2025 Update:
This place has gone downhill over the 4 years my parents have been there!
My father fell on 8/30/2025 and had a significant skin tear on his left arm. The nurse from the facility came and saw him on Monday i believe (1. I never received a phone call about this). I was visiting when the wound care dr came and prescribed antibiotics (which i picked up from publix) and a salve to be administered by home health and she ordered it through Brookdale that day. Come Friday, the next week,, no home health care came out to change the bandage and apply the salve. His arm was starting to look more and more angry. and infected. I called Brookdale a couple of times and they told me they never received the order from the wound Dr. so I called the Dr and they made a phone call to Brookdale, and amazingly, they found it when they called. I believe that they never even looked for his when i called. As of this date, it is still trying to heal. 2. My mother is unable to get into the bathroom in her wheelchair because the bathroom is not handicapped accessible. They have lived there for 4 years and since the beginning my mother has been having to use the potty in the bedroom. My father has had to do this himself for all these years. I have asked for help for him to take care of my mother and no service care evaluation never gets scheduled. Even when we press the pendant that we need help with her to get her up on the potty etc, no one empties the potty into the toilet. The potty is disgusting and my father should not be having to deal with this when he has such a nasty wound on his arm. I contribute the slow healing (he usually heals quick) to him having to deal with urine and feces. 3. My mother has had a UTI that won't clear up for years. she is not being properly cleaned by my father, he hasn't been able to take care of her properly for a while now. Again, no care meeting scheduled. One time I did ask if someone could come every couple of hours to toilet her and I was told they are understaffed, it wont happen. 4. There has been a constant roach problem in their apartment. its disgusting. They don't spray unless you go to the front desk and aske that it be sprayed. 5. Their carpet is disgusting in their apartment. When i asked if it could be cleaned, they told me they had to be out of the apartment for 2 days. I told them my mother cannot be out of the apartment for even a day! Nothing has been done . In the past, we did pay for Stanley Steamer so come clean it. No staff has even come by to look at the condition of the carpet and all the staff that comes in and out have never commented on it or offer to help us rectify the situation. I am moving them to the Bridge in Ocala and they are confident they can clear up my mothers UTI with keeping her dryer and clean. This move will be in the next week. There is much more that I could tell you!!! This place is broken and I hope they have their certification revoked.
2024 Update: My parents have lived there for almost 4 years now. Some areas are better than others. Communication to family and residents are horrible, this includes nursing and admin. Activities and director are good. I feel turn over is high here, brookdale should train better and treat their employees better.
Nursing / techs - techs are sometimes rude and unprofessional. They do like their downstairs apartment with patio although the toilet and vanity is not handicapped accessible for my mother.
My parents have been living here for a year now. Overall they are very happy there. They like the food and they give you plenty of it. The pool is very nice, they keep it very clean. Summers they have concerts by the pool. It’s reassuring to know that they are being monitored and there is always someone there to help when needed. They have many trips and games and events there in addition to happy hour every Friday. My dad joined the drama club and enjoys it! Food is overall pretty good, my parents are enjoying not having to cook. .
I’ve lived here for a little over a year. This is my first experience in a retirement living facility. I’m not sure exactly what I expected, but Brookdale has far exceeded it. My apartment is roomy and comfortable. It is thoroughly cleaned each week. The staff here are wonderful. I have my favorites of course. Just to mention a few; Athena, Tim, Doreen, Nancy, Theresa, JR, and all the restaurant staff. The food is excellent. I never expected to have menu choices. I fully expect to spend the rest of my twilight years here.
Our mom has been at Brookdale for 9 years. It is the best decision that she and our father made together. He was so well cared for when he had dementia. Mom has always thrived on the social activities and friendships that she made. She is now in memory care. Although it was difficult we knew mom would be in a safe and caring environment. Soon after she moved in my sisters and I had an opportunity to visit her and meet the nursing care team. I am pretty sure that I met 4 people that had known mom since she and dad moved to BD. My heart was so happy to know that she was in a safe place with people that truly knew her and would be caring for her. Thank you to you all for everything that you do for our mom and the residents of Brookdale.
UNFULFILLED PROMISES AND SUBPAR SERVICES
We are deeply disappointed with the care and services provided to my 88-year-old mother at Brookdale Pinecastle in Ocala Florida. Despite numerous meetings with management and repeated assurances that these issues would be addressed, the same problems persist:
- Dressing Assistance: We pay a substantial monthly fee for staff to assist my mother, who recently fell and injured her shoulder, with dressing. Unfortunately, the assistance is inconsistent, and promises to improve have gone unfulfilled.
- Pet Care Support: Temporary help with my mother’s dog (walking and bathroom breaks) was arranged at an additional cost of $600 per month. Yet, this service has been neglected repeatedly as well.
- Emergency Pager Neglect: Residents are provided with emergency pagers to ensure quick assistance. However, the staff often fails to place the pager around my mother’s neck during their visits, compromising her safety.
- Medication Mismanagement: We had to switch to an automated dispenser after several incidents of improper medication administration, including one instance where my mother was given someone else’s prescription.
- Declining Food Quality: The meals, once a highlight of the facility, have deteriorated significantly since the pandemic. The current menu relies heavily on fried and bland dishes, which do not meet my mother’s dietary needs.
While my mother has friends and a sense of home here, it is unacceptable that the basic services we are paying for are not delivered. We have held multiple meetings with management, always receiving apologies and promises of change, but the issues remain unresolved.
We have informed the staff that, should improvements occur and trust be rebuilt, we are open to amending this review. However, as of now, we feel compelled to share our experiences to help others make informed decisions about their loved ones’ care.
My mother is a resident and we have been very pleased with this location. They have some amazing staff. Everyone is friendly, and helpful. If you are want the best, you will have to speak to Athena in admissions, she is truly a treat! Her endless kindness and is refreshing. I am so thankful that my mother is able to call this place home and we can feel comfortable knowing she is safe and happy.
*update: prices increase dramatically every year at an unsustainable rate. Money is the primary focus, residents come in distant second to that. They have trouble retaining help. It’s unfortunate because the residents there deserve more and it was so nice, but corporate greed takes away from the other highlights.
Reviews and rating from Google, shown as Google publishes them for Brookdale Chambrel Pinecastle. They are not PlaceWisely verified reviews and do not affect match scores or rankings.
