Brookdale Santa Catalina

Reviewer#AT0124

We're currently living in Brookdale Santa Catalina. It's not new, but it's a very good location. It's in the foothills of the Catalina mountains. It's a very desirable location in Tucson, centrally located, and convenient. Very attractive. Beautiful views. The location is one of its strong points. The staff looked friendly, and they tried to do their best within the limitations they have. They offer a lot of activities, but I have not availed myself of them. They have bus trips, to restaurants, or plays, or movies. They have a pool, they have exercise, a book club, and a library. They have walking trails and regular meetings. The food is being worked on. It's gotten better recently.

Emily

My parents moved in at Brookdale Santa Catalina. I love that they have people around them now. They're socializing and they're much happier than being in a family home. My stepmother loves that the staff has helped her unpack. They continue to come and help her. The laundry is taken care of once a week, and things that used to be a struggle are no longer a struggle because there is assistance that they are receiving by actually living there. The food is fabulous. Their apartment is not huge. It's around 900 square feet with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. It's just a matter of downsizing, so they fit in there. But it is everything that they need. I know they take them shopping and they have a common room. It's invaluable for us that they're in a place that they like. From my perspective, it is worth the money. They have a walking trail and my dad takes that regularly.

David

We visited Brookdale Santa Catalina, the aspect that stood out was the view because it's right up against the Catalina mountains. From the unit that we saw and the various places on the campus, the view was just spectacular and hard to match. We looked at independent living but they also had assisted living and memory care on campus, and that's also what we were looking for. The room we saw looks good. The person who gave us the tour admitted that she was very new, she had been there for just a month. She did seem like she was just getting settled into her new job. They have a very wide range of attractive activities, like exercise classes and card-playing clubs.

Doris

Brookdale Santa Catalina was a lovely place. The tour we had was very thorough and informative. We had a very professional guide who answered all our questions. The rooms were nice and roomy. They're upgraded and had nice views to it. However, it did not have an in-room laundry facility. You have to go carry your laundry down the hall to a laundry room. They have a lovely dining room, a library, card games and all kinds of table games, a theater, and a happy hour once a week. They also have different sorts of plays with actors that come in periodically, as well as lectures. It is the only gated community we went into, so it was just lovely. It's actually a high-end residential gated community.

Elizabeth

I love the climate and the location of Brookdale Santa Catalina. However, it's a little too far out of the city. At this moment, with my mobility issues, I cannot drive. I liked it. It was very nice. You could see the Santa Catalina mountains, and it was more residential, so there wasn't a lot of city clutter. The apartments were nice. Some of them need to be updated. But if you wanted to upgrade the place, it was at your own expense, not theirs. The staff members were very cordial, and I enjoyed being there. The only drawback for them was the fact that they did not have a doctor around the corner or a drugstore around the corner. One would require a car for getting out and about. They had an outdoor pool, a jacuzzi, and a beauty salon. We had lunch there, and it was very nice. The scenery in the area is very nice. It's back in an upscale area.

Mary

Brookdale Santa Catalina was a huge community, they also had independent assisted and memory care. It was very nice and the salesperson was very knowledgeable. You can see the view from the rooms to the mountains, it was a beautiful facility. The staff was very nice and everybody was very helpful. It's huge and I parked at the wrong place so everybody was very helpful in getting me to where I needed to go. The amenities were gorgeous, they had an activities coordinator who seemed very enthusiastic and knew the residents, and was very sweet.

Howard

Brookdale Santa Catalina was very good. The staff was excellent. The rooms were very nice. The setting is beautiful. The public areas were very nice and open. The interaction between the residents that I saw was very nice. I did not like the distance required to get between buildings to the dining rooms, so it was not very convenient for me because I have mobility issues.

Sherril

We visited Brookdale Santa Catalina. It has a desert setting. It's very nice. The outside areas were very nice. It had some of the rooms I preferred. They weren't casitas. A lot of the rooms had balconies and patios. If you're on the first floor, you could go out your little door and you could go outside. They have some of the nicest rooms because you could have your own balcony or patio. Everybody was nice. They have a nice pool, they have water aerobics, they have exercise equipment, they have classes, they have painting classes, they have lectures, and they also have a happy hour.

Mary

Brookdale Santa Catalina was very nice. It would work especially for me if I were alone. The cleanliness was fine and the staff was very friendly. The residents were very friendly and we enjoyed visiting with them. The food was delicious. The apartments we looked at were spacious. These are apartments we could live in and enjoy. The views were beautiful. The staff that we were involved with was very helpful, answered our questions, and showed us what there was to show us. We had lunch there. The facilities we saw were well maintained and attractive. It's an older building. It's a cluster of small apartment houses and they're about 40 years old. If people are looking for chrome and glass, that's not what it is. They're very homey, attractive, and well taken care of.

L.A.

Brookdale Santa Catalina was beautiful, and the people seemed very, very nice. It was a little bit more spread out. The room was just adequate and there were a lot of good spaces for group activities and things like that, which was nice. They try to encourage them to get out of their rooms and communicate with each other. The dining area was gorgeous and was very nice. Cleanliness seemed to be good and they seemed like they were on top of everything keeping it up.

Darla

My father moved into Brookdale Santa Catalina last month. It's great. If you can afford it, it's very expensive. The food is good. The rooms are nice. It's clean. People are friendly. There are lots of activities you could do. There's pretty good health care. They have pretty strict COVID policies. Yeah, it's a very nice, very expensive, assisted living facility, and everything you would expect to get from a very expensive place. That's what you're going to get there. It's a gated community. The staff is very, very nice and very, very interested in having him come there, very, very accommodating. They were great. It's very geared towards people with money. I had lunch there and I had dinner and the food was Sysco food. They had a competent cook, but it's not like a Michelin-starred restaurant. But it's okay, it seems nutritious, they've got fresh vegetables, pretty standard cafeteria stuff. They have restaurant-style dining, so you can order like three things off to a menu. It seems relatively well-balanced and cooked competently. They have silverware on there. They have nice dining and linens and you go in and you sit down and the servers come in asking you what you want and you get it, it's nice. The rooms are very big and nice and the hallways are wide and there's lots of room for people to get passed in, two people can easily get passed in wheelchairs and walkers. There's a nurse's station on each floor. They have chair yoga, and they have little weights, and they have little exercise rooms, and they have a little spa. They have classes and supposedly they have like outings, they have this 15 seater van, and they have little tours that they'll take you. You're supposed to go in groups and they'll take you on little tours of wherever it is that you want to go. That's nice. They will set up all your doctor's appointments for you. So you don't have to remember that. And then they'll get you to any doctor's appointments. So they'll take you to and from your medical appointments. All the rooms have a little kitchenette-looking thing where you can have your little snacks. They have good housekeeping, they have housekeeping twice a week and laundry twice a week or more if you pay them extra. They have a little, grassy, courtyard, with a fountain in the middle of the desert, grass, and water that people walk around. It's all safe; they have little paths and little gazebos.

Nancy

We've chosen Brookdale Santa Catalina in Tucson for my husband. We're hoping he'll get moved tomorrow. He will be in skilled nursing for a week then long-term care. It's going to take him six months to a year or two for his pressure wounds to heal. I went to see the facility and it's warm. It's in the way the decor is done, not cold and modern. You get this feeling of stability and warmth. I made a list of things that we didn't preview and I was going to see if I could go back over there today and the grounds were going to be one of them. We looked from one window to a small patio, but I think there are a lot more extensive grounds that I didn't get to see. We were kind of under the gun, time-wise, during our visit so we had to make most of the time that we were there. The website seems to say that they do have grounds and gardens and all of that, but we did not get a chance to review those. The room we saw was very nice and it's quite large. They're probably going to get us even a larger one, which is nice. It's a private room with a private bath, which is what we wanted. He's moving from an apartment that had a living room and a little kitchenette and a bedroom but he knows that he's going into smaller quarters. Other than that, the room was fine. The staff who accommodated us was very knowledgeable and very helpful in assessing my husband's situation and what they could do to help. The food menu looked excellent. That's another thing I was thinking I might do today, to ask if I could test the food in the dining room. The dining room was a little sterile but my husband usually eats in his room anyway so it's okay. They have a wonderful, wonderful gym. They have a really good library too, which is good because my husband likes to read quite a bit. They also had a nice outdoor patio close to his room. As far as activities, he's not big on activities, but the floor above his room is assisted living and up there, they have a lot more activity rooms and stuff that he can access through the elevator. I have been in other facilities that are a little bit nicer, newer, more upscale, but they don't have skilled nursing facilities. They just have assisted living, so for a place that has both skilled nursing and assisted living, I think that they're really good. It's in a really beautiful community too. It's a gated community with very, very expensive homes, it's in the middle of that, so you get a fabulous impression. It's also really fun to drive up to it because it's so pretty and perfect.

Ronald

Brookdale Santa Catalina is a beautiful facility. It is located in a scenic area and they were friendly. Erica was my guide, and I felt that she did an excellent job on the tour and was very knowledgeable about what they have. For the most part, the apartments were clean and quite presentable. The atmosphere was good too. They had lots of plans and it looked like it was well taken care of. They have a gym, transportation to doctor's appointments, and lots of activities where they go out in the community or go shopping if they liked.

Patty

Brookdale Santa Catalina is the one that I ended up putting my mother in, and it was excellent. The food is great. The people are great, and the facility is like a resort. It was really great. They have a rehab center. They have people that live in that community. They have assisted living. They have everything. My mom (who is a very picky eater) said the food was good, so it must have been wonderful for her. She said her only complaint was they gave her too much. They have breakfast, lunch and dinner. She said it was really good there, and it's a very clean facility. It's really nice. It's a beautiful place and very well-kept. It was really good, and everything that they did was very good.

Ruthann

I chose Brookdale Santa Catalina for my parents because it has all four levels of care. It has independent living, nursing care, memory care, and so it has all phases of care in one place. They moved into independent living. The staff follows up, they address all concerns promptly. On Friday night they have music, appetizers, drinks, and Friday afternoon happy hour with live music. It has a magnificent location, it's right next to the mountains, and it's very beautiful. It's in good shape.

Ruth

Brookdale Santa Catalina was a very big beautiful facility. My parents liked it, but it's just too far from my sister's house. If it was closer, then that would certainly be a contender. It's elegant, and it's a gated community. To enter, you come through a 24 hour guarded gate. It has spectacular views, and they have transportation available. They also have everything (which would have been nice for my parents) from independent living all the way to memory care and nursing, so that was a big full service place.

Margaret

We went to Brookdale Santa Catalina in February. They spent time explaining their program and I was satisfied in getting my questions answered. They had a room that had been converted, and I got the size of it. It was a 1-bedroom layout kind of thing, and it was medium-sized. I wanted to know what their program was for memory care, if that's coordinated, and they explained it very well. They told me of options of independent living with assisted living help or what have you. I found out what I wanted to know. The dining area was not open because of COVID, but they mentioned that there were activities in the memory care portion. They encourage activities, but not any specific as to whether we do this or do that and of course, I could not visualize or see the program until 6 or 9 months from now. The atmosphere was very upbeat and pleasant, and it seemed well taken care of. It's a big place.

Charles

Brookdale Santa Catalina was very nice and they've got nice people. I didn't like their dining service which consisted of tickets, everything else was good. The food was good, but that was that. The rooms were very nice. I lived in Brookdale Santa Catalina for several months, so I know quite a lot about it. It was good. I wouldn't say it's excellent mainly because of their dining service. I can't participate in too many activities because I have severe spinal arthritis. They had indoor stuff like games, and the more active ones I just couldn't do. They had a lot of amenities. It's a very nice place.

Lynette

I visited Brookdale Santa Catalina, but they don't let you go to all the levels. We only saw independent. We couldn't get into the other levels due to the COVID issue. They were very nice people. The staff was charming, very informative, and helpful. The only thing, for my mother in particular, is the walk outside to go to dinner at every meal was gonna be a lot in 110-degree weather. You had to walk outside to get to that facility the whole way, and we thought that was a bit much for her. It's beautiful up in that area. It's right at the edge of the mountains, so the area was very lush and very nice. We saw independent rooms. One was a one-bedroom, which is what mom was looking at, but she wants a washer and dryer, and it had no washer and dryer. You had to go down the hall to do that. The shower in the one-bedroom was a tub. There was no walk-in shower at all in the one-bedroom, and that was a safety concern. I don't know if all their apartments are like that. They made us little food box to go home, and it was good.

Fay

Brookdale Santa Catalina is perfect. The apartments are very nice, you get to choose what decor you want, and they have patios. The staff is very friendly, very knowledgeable, the whole place is very well cared for, and the residents seemed active and happy. The dining area looked fine, and the residents were busy having conversation and going about doing things.

Pamela

Brookdale Santa Catalina was very beautiful. If my husband needed long-term care, I would go there. I was very impressed by the facility, the friendliness of the staff, and the cleanliness of the facility. It was excellent. I checked the assisted living, independent living, and the skilled nursing facility, and they gave me a wonderful tour. They had physical therapy. I was impressed that they had an individual menu for every person for every meal. It's dining room style with a waiter that comes around for every meal. The staff was amazing. They were very friendly and very informative. I went to find the place the day before and the person who was on-call on a Sunday came out to see me and gave me a little tour. We had a long talk about the stresses of caregiving and how they understand how stressful it can be. I didn't try the food, but it looked very good on the plate. They had a beautiful dining room and it looked like a restaurant. It's in a beautiful area with a beautiful view.

J Long

My mother has been living at La Rosa (Assisted care and Alzheimer's care) for 2+ years. It was good when we moved in HOWEVER, Management has become a major issue. There has been turn over in key management positions including the Executive Director, the Head of Nursing and two event coordinators, all in the past 14 months. These management positions are extremely important to run a caring, well structured and good facility for the residents. The end result in this lack of management is employee turnover, no continuity of nursing care, and an overall depression of the staff. I would not recommend this facility. Thank you for taking time to read my review and please take into account before making a choice for yourself or a loved one.

Provider Response

Frederick

Brookdale is very well put together, the service is excellent, and the location is, we're looking at 9000 feet of mountains right out of our back window. We've been here less than a week. Every day, something is going on, Wii bowling, bocce ball, swimming aerobics, Bridge, and outing.

Dick447005

Our overall impression of Brookdale Santa Catalina was very good. It was not a new unit; it has been there for quite a while. We felt that the amenities were very nice, they were accommodating, and they have facilities that anyone would enjoy. We were just not in a position to move, at the time we visited, but it would be one to consider. Another thing nice about it is that they were very open to allow you to do what you wanted as far as upgrading your unit, if you so desire. We felt that the food was good. We had lunch there, the dining room was very nice, and the chef was very accommodating. In fact, he actually came over and talked with us. They have open dining, and it appeared to be a good choice of meals.

Chester147105

We looked at Brookdale Santa Catalina. We just visited to see an overview of not only where it was located but how it looked and what they offered. Overall, it was very pleasant. The location was pleasant; it was off in the mountains. The staff was all very cordial. The facilities were excellent, and the costs were reasonable. We looked at two of the rooms, and they were very nice.

Lyndell

It’s been a week since we moved at Brookdale Santa Catalina. The unit that we have is two bedroom and two bathroom, and it’s very nicely arranged. It’s a good apartment for us. It is also cleaned by the staff so we don’t have to clean it. They have a formal dining room where there are waiters and menus. It includes soup, salad, a main course, and a desert, and it’s excellent food. Their community room is big enough to accommodate a lot of people when we have gatherings. The staff has some organizational problems in the beginning concerning the terms with people having different information from other people. It seems that the staff is struggling to keep it right. Overall, I feel it is a very good place to live.

Alice100024

Brookdale Santa Catalina was a very beautiful place in a very nice location on the foothills. The staff was very nice, and I liked all of the people that I met. It's an older place and the rooms were generally smaller than the ones that are being built today. If I'm just looking for location, I'm sure this is where I would want to go. The grounds were very nice and very well kept. They had a lot of covered walkways. Parking was very convenient. I recommend other people take a look at it.

visitor122187750

We liked Brookdale because it was well away from town, very quiet, had very little traffic, and was extremely scenic since it’s close to the mountains. The rooms seemed pleasant and separated from the main building. They had a swimming pool and an exercise room. The staff was very pleasant; the one in charge of transportation was very welcoming, and a young lady outdid herself by making literature not normally given out. They give you a calendar of activities for the month.

Caring111638850

Brookdale Santa Catalia was very nice. The staff was very nice, very cordial, and very helpful. It was just that what they were offering me would not be suitable for my son. However, the rooms, the dining room, and the public areas were all very nice. The activities that they offered were endless. They had cards, they took them to shopping, and they had games and movies. Whatever they would want, they were certainly going to make sure that they could provide it for them. They were very nice.

Caring108358050

I visited Brookdale Santa Catalina (Formerly Santa Catalina Villas). It was very beautiful, just expensive for us. The apartments were very nice and had a nice view. The staff that toured us around was very pleasant and knowledgeable. It was quiet and peaceful.

Val9

We liked Santa Catalina Villas very much, but it was far from them. It doesn't have shopping nearby. There were a lot bigger distances between the rooms and the dining area. I thought that's a detriment. They needed to be close by. However, the environment was very nice. It was open and beautiful. People were kind, and the residents were around and seemed happy there. They had many activities. They had many options and different things you could be a part of. The rooms were more spacious and felt not so crowded in. I liked that better.

Caring99158250

Santa Catalina Villas had beautiful surroundings. The food was very good, and people were friendly. It was a nice facility, and the staff was very nice. The ones we've met were very nice and very helpful. There were all of the usual activities like swimming, yoga, and taichi, and they take you out to different places and buses to doctors and stores. I liked the area that it was in, and the food was very good.

Caring75259350

Santa Catalina Villas was a nice place, but I saw no residents. It looked more like a mortuary than a living facility. The staff was extremely nice. The baker was wonderful. The apartments were nice. The little backyard was fabulous, and they did have a one bedroom den like what we were looking for, but again it was a little bit higher in terms of the price. The good side is that it's gated and very secured.

Provider Response

Timothy4

I liked the tour I took of Santa Catalina Villas because they not only had a good facility with 24-hour nursing -- something that we were looking for at that time -- but they also had dieticians who would take care of my father's dietary needs. They would take care of everything (including diabetes related issues) and they would give you different options, which was nice. They had different rooms for physical therapy; the patient could do it with assistance or they could do it on their own after they were given instructions. It was actually a very nice place. I talked to one guy who was actually staying there while my wife was talking to the social worker for a little while. Maybe I just spoke to a very positive elderly person, but he seemed pretty happy. I got a good feeling from that place. It was either the admissions person or the assistant who took us around. The place was clean. Just from the view you can see that they do take care of the place; it's not so much that it's old. It's not a big place not like those corporate facilities. Most of it was one level and accessible for the most part. They had two different areas: one was the assisted living space and the other was the nursing home.

bbob1224

I cannot believe the terrible condition that my poor grandparents have to suffer through. They were sold on this property as a nice place to retire to and after a few months are plagued with maintenance problems. The property manager the worst manager that I have ever had to deal with. He told my grandparents that it was their stupid decision to live here and that they are stuck with the condition of the apartment that they choose. I cannot believe that this place would keep a manager around that treats people like this. Do not let your grandparents stay here if you care about them!

Provider Response

Caring84555050

Santa Catalina is in the foothills, so you have a variation in unit height. It has a very interesting skyline when you walk through it. The staff was very nice. I had lunch there, and the food was excellent. The interaction between the staff and the residents seemed to be good. The rooms are not that big, though.

Caring74323750

The location of Santa Catalina is a gorgeous location here in Tucson. Tucson is really an ugly town but their location is in a very exclusive area surrounded by very expensive homes but the interior of the place is not that great. I was treated very badly at Santa Catalina Villas and although it's a very, very beautiful place, I would no way go there with the treatment I received. They did show me one apartment but it did not impress me as much. For such a beautiful place, they certainly are poorly staffed. They sent me an invitation to three of their affairs. When I called and inquired as to why they claimed they had sent me one when I never received it, they sent it to the wrong address. The affair that I was invited to, we sat around the pool. The residents showed me the dining room, the activities room and the exercise room. The marketing people, the people who are supposed to talk you into moving in treated me like they didn't like my looks or something. I wouldn't dare recommend that place. It's a horrible place to live.

Provider Response

Bob44

The things that impressed be about Santa Catalina Villas were the knowledge of the people there and the fact that most of the staff had been there a very long time. The facility was very clean. The eating facilities were good and it looked like they did a better job of helping with people more readily. I saw a lot of employees.

Maria19

This facility has a great deal to offer. I liked the Santa Catalina Villas very much.

Judy36

We visited Santa Catalina and it was very nice. I liked the environment. It was beautiful. The food was good. The rooms looked very nice. However, they should improve on areas of their facility, especially the washer and dryer area. For somebody who was older, it would be an inconvenience that they would have to go outside to do the washing and drying.

Janice9

Santa Catalina Villas was a very nice facility. The atmosphere was super. Their apartments were very nice and the staff were very nice too. I liked everything about the place. The only thing that I did not like was that in order to get to the dining area you have to go outside. I don't like that because the weather is sometimes very hot and I wouldn't take too kindly for having to walk to the dining area from where my apartment was.

Nancy38

My friend and I visited Santa Catalina, but she decided not to go that route anymore because she simply cannot afford it. The staff was wonderful. They were absolutely accommodating. We were very impressed by how they treated us. I can say nothing but good things about that place.

reviewer1234

We were very pleased with the Santa Catalina Villas assisted living community. The staff is extremely helpful, courteous, and pleasant. They are very welcoming during a very difficult time. The grounds are beautiful, located in the heart of Tucson's Santa Catalina mountains. It's a gated community, which is great for security, though this area of town is very nice so that shouldn't be a concern. They have plenty of amenities, and high quality amenities at that. The therapy center seems innovative and organized. They take pride in their "restaurant quality" food, made with fresh and healthy ingredients. They have special menus for special diets. The room floor plans can be a little small in terms of living space, but that can be ok too. They do have larger rooms, as well as very large multiple bedroom apartments. Everything seems clean and nice. Overall, this assisted living facility seems to be a decent choice.

Libby1

The staff was very friendly towards the residents. Staff was familiar with them through names and was always offering assistance in any way. The menu offered to the residents was colorful and healthy. A wide variety of options were offered as well as substitute options. If a resident has a problem with a food item, it was no problem to accommodate them. As a dessert the residents were offered various items like ice cream, fruit cups, or sponge cake. Many residents enjoyed lunch with visiting family members and friends in a clean and welcoming environment. The kitchen was very clean and staff kept up to date with their Serv safe practices. Hand washing was practiced by all, and hairnets and gloves were seen on every staff member who was handling food. The food was prepared fresh daily and served to the residents personally. Residents were able to choose the items they wanted from a menu. A variety of fruit drinks were offered as beverages, as well as enhanced beverages like fiber enhanced prune juice.