WARNING: LONG REVIEW…read more We first connected with the Avalon because of a need for respite care for my mother-in-law while my wife needed to go out of town for her work for a week followed by surgery and recovery for a 2nd week. Most assisted-living facilities, memory care facilities, and nursing homes do not offer respite care. Those that do, require a 30 day stay. We did not need a 30 day stay. The Avalon only required two weeks. I am surprised that more facilities are not as accommodating as the Avalon. Many people needing respite care will eventually require their loved one to live in such a facility. What a great opportunity for people to connect with the Avalon. There is a huge need for respite care for caregivers. We applaud the Avalon. More places should be as accommodating as the Avalon. My mother-in-law ended up spending two more weeks for some needed physical therapy. At the end of her being there for four weeks, we determined that her dementia had progressed to the point that we could no longer provide adequate care for her. She had lived in our home for four years, and it was our hope that we could care for her until the end of her life. We had come to the place where that could not happen. Roxanne and Colleen handled the administrative details in getting the respite care in place and in transitioning to long-term care. Both of them were exceptionally kind, accommodating, and effective. The facility Nursing Director Tasha and the memory care floor Director Debbie were very good about partnering with us to make my mother-in-law's stay healthy and comfortable. They had outstanding attitudes whenever we had question, a suggestion, or a concern. On the whole, they were good about getting back with us in a timely fashion. The memory care unit nurses and staff were amazing. They were beyond kind to my mother-in-law and us. They provided loving care. My mother-in-law went into hospice care while at the Avalon. The hospice case manager said that she is in a lot of assisted living, memory care, and nursing home facilities. She said she had never seen Staff continue to be so concerned about a resident after transitioning into hospice as was the case with the Avalon staff in regards to my mother-in-law. When my mother-in-law took her last breath, my wife was by her side with a few staff members behind her shedding tears along with my wife. Basically, staff showed us and my mother-in-law great care and love. Foundationally, isn't that what we really want for our loved ones that have to transition to assisted-living, memory care, or nursing home? During the many times we were there, we never saw a staff member treat any of the residents in an unkind way. It was impressive to watch how they were so patient. People in memory care can be a challenge. The Avalon staff were exceptional in how they handled matters. The Avalon has a contract with a physical therapy company. My mother in law received exceptional therapy sessions from a therapist named Harneet. In addition, she was very kind to my mother in law and us. We were impressed by her personality and how great she was about consistently communicating with us. What a jewel she is. When you enter and tour the Avalon, you will notice it is very stylish and clean. The hallways are wide, and there are multiple lounges on each floor where families can gather with their loved one. You are always greeted by an exceptionally kind concierge at the front desk. Before we decided on the Avalon, I visited approximately 10 assisted-living, memory, care, and nursing homes in the north Columbus area. I spent time on the phone with many more. The pricing for the Avalon is similar to that of other facilities in the Columbus area. We visited some facilities that were even more expensive. The meals are good and they have an alternate choice each meal for those that do not like what is being served. They have a tall van so they can take residents to area restaurants and outings. They can also take residents to nearby doctor appointments. Was the Avalon experience perfect? No. But, I cannot stress enough how comforting it was for us that they considered us to be their partners as they provided care for my mother-in-law. It is important to remember that they have to provide consistent and detailed care day in and day out. It is not an easy thing to do. It would be our recommendation that the families of people going into care draw close to the staff and administration. They do not need to become your best friends, but get to know them. Initially, visit your loved one frequently and at different times during the day. Staff will see your concern, and you will get to see how things are handled. Show kindness to the staff. Don't look at a staff person as another "faceless person" in your life. Learn their names; greet them. As we moved my mother-in-law's things out of her room and left the Avalon for the last time, we were hugged by the staff as we left.

From the owner: The Avalon at Lewis Center, near Polaris Fashion Place, Highbanks Metro Park, and OhioHealth…read morefacilities in Lewis Center, Ohio, provides a vibrant senior living experience focused on comfort, connection, and convenience. Offering Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care, the community allows residents to age in place with familiar support as their needs evolve--all within a peaceful suburban setting just north of Columbus. Residents benefit from comprehensive services, including 24/7 security, housekeeping, maintenance, scheduled transportation, most utilities and cable/satellite TV, on-site rehab, personal care services, chef-prepared meals, and restaurant-style dining. Amenities include a bistro, fitness center, salon and barber, outdoor dining and entertainment spaces, art and crafts studio, library, theater, and greenhouse with raised gardens. The Avalon at Lewis Center is designed for a vibrant, engaging lifestyle where residents enjoy confidence, meaningful connection, and a true sense of community.

My Mother is here with dementia. Everyone is caring, loving, experienced and helpful. Great care !!…read more Ellen Chapman

I would not recommend sending your loved one here, especially for someone with dementia…read more The environment is extremely chaotic and loud, which can be very distressing and confusing for residents who need a calmer, more structured setting, and it does not feel designed with memory care in mind. This is further reflected in the mix of residents, as some individuals appear to have mental health conditions that differ from dementia-related needs, creating an even more disruptive and unsuitable environment for those requiring specialized, dementia-focused care. Visitors should be prepared to wait outside for extended periods of time on weekends. On multiple occasions we had to stand outside for at least 10 minutes before anyone came to the door to let us in. The nursing care was also concerning. Staff frequently defaulted to saying the patient had the "right to refuse" care, even when the patient clearly lacked the mental capacity to make those decisions. Instead of attempting alternative approaches to help the patient accept care, it often felt like this was used as an excuse to avoid the effort required to properly assist someone with dementia. Cleanliness is another issue. At first glance the facility may appear tidy, but once you start paying attention to the details it becomes clear the place could use a thorough deep cleaning. During visits, we also witnessed other residents calling out for help for extended periods of time without any response from staff. In one particularly concerning situation, a resident went into the bathroom and had an accident that left the area unsanitary and with a strong odor. He was calling out for assistance, yet no one came to help him for quite some time. It was upsetting to witness. Be cautious about bringing personal belongings, as clothing went missing and was never recovered, even after discharge. The patient we were responsible for was ultimately removed from the facility after two weeks, which already felt far too long. By that time, he had developed a Stage 1 bedsore and a significant diaper rash. Staff attributed this to the patient refusing care, but in a dementia setting that is exactly when trained caregivers should be using appropriate techniques and persistence to ensure basic hygiene and repositioning needs are met. Overall, our experience on the secured memory care side was extremely disappointing and concerning. Based on what we personally observed, the care and environment were nowhere near what would reasonably be expected from a facility carrying a 5-star Medicare rating. That rating does not appear to reflect the reality of the memory care unit and should be reevaluated so that other families are not misled or placed in the same situation we experienced.

WCV is a beautiful place for any senior to live. But, as for the management they are never to be…read morefound. They aren't friendly at all and a lot of the amenities are broken and don't work. I worked there for 13 days. I just recently got terminated because I expressed interest to another employee about possibly moving to higher position because I have multiple health field certifications. My boss heard about, told me I the situation was investigated and I was done. That is bizarre!!!!!! DONT GO WORK THERE!!!!!!!!

I will say the staff was mostly nice to my mom and there were a couple of aides and nurses and…read morePT/OTs that loved her and were very kind. She broke her hip and was 87 having trouble recovering as it was very slow. However, she had suffered a lifetime of UTIs and I had asked for 3 weeks to test her for a UTI and her ankles starting filling up with water and she started getting belly pain and nausea. I kept saying could she have clots that swelling just happened suddenly. I never saw a doctor once in 2 months, talked to a nurse practitioner 2x on the phone but never saw one! I begged any nurse, aide, PT, OT I saw daily to check for a UTI and I really think she has blood clots she's nauseated and in pain. I walked in mom's room on 7/14 at 1 pm and her Cath was red blood and her leg was purple! Her BP was like 70/30 and she was barely able to speak, she died the next Monday at Riverside from clots from legs to lungs and sepsis from untreated UTI death cert says weeks long!!!!!! I was told for those almost 3 weeks no she's fine we need reasons to check for those things..she doesn't have symptoms!!!! ER doc said she would have died there that day had I not shown up. I don't care what reasoning they provide my mom did not need to go a month before dying with untreated clots and a raging untreated UTI! She kept telling me something was wrong and I kept asking staff but got dismissed so I kept saying to her well I keep asking you hear me and they said it's fine and you are ok!!

The GRAND of Dublin is a fantastic facility! It's always very clean and the staff is friendly and…read moreattentive when I visit. There is a wide range of activities and entertainment provided to their residents and I feel as though everyone goes above and beyond when it comes to care.

Unfortunately, this location doesn't need another meeting, another pizza party, or another…read moremotivational speech--it needs accountability, competent leadership, and a complete cultural reset. I am a current employee of The Grand of Dublin. For privacy and safety reasons, I will not identify the department I work in. What I will say is this: If my own parent, grandparent, or loved one needed long-term care today, I would NOT choose this facility. That statement alone should speak volumes. Before I address the problems, I want to recognize the people who continue to carry this building on their backs. There are incredible aides, nurses, kitchen staff, Activities, Housekeeping, Maintenance, and other employees who genuinely love these residents and go above and beyond every single day despite being overworked, understaffed, underpaid and unsupported. I would love to recognize each of you by name, but I won't because I don't want anyone to face retaliation. You know who you are, and the residents are fortunate to have you. Now for the hard truth. One of my biggest concerns is Memory Care. These residents deserve dignity, compassion, stimulation, and opportunities to engage with others. Instead, I watched opportunities become increasingly limited,due to them not being allowed to leave their units. The Activities department consistently created meaningful events, and they deserve tremendous credit for bringing joy to residents despite the obstacles placed in front of them. What disturbed me even more was hearing certain employees openly say they "hate" the very residents they are paid to care for. Healthcare is stressful. Everyone has difficult days. But if you've reached the point where you resent the vulnerable people depending on you, it's time to step away from this profession. I also personally observed residents waiting extended periods after using their call lights. That should never become normal. Residents deserve to be treated with urgency, dignity, patience, and respect--not as inconveniences. The building itself is beautiful. Families walking through the front doors will probably be impressed. Unfortunately, a beautiful building means very little if the culture inside it is broken. There is far too much gossip, finger-pointing, favoritism, and unnecessary conflict between departments. Instead of working together, people are often blamed for problems they didn't create while the real issues continue to go unresolved. That doesn't just damage morale--it eventually affects resident care. I also want to acknowledge the kitchen staff because I personally watched them receive unnecessary disrespect while simply trying to do the job they were trained and expected to do. What I could never understand was hearing employees openly say they "HATE" an entire department because they didn't like how certain procedures were being handled. That isn't professionalism--it creates division, destroys teamwork, and ultimately affects resident care. I heard those comments far too often, and no department deserves to be treated that way. Could the food improve? Yes. Could organization improve? Absolutely. Could additional training benefit the kitchen? Of course. But here's the part many people seem to ignore: every single department could benefit from additional training. No department is perfect, and no department should be made the scapegoat for larger operational problems. Respect is not something employees should have to earn based on their job title--it should be the standard. Housekeeping, Dietary, Nursing, Activities, Maintenance, and every other department all play a vital role in caring for residents. When one department is constantly blamed or disrespected, everyone loses--especially the residents. I also witnessed what I perceived to be unequal treatment of some African American employees and employees being encouraged to leave paid 5-star reviews. Fairness cannot be selective, and trust cannot be bought. Respectfully I cannot recommend this facility to anyone looking for a safe, respectful place for their loved one.

Moved mom to this facility about 1 1/2 months ago. She seems to be happy and adjusting well. The…read morestaff are friendly and caring. However, we are having problems with the nursing staff. They seem to hand out meds and nothing else. I have made a few requests and nothing gets addressed unless I keep nagging them. For the amount I pay each month, I expect better from the nurses.

I am so grateful for all the staff at Olentangy. My parents have been there only a few months and…read morethey have already become healthier and stronger. They are eating better than they ever have, they are receiving all needed medications and are closely monitored to make sure the doses are correct. Their staff to patient ratio is the best I have seen. Staff are very understanding with my parents confusion and constant barrage of questions. They have a variety of choices with meals and activities. Knowing that my parents are safe and well cared for makes all the difference!

My mom was released here from the hospital to do rehab. She has a friend in the memory care…read moreassisted living and thought they could visit each other. Skilled nursing rehab is in a separate building. The expectation was that my mom would be there a few weeks to build her strength so she could use her walker again. My mom was in a room with a roommate who sat at a table the entire time my mom was there. My mom was taking pain meds every 3 hours. She missed her meds and after an hour she was told the order was just placed with the pharmacist. It wasn't placed when she arrived. My mother, father, and brother thought the room was small and not clean. My mom discharged herself within 3 hours. When I mentioned this experience to someone at my book club she said she was there for a short time. She agreed the room was small for two people and said her roommate kept waking up at 4am and walked around the room. She did not say anything negative or positive about the care she received.

I was in their skilled nursing facility for 16 days for IV antibiotics. I came in from the…read moreHospital in an ambulance. I arrived about 445?? pm, was almost an hour before I was even acknowledged in the room. Then it was mostly administrative, no nursing care etc. It was almost 11 pm before I got my evening meds. The room was old and Musty and triggered my asthma cough for 16 days. I asked about any kind of air purifier, they had nothing in their stock and would do nothing to accommodate my concerns. The floor was under construction adding to the chaos of getting patients to and from the dining hall. Food and Physical therapy department were the only positive sides of the facility. I could tell the aids for the permanent residents were very caring and respectful. I had days I never saw my CNA. From a business standpoint I see Wesley Glenn as a high end Independent living / assisted living facility. The skilled nursing floor was added as a way to keep their residents in house during rehab from age related issues, stroke, falls and breaks etc. I got the minimal care I was there for, my IV infusion 3x a day but that was about it. I felt as if I was a transient patient on Medicare. I sent in a letter with my concerns, never expecting any response and I was right. Not even an acknowledgement form letter.

This has to be the worst place I have ever been and possibly the worst place to send anyone you…read morecare about. I have a dual care plan that includes medicad so that makes it even more challenging to get a bed. I am supposed to be in here for short term rehab due to a fall in my house. I am putting in a transfer and hoping that I can get out of here asap. Where to start. So the staff and the residents have been exposed to covid and residents still haven't been tested for covid. I'm vaccinated but it's possible to still get covid. Dr's orders are not being followed. I have had to get all of my food through door dash and target because the food is disgusting. There's a foul odor on throughout the building that is noticeable to everyone including staff. Aides come in at all times of the day including 4 am to clean your trash. The most disturbing thing is seeing residents that are in the hallways who have a variety of different issues including dementia and alzheimers that need to go into an alzheimer's facility. I just lost a loved one to complications from dementia so I'm aware of the signs of this awful disease. Don't send anyone you care for here.

MICE infestation. Brought to their attention multiple times, never addressed or cleaned up. Do not…read morebring your loved ones here- it is the slums of all assisted living!!!!!

I would not recommend Heartland. They have just been sold, but it appears that the staff will not…read morechange. If you are going for rehab and are fully independent then it might be OK. But if your loved one needs care of medical care I would strongly recommend choosing another facility. There are staff that care but in my opinion the day to day needs that you would want for your loved one is not there.

My 89 year old mother recently had a two week stay in Heartland of Uptown Westerville. She has…read moreCOPD and, after a bout of pneumonia, she needed physical therapy to regain her strength before coming home. Although there are some very kind and caring people in this facility, my family's experience is that the majority of them were not very attentive. It was not unusual for her to call for a nurse and wait almost half an hour. It didn't matter if she needed a spoon or she couldn't breathe...same result for both. It was even more common for the staff to tell us they "would be right back", and then never return. One evening Mom was having a lot of trouble breathing and rang for a nurse. Twenty-five minutes later, someone finally came in. Mom asked to speak to her nurse to get some assurance someone would check on her in the middle of the night. The lady told her she would be right back...and never returned. So Mom called me at 10:30 p.m. struggling to breathe and in a panic because she didn't want to go to sleep for fear no one would come if she called for help. I had to intervene to get assurance they would care for her. They gave the medications when it was convenient for them. One day they finally brought Mom her inhaler...6 hours late, even though she kept requesting it. It put Mom in a downward spiral of breathing problems and took her a few days to recover. After complaining, they finally allowed her to keep her inhaler. One time when the aide needed her to rinse her mouth out, she looked around the room for something for my mother to spit in, and she grabbed the little flower vase that was on her nightstand. Very unprofessional and not very hygienic. Another day, I waited an hour for the social worker to meet me for an appointment...only to find out she had forgotten about me. And when I came to pick Mom up to bring her home, her nurse wasn't made aware that she was being discharged, and another nurse failed to call in her prescriptions as he was told to do. The carpet was filthy and the experience was depressing. Unfortunately, I believe this is not unusual for many nursing homes...which is even more depressing. Respect and care for our elderly...that's not too much to ask.

A Five-Star Haven for Mom (and Peace of Mind for Me!)…read more After interviewing 9 assisted living facilities across Columbus this past March, I did what any thorough first born son would do: I created a spreadsheet, took notes, captured all the move in and monthly costs, and probably annoyed more than a few executive directors with my questions. But the moment I stepped into The Inn at Bear Trail, I knew I'd found "the one." And I'm not just saying that because it smelled like fresh flowers and good decisions--though it absolutely did - even the Memory Care unit! (trust me that's a key clue that they are on top of things). What sealed the deal? The staff. These folks are the real deal - Starting with Mike Harvey who runs a tight ship over there and is super attentive via text or voice at all times. His aids and nurses are professional, warm, and genuinely there when you need them. They move through the halls like a well-choreographed dance team, always available, always positive, and always one step ahead of what my mom needs next. They're proactive about her care, catching details I'd miss and implementing solutions before problems even arise. It also did not hurt that they were the most affordable option out of all the other AL places I toured in the Columbus area. My mom is thriving, and honestly, so am I. Knowing she's in such capable, compassionate hands? Priceless. If you're searching for the best care for your Mom or Dad and you want them in the Columbus area stop searching. You've found it. Highly Recommended. No spreadsheet required.

We are paying a significant amount for care, yet the overall experience has been disappointing. The…read morequality of the food is minimal, and residents are restricted to eating only during designated meal times. If a meal is missed, there are no adequate alternatives provided--sometimes only broth and crackers are offered. Services that are supposed to be included in the monthly fee, such as weekly cleaning and laundry, were not consistently completed without repeated reminders. It often required ongoing follow-up with staff to ensure these basic services were performed. There have also been concerning issues with care. On one occasion, a nurse attempted to administer an excessive amount of medication to my parent, which raised serious safety concerns. Additionally, the facility manager has not been particularly approachable or helpful when addressing issues. Billing has also been problematic. The most recent statement included additional charges we felt were not owed, requiring us to escalate the matter to corporate. To their credit, the corporate office was responsive, professional, and understanding of the concerns raised--many of which extend beyond what is outlined here. If issues arise, I would recommend contacting the corporate office directly at 740-345-3700 under Jerry McClain Companies