Fairwinds - Woodward Park

Karen

Fairwinds-Woodward Park was really nice. It was primarily for people who were more active seniors and didn't need the assistance. It was a hustling, bustling place with lots of people coming and going. It seemed like a great place. They were very, very nice, and it was the number one place that we looked at. They actually had a really good offer and I liked the attentive staff. Watching so many people coming and going, I thought that that was a good indicator of people staying there. There were families coming and going and there were people visiting. It seemed like there was more activity going on. Most of the places we looked at, you don't have that sort of atmosphere because people are needing more assistance, but in this particular location it seemed like a nice place to be and to live for anybody. It's just that the other facility we visited offered more for the same base price. There were a lot of add ons at Fairwinds-Woodward Park. There were a lot of things that were not included in the base price.

Reviewer RC#0115b

Fairwinds-Woodward Park was amazing. The residents there seemed really happy. It seemed like an upscale hotel. It just felt, overall, much better. The rooms were beautiful, updated, nice-sized, and with storage. The staff was fantastic. Their food tasted good. They were really health conscious. It could use a little more seasoning and have a few more choices, but it was very healthy.

Rodney

My mother will be moving into Fairwinds - Woodward Park. I have friends that have had family there and they were very happy with it. It's also five minutes from my home, so we're moving her closer to the family. They have a multitude of things, arts and crafts, gyms, and spas. I've done two tours actually and they've come highly recommended. We worked with the personnel and they seemed very accommodating and very professional. The staff was fantastic. Everybody there that we talked to said the food was good. They're remodeling. The one my mother will move into is 1250 square-foot, two-bedroom and it just got repainted and refreshed. It's beautiful. They did a good job. The whole facility seemed very well taken care of. They had different card tables, a pool table, arts and crafts, and a bar for happy hour. There were numerous things for her to do. They have a library upstairs and all kinds of good stuff. They have a gym, yoga classes, and a salon for the ladies to get their hair and nails done. They've got just about everything. Everybody we spoke with there was happy. One lady has been there six years and one lady seven years. They're all happy and they even have little vans that take them to the doctor. They take them out to bingo and the casino, and they can go shopping. They pretty much cover everything.

Jodie

I thought that Fairwinds-Woodward Park was the best I've seen so far. They have very helpful people. They were very kind, very nice, and they were at their best. I toured their independent living and they have assisted living also. The woman was very helpful, and the people seemed happy and fine. And they gave me a lot of really good material to look over. The different thing about them is that the room had a kitchen while all the others had kitchenettes. Though I don't care since they provide 3 good meals a day and you're not doing much cooking anyway. One thing I liked about them is that they have an exercise gym and activities. They offer bible studies, you can do all kinds of exercises if you want to and they have a beauty salon. They had quite a few things that looked good. The staff that I saw were all very friendly and helpful.

James

I liked Fairwinds - Woodward Park. The room that they showed us was more updated and a little fancier, and a newer facility had been added on. The other parts of the facility looked nice, clean, and appealing. They were having some entertainment when we were there. There's somebody singing around the bar. It's a much larger facility than the others, and it's a little bit more appealing. They have independent living, and if you go to assisted living they do that in your room, and they have a flat fee for assisted living care.

MDSand

My parent lives here. On the overall, it's a really nice well maintained facility. The employees are kind. However, one huge area of complaint for the residents is always the food!! The residents pay for it, but Fairwinds does NOT provide high quality, fresh food that is well prepared. An example is a Cobb Salad dinner entree which has NO dressing, no egg, no bacon, and no blue cheese (only a mozzarella like cheese product). The beef is tough and the chicken is flavorless. Breakfast is mostly starchy carbohydrates with few protein options. Since the residents are on lockdown, food is one of the very few things they have to look forward to and Fairwind's cheapens out and leaves the residents disappointed that they cannot get a good meal with all of their hard earned money. It is a shame they do not value the residents more, and put themselves in their shoes. Right now all of their amenities are closed down like their gym and movie room, so they are paying for amenities they cannot enjoy. A similar regular apartment would be about $2000 less, so the residents are paying roughly $2000 for their food with this low level, poor execution where they are clearly not putting in any effort. The kitchen staff may want to envision what they would like to eat when they are retired.

Paula

We chose Fairwinds Woodward Park for my brother-in-law. We love it; it is excellent. He has a beautiful apartment downstairs near the gym and the restaurant. We are very happy with it. So far, I have no complaints about the staff. The dining area is comfortable and nice. However, my brother-in-law eats all of his meals at the bistro. He prefers that more casual location, so he likes having that option. There is always something freshly cooked that smelled delicious when you walk in there. The activities are fabulous, but he just doesn't take advantage of them. The value for the price is fair. It is not cheap, but I don't think it is overpriced. He has a downstairs apartment with a patio, so it is more expensive, but we chose that because he has a couple of dogs. He is allowed to have those animals there and that's important to him.

Sqlman

My mom has been there for 6 years. We had visited the facility soon after it was completed, but she wasn't ready at that time. She selected Fairwinds above all others. I am glad she is there and she is happy with the facility. For me, the biggest decline in service is with the dining room staff and quality of food. 6 years ago, most of the servers were from Fresno State Hospitality program and they were top notch for service. Current staff seem to be clueless, not very friendly. Long waits to get your order taken. The food quality has slipped also. It was very good 5-6 years ago. There was a management change several years ago and this may have led to the decline. I have heard many of the other patrons complain of the food and dining room service. Housekeeping as far as I hear is great. Costs have risen over the years, so I don't know if the value is great as it once was. Mom is safe and that is one of the main goals and not really alone.

CMJC

My mom has lived at Fairwinds for 4 months. She loves it there! I love her being there! When I first met the sales staff: John, Isaac, & Evan, little did I know that was not the last I would see of them. They, along with the rest of the staff are so committed to the community and the families. They are like my friends too. If I need anything or have questions, I can ask any one of them, and they will help me/ or my mom. Before my mom moved in, I was surprised at how happy the residents were and they are down in the lobby visiting. When I visit my mom, it is always such a happy place to come to and say hello to all the people. My mom loves the activities, special excursions, games, pool exercise, exercise classes, book club. They even have special speakers and musicians. My mom has quite a few friends and loves the food. I look forward to eating there when I visit. George, the chef is so helpful and I really appreciate him and all his hard work! I could probably go on and on naming people and thanking people. The staff pretty much knows what is going on with everyone and can alert to possible issues. This is a big plus for me so I am not worried about my mom. Yet, they are not overbearing. My mom has her privacy. I find Fairwinds personnel very respectful and I think I would want to live there when I am old enough to qualify! In my mind, this place is better than I thought! They really care about the people. I can’t say enough!!

Lori

Fairwinds was our first choice. It was excellent, had good common areas, and had the most choices in the size of apartments.

Yosemite Manny

We lived at Fairwinds for 3 months and moved back to our home, which had not sold... We found that too hard, and after much searching, moved to a place in Clovis.. It was cheaper, but comparably horrid., as were other similar facilities. We will be going back. to FW

Susan016238

Fairwinds - Woodward Park was too expensive, just like all of the other places. The room that was available was too far from an exit, but I liked the whole place. Their activities were wonderful, and their food was good. They had a coffee bar and provided entertainment and activities, plus transportation for their residents' appointments, shopping, and outside excursions.

bobby800067

I wasn't as impressed with Fairwinds. It seemed a little rundown. It was clean and nice, but I didn't care for it. The rooms were plain. I wasn't going to put my parents there.

Provider Response

BD280068

I have settled on Fairwinds-Woodward Park. I like the whole ambience. They had a lift in the swimming pool, and they had aerobics classes. I have very bad knees, so its hard for me to get in and out of a regular pool. The food was very good. I have a 2-bedroom because I do a lot of handcrafts. It did have a small kitchen and a washer and dryer which was a big thing to me. It is nice and seems adequate.

Provider Response

Irene31

Fairwinds - Woodward Park is a very glamorous place and very upscale. I felt it offered more than what my mother needed. It had more fitness activities than my mother would ever use. The staff was very young and attractive as well as welcoming and very nice.

Provider Response

Vangie1

Fairwinds was wonderful place to go. It was very pretty, and the people were very nice, but it just wasn’t in our budget. They were very friendly.

Pam114330150

I visited Woodward Park. The personnel were very knowledgeable about their property and the services that they provide. They were very patient and were open to answer questions. They were very accommodating.

Caring105642750

My husband and I went to Fairwinds quite a while ago when they had just opened up a new wing to see what the rooms were like because we were thinking we might want to go to a retirement home sometime. We had lunch there. And then I went there a few weeks ago when I was looking around for my sister-in-law. It was very nice and very high end. I think they are the best in Fresno. They have an outdoor swimming pool, they have exercise program, and they also have an in-house travel agent to help trips and transportation. They have get togethers and activities every day.

M and m

AT first glance,this is a fine facility. After two months here,I know better. Several promises in brochures are not fulfilled. The food served is very inconsistent, from fair to awful. Portions can be from a 3 1/2 ounces of stuffed peppers to four ounces of poor quality pressed turkey. Soup and hot foods are luke warm, at best. Meal are very unbalanced, with mostly carbohydrates. Servers are pleasant and helpful, but show little signs of experience or training. A revolving door policy in hiring is obvious. Resident turnover is high,and would probably be higher, except for the cost and inconvenience of moving.

Provider Response

Caring111271050

We visited Fairwinds. Everyone was very friendly there. It was very energetic. The clients were friendly. The chef, though, was not very friendly. We were invited to lunch, but I did not bring any food that I could eat. I requested the chef to scrub the grill that he was going to cook the hamburger on to make me a burger wrap, but he was not too happy about doing that. For me, Fairwinds would not be very high on my list. Another thing that I didn't like about this facility was that they have specific days where they would take you to doctor's visits and specific days where they would take you out shopping, and you have to meet their schedule. Sometimes, when you have to go see the doctor, some of them don't work Monday through Friday.

Provider Response

Judith36

My mom is currently at Fairwinds and she seems quite happy than she has been there. When she first moved in, it seemed like their dining is a restaurant type dining. They have a menu that they give you, you choose a really wide variety of menu, and they even have a snack bar and that sort of thing. They have people coming in, music, and the location of it was important for my mother. It was very safe with her moving into Fairwinds. I know she has had some trouble with the service staff in cleaning her room. They have a new management; the gal who has taken over managed a large hotel, but she has never managed people in senior living, and she felt that was impacting the quality of life there. They’re very professional. She did have to go to the hospital at one point. She fell down in her apartment, and I have somebody calling me from the front desk telling me that she had been taken out, but she was OK. I asked if they call me back if she returned or if she just stayed in the hospital.

Caring98147750

One of our biggest deals with Fairwinds is that if you move from independent to assisted living, you don’t need to change rooms. The guy that runs the place is very personable, and it felt good. We are considering this facility for our mom.

Caring66061350

My father-in-law is at an assisted care facility called Fairwinds and there are a lot of social activities. They have a gym with a trainer and they have a lot of music in there. The physical side of the facility is very nice. They have more of a restaurant-type of atmosphere. They do say the facility is assisted living, but I think it's more suited for independent type people.

Caring62765350

Fairwinds was very nice but very expensive. My daughter lives around that area and that's another reason why we visited this place. The facility itself was very nice and beautiful. The people there seemed very nice as well. You can have your own apartment there. They did have a lot of stuff to do for their residents like play cards, see movies, etc. They can take you to dinner or take you to shop or whatever. I noticed people playing cards when I visited and they had all kinds of things to do, but I have my social friends and I don't really do those things. Their apartments were off of the big lobby there, but not all of them. Their apartments were small. They are sufficient but for what they cost, they're about the size of a hotel suite. One apartment has a bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchen and a small eating area. And at that time, they said they only have one-bedroom apartments. Overall it was a very nice facility but they could improve on having a yard, e.g., for pets and that their apartments should be a little bigger.

vomacka8

Nice facility

Daughter15

The staff and facilities at Fairwinds are exceptional. The staff are well-screened and well trained. They are attentive to the residents and know many of them by name. The facilities are clean and up to date. The facility makes sure that the residents have many opportunities for social stimulation. Overall, it is a happy place.

gmoney

My grandmother and grandfather moved to Fairwinds about 2 years ago. The first thing that drew me in was how clean and well kept the whole community was. Once inside it only got better. Everyone is very friendly and always there to help. I remember the first time I visited them after they moved in. We ate at the resturant and the waiter knew my grandparents by name. It felt really good that they enjoyed it there and everybody treated them well.

stillwaitingforva

Snobby hotel-like facility with unfriendly people. The facility is top-notch but the staff and the residents (at least a significant number) pride them selves on the "hotel-like" atmosphere. We wanted a community with friendly people, not a hotel full of anonymous guests. My mother lived there for 6 months before we moved to The Windham.