The Retreat at Alameda Senior Living

My Mom has been living in Assisted Living for the last 20 months. As her cognitive abilities have declined we found it necessary to move her to a Memory Care Facility. I had done a search of Memory Care Facilities previously, and quite frankly they all made me feel sad and overwhelmed. I was never sure what would be a good "fit" for my Mom. Some places had no residents out in the common areas socializing, some appeared to have a Nursing Home or hospital wing feel. In May 2021, I needed to not delay finding a new place for my Mom, since a few incidents made us aware that her personal safety was at risk. I had heard a radio advertisement about the Retreat at Alameda, and decided to go there to see what it was all about. The Retreat had not formally opened, and was a week from opening their doors. I happened to get there when the Sales Director was finishing a tour with a potential resident's family. When I walked into the Retreat at Alameda, and was warmly greeted by Toni, I immediately felt that this place was different. We had a great discussion on the care that would be provided, and I felt that there was a genuine interest in providing the best possible care to all residents. It did not matter if a resident was in Memory Care or Assisted Living. It was an easy decision to move my Mom there. I have not been disappointed at all. I was guided on how to make the transition for my Mom, and all that was required of me to set her up in her new studio suite. My Mom has been very happy and content since she has been there. There are always activities and special events occurring, and I am always informed of them. Family and loved ones are always invited to visit and participate in any of the seminars or special events. The way I know that the Retreat at Alameda was the right choice for my Mom is; When I would leave her when she was at her previous place, I would always feel uneasy, and was not sure if she was being monitored and cared for as I would like and expect. I worried constantly. When I leave my Mom now, I feel content and know she is getting great care. She is always dressed well, clean, and participating in activities. Her room is always in excellent condition, and the housekeeping staff maintain her room better than I would. She is always carrying a drinking container with water, having snacks and fed well. The food is exceptional as well. I also feel that every member of the staff is committed to giving all residents remarkable care. I have seen it in action as a visitor as well. I would strongly recommend the Retreat at Alameda. If you have any doubts at all, attend one of the many events that they have. Go for a tour. See how the residents look and sound. You will not be disappointed!

My mom never had the opportunity to move in as she passed away a few days before her move in date in late January. That sad news aside, I want to say how wonderful, thoughtful, and helpful Nicole and Chloe were in the steps up to and including the tour and preparing an apartment for my mom in their assisted living section. They were polite and professional. Nicole and some members from the nursing staff even visited my mom when she was at the rehabilitation facility. I was very impressed with the Retreat, and my mom was very excited about moving in. I wish of course that events were different and I was talking about how she loves it there right now…alas, the process to move in is all I can say, and it was very good. Even after my mom’s passing, the Retreat called us to check in and wish us well. We appreciated that very much. Thank you!!

I have been looking at assisted living communities to move my Mom. As we know this is a such an important decision and we have settled at The Retreat at Alameda and will be moving her in this month. Why was this the choice, many reasons. It is a smaller community, with amazing apartments and the care team all are the exact people you want taking care of your loved one. I have been dreading this day and now I am actually looking forward to it. Thank you Chloe for being so helpful! 🙂

My mother has been at Retreat for over a year now. The personal care and medical technicians are amazing!! Their compassion, patience, and care of the residents shows in the many smiles I see on the residents faces when I’m there. The care givers jobs are not easy yet I’ve observed they have ready smiles and a "Hello" for people they pass by. The food is good to great with varied healthy offerings, comfort food, and yummy desserts. On holidays the menu includes special seasonal offerings and the facility decorates the dining area creating a festive environment. They even have weekly happy hours, sometimes live music or some other interactive events keeping the residents engaged. The Activities Director is high energy and creative. There are baking and art classes, off property field trips, mild exercise classes and of course bingo among other activities that focus on keeping the residents social and mentally stimulated. Now, the business side of things. David, the Executive Director, has been communicative and a pleasure to work with. His Leadership mentality vs. Manager is reflected in the positive attitudes and good work exemplified by his staff. The different departments meet regularly to share information and observations of every resident so they have a clearer picture of their situation. There appears to be low turnover of staff (not just the managers) which is a credit to the environment. It would not surprise me if there’s a high burn out rate for caregivers. Make no mistake, this is a business and there are ups and downs, and people have good days and bad days. People with dementia or Alzheimer’s are not easy to work with sometimes. This group of people handle it with grace and perseverance when things get rough, and keeping the residence safe and as happy as possible is always their main goal. I highly recommend The Retreat at Alameda.

Not sure about the assisted living side, but when I took a tour of the memory care facility I was not impressed. First thing I noticed was there wasn't a lot of natural sunlight coming in. My husband and I were given a tour and I just wasn't impressed at all. Just seemed dark, dingy and very sad. It actually gave me a sick feeing in my stomach even thinking about putting my mom who has dementia there. It was so very depressing. People eating along at a dining table, one old guy shuffling back and forth with a hospital gown on. I wouldn't put anyone you love in their memory care center. I ended up with a group home for mom and it is wonderful. Much better choice than that place.

Worst people to work for. HR lady is rude and hostile, she yells at employees for asking questions instead of being helpful. They mess with your sick time and pto. If you’re thinking about working here, think again. As in regards to the care staff, they’re incompetent. Management doesn’t do much to educate and train employees. The caregivers they do have don’t care about the residents and providing the best quality of life. ED doesn’t advocate for residents or employees. Just a bad place full circle.

The Retreat at Alameda is a beautifully modern and clean community!!! I have had the privilege of touring Alameda and visiting it a few other times. The employees I have met are kind and you can see how much they care for the residents. The chef and his staff are amazing; delicious food. The amenities are top notch and the activities offered are great. I am also impressed with the care and security on the memory care side. I am always happy to recommend The Retreat at Alameda!