surrogate authority and that we planned to relocate her closer to home. Despite this, care-plan meetings were held without our involvement. Additionally, attempts were made to pressure her into signing documents and transitioning into their assisted living program, which we found deeply inappropriate. Also, we needed a copy of her ID to take to the post office to close her PO box, and the Social services director Joyce treated us like we were criminals. Finally, while she was placed in a skilled nursing unit and billed as such, the level of skilled care expected did not appear to be consistently provided. Based on our experience, I would strongly encourage families to be vigilant, ask detailed questions, and closely monitor the care of their loved ones if considering this facility, and please find somewhere else to take them.

Sadly my Mom is there for now. The sales team is great but once you are in nothing ever gets…read morefixed. All residents complain about the food. But 5 months ago my Mom's AC failed and is still not fixed. I have complained as high up their management ladder I can find. And have heard 2 weeks to repair for 4 months. Their solution is a floor unit in my Mom's small family room which sits in the middle of the floor. Worse, there's no room for a unit in her bedroom. Anyway, please proceed with caution if you're looking at Hawthorne and talk to some residents but not the ones hand picked for insight.

The staff is Very helpful and always give you a smile.Annmarie…read more Is the administrator, Annmarie Made this transition easier on myself and the family. Your the best! All our thanks

From the owner: Hampton Manor Premier Assisted Living in Ocala offers luxury senior living with personalized care,…read moreincluding Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care. Our community provides customized care plans, 24/7 support, engaging daily activities, wellness programs, and resort-style amenities for seniors in Ocala, FL. Residents enjoy comfortable suites, gourmet dining, social events, and a safe, supportive environment designed to enhance independence and quality of life. If you're looking for the best assisted living in Ocala, Florida, Hampton Manor delivers compassionate care, comfort and a warm, home-like community where seniors can thrive.

One year ago, we made the decision to move into Assisted Living and chose Brentwood @Fore ranch in…read moreOcala, Florida. Looking back over the entire process from the beginning to the present time, certain individuals stand out from the start. The first contact was Alice at the concierge desk. That contact was friendly, professional, and efficient. Although it was a weekend day, we were connected to Ginny in marketing within a few minutes. Ginny remembered s from the time we toured the facility a few months earlier and was ready to start our application for residency. Although there seemed to be a ton of paperwork, she led us through the process professionally and efficiently, giving us guidance on timeline, options on the move, information on required documents, etc. we found her to be knowledgeable, professional, and accessible as the move went forward. During our time here we have not experienced any employee being rude or uncooperative to either of us. We are happy here. A good beginning sets the stage for a good experience. It is a pleasure to give the facility and employees 5 stars.

Brentwood at Fore Ranch is an Assisted Living and Memory Care Facility (ALF) in Ocala, Florida. My…read moremother lived there from July 2019 until October 2022. The building is reasonably nice but deteriorating and in need of maintenance. My mom's room had a nonfunctional bathroom fan with moldy ceiling tiles around it that apparently had been there for longer than several days (see the included photo below). While I was there in September the hot water failed throughout the building. There were complaints about this from unhappy residents for multiple days. The rooms are nice but the floor covering is frequently peeling, creating trip hazards. The food is reasonably good. The staffing, management, and care provided is a significant concern. If you are evaluating assisted living in Ocala, ask how long the Executive Director has been in place. It is a telling piece of information about staffing turnover. Without consistent leadership to provide management and staffing oversight, the care for your loved one may not be as dependable as expected in an ALF. During the three years my mom lived at Brentwood, there were three different Executive Directors and the position was vacant when we removed her from the facility in October. On August 30th, 2022 my mother had a stroke at Brentwood. In fact, she likely had at least 2 strokes that day. The first stroke symptoms were in the morning and quickly observed by a dining room service employee who pushed mom's medical alert button that is provided by Brentwood. She went to the hospital by ambulance but was released back to Brentwood the same day. Upon her return she fell. She was evaluated by the Brentwood staff and it was determined she was okay. Later that same day in her room, at 4:39 PM, the button was again pushed on her medical alert necklace, presumably by mom who had fallen in the bathroom. At approximately 5:05 PM that day my brother made an unexpected visit to mom and found her on the floor in the bathroom. After repeatedly pushing the alert button on mom's pendant, my brother finally had to go down the hall to find staff to help. This was more than 25 minutes after mom's pendant was pushed at 4:39 PM. A Brentwood Director says the 4:39 alarm was responded to in less than 2 minutes, though Brentwood is unable to identify who responded to the alarm within 2 minutes of 4:39. The records supporting that assertion have been requested verbally and in writing without result. If your loved one does not need much assistance and can get around well on their own then Brentwood is an adequate facility. However, if you are searching for an ALF that can be counted on to provide the timely assistance your loved one may need, there are likely better options in Ocala. As an independent care manager said to me as we were looking for alternative care for mom, Brentwood is good at enrolling clients into their facility but not very good at providing the necessary care.

STAY AWAY! I cannot begin to describe how inhumane and cruel the corporate powers-to-be behind this…read morefacility are. Long story short: we thought we found a facility where my mother with Alzheimer would thrive in. They said all of the right things, made us feel at home, and helped us as we prepared for this difficult move. 24 hours before we were bringing in our mom we were told that "corporate had reconsidered and there was not a spot available after all". No other explanation was provided and no one from corporate ever had the courtesy to respond to any of our begging voicemails or emails. To this day we still don't know what happened. Whenever I read a bad review I always wonder what the other side of the story is; believe me when I tell you that there was no justification whatsoever for this last-minute change of heart. We were told this facility was owned by a 3rd generation family owner - Peder Johnsen - who is very involved with his residents and staff. Mr. Johnsen never had the decency to even talk to us. Choosing to place our mom in an assisted living was the hardest decision we ever had to make; we were finally somewhat at peace with our plan when this company turned our lives upside down and never even had the basic human courtesy to tell us anything. I have never witnessed an act so cruel nor have I ever experienced the level of cowardness that the entire corporate team has shown. If you are looking to place a loved one in a memory care or assisted living facility, I cannot tell you in strong enough terms how awful these people are. My only consolation is that I found out their level of cruelness before I placed my mother under their care.

From the owner: Fully Licensed Communities in Central Florida Offering…read moreIndependent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care. Hampton Manor has been family owned and operated for over 37 years. As the first licensed, purpose built assisted living community in Florida, we understand the importance of providing our residents with the highest quality of care possible. Here, gracious accommodations and a caring team cater to each resident’s ever-changing needs and wants. From the Bistro, Pub, and Salon, to the Fitness Center. Hampton Manor offers the ultimate in comfort, care and lifestyle. It’s a place where healthy living and healthy aging go hand in hand. Quite simply, this is life as it should be.

We could not be more grateful for Lauren and A Place for Mom. Our mother has dementia and can not…read morebe left alone for even a few minutes. Our father has been her sole caretaker for years and eventually, he completely burned out. My sisters and I live more than 14 hours away from them and when our father hit his wall, we had to put our mother in inpatient treatment until an emergency plan to be established ASAP. The hospital put us in touch with A Place for Mom and Lauren came into our lives. Lauren held our hand the whole time. Even though much of it was weekend, Lauren helped us tour facilities, answered questions, and was an anchor in the chaos! Five days later, our mother was admitted to the perfect Memory Care Unit and within a few minutes of admission, she joined the community and was singing along with the activity. My mother is safe and happy, my father is relieved and de-stressed and we can finally relax. Thank you, Lauren!!!!!!! BTW - no cost at all to our family!