Brookdale Lake Charles

Ella

We like Brookdale Lake Charles. It's the perfect place for my father. It meets all his needs. It's just a matter of how much longer we can afford to keep him there. That's all it was. The care there is exactly what we need and they take really good care of him. The room is perfect for him. It's a one-bedroom apartment. It's like an efficiency apartment. They have an activities director and they take them on outings. They have exercise and people come in to entertain them. Every holiday or special occasion, they have a family get-together. We just went to one for Mardi Gras last week. They have common places like a library and a courtyard.

Damon

I toured Brookdale Lake Charles. I liked the staff that was there. The staff let us go and talk to residents that were there and how they felt about the place. Their rooms there were very nice. But one of the things that I liked least about it was it seemed like the activity areas that they had weren't very thought out well. And so it was very small, for what I thought, for activities, for the people to do things, it just kind of seemed like an afterthought. It just didn't seem roomy. It was more of just, a place to live, in your room, walk the halls, and that was it. The place was very, very nice, it was very clean through the facility because they took us through memory care, which my mom would maybe need. So through memory care, or assisted living, all of that, even the courtyard was very well kept. They had flowers and stuff that some of the people that lived there were taken care of. It was very, very well-kept.

Sally

We toured Brookdale Lake Charles. It's very nice and very informative. Everybody I met was very nice, professional, and sympathetic. Initially, I sat in a room, and they asked me about my husband, what prompted me to go there and how long he had been having issues, and so forth just to get a background, so it was all good. Their dining area was lovely. The staff who gave me the tour were great. They were very professional and very informative. They showed me several rooms, not just one room, and answered all my questions. The rooms were very well laid out and very comfortable. Nothing negative to say about them. They were great.

Tammie

I toured Brookdale Lake Charles. The place was beautiful. The staff was very helpful and very friendly. The girl that showed me around the first day was sweet as can be and answered every question that I had. When I went back the next day for my mother's evaluation, they tried to help me calm my mother down because she wasn't too happy about being put into a home. The director came out and tried to make my mother more comfortable with the idea of living there. They were all very great. The quaint little apartments were cute with walk-in showers. The bathroom was nicely set up, and I loved it. The closet had plenty of room for clothing. You do have to buy the furniture for the apartment. It had a cute little sink, a microwave, and a little refrigerator. They said they will mount the TV on the wall if you want so that it can swivel either back and forth from the bedroom area to the living room area. They will do medicine care. They can either let the resident handle their own medicine or if they prefer, the staff will handle the medicine for them and remind them every day and hand them their pills every day to make sure they're taking them on time. The level of care my mother needs will be provided there for her, so it was perfect. They had a salon and an activities room. If you have home health that would come out if you needed exercise, the home health is welcome to come to the resident's own apartment and help them right then and there, just like they would in their own home. They would help bathe if needed and help change them. They would carry a necklace around their neck with a button they could push that would send a message to the nurses on staff and the nurse will come and see whatever they need. It's very private. It just goes to their little pager and they go to the room to see what you need. The place was really quiet. There were not a lot of loud noises and stuff in the halls. They had a big dining area where there were pretty tablecloths on all the tables. They had somebody that comes for dinners several times a week to play the piano for them. They had a guy that came dressed up like old Elvis or something to entertain them.

David

My mom is a resident of Brookdale Lake Charles. In the end, management was extremely poor. They've been without an executive director for over a year. The caregivers were good quality, and they are what I liked the most; the administration is what I liked the least about this place. The food didn't seem to be as high quality as the other facility. The caregivers were very caring and attentive. The facilities were not well maintained. They had occasional crafts, but I don't believe they had any exercise.

Provider Response

Marilyn

My father has moved into Brookdale Lake Charles. First and most of all, the staff is just excellent. They were very pleasant to speak with and answered every question that we had. The facilities are very well kept, and there's always somebody there to assist my dad if need be. Anytime I may have any questions or concerns concerning the facility, they're always there to answer any type of questions that I have. There's always someone there immediately. There's not been a time where I have called there and needed some answers to something where they didn't help me. They were always on time. They always made sure that if they didn't have the answers, they got someone who could answer. My dad, being from the south, he's accustomed to seasoned type foods. So far, he's not complained about the meals at all. They have accommodated him very well. If it's certain things that he didn't like, or perhaps it didn't have enough seasoning or whatever, they always gave him the little extra salt that he may want, or whatever to spice up the taste. Other than that, I've not heard a complaint from him, and I'm always checking with him every day, asking him if he enjoys breakfast, his lunch, or his dinner. They provide snacks, of course, and he eats very well, three square meals a day. So, he just had a very minor complaint, and it was the seasoning. I understand they can't season it because some people or the other residents can't have it because of medical or health conditions. It's very well-manicured, and I've never walked in the place and it was in disarray or there was a smell. They've always kept it very, very neat. They make sure they give them the paper. My dad reads the paper every morning. They play games, and they have activities with them. Of course, it's up to them whether they want to come out, but they try to encourage them. They give them reading pamphlets, and they go over it with them just to make sure their attention span is still up-to-par, and to keep them alert and active. They give you the whole tour inside, and of everything they have to offer, even with the memory care in the event that my dad would have to move from assisted living to memory care. They offered that to let me know what he would be entering, and what type of care he would be assisted in. I was pleased with that overall. Their dining area gave you that feel of a restaurant appearance almost. They had the linen and everything on the table. That way, the residents felt like they were at their own home, and the things that they're accustomed to. He has this little dining section, a full TV sectioned area, and his bedroom area away from his bathroom area. So, that made it feel more like home for him. They all have a microwave, so my dad can heat something up, and he can pop some popcorn, that kind of thing.

MBW

We went for a lunch tour and had lunch in the beautiful dining room. The staff was kind and friendly. The Chef came to our table and greeted us. The Manager was helping with everyone. The building was clean and everything looked nice. We are early in our search but this is number 1 on our list.

Melva

When we visited Brookdale Lake Charles, a lot of the people in memory care were walking around like kind of comatosed, just wandering or so incapacitated. There was a lady playing out the garden like a child with a little whirly toy. One of the rooms they showed just looked over the parking lot. It was just like a nursing home. The memory care is all they had room for. They would not have any rooms in assisted living till at least April or May, and they have a waiting list. It was very late in the day when we went. The lady that was in charge of people was getting ready to leave, and it was just a really rushed thing. The room might have been a little bit bigger than what they have at the other facility. In the room that we saw, the countertop around the sink was old linoleum. The grout was all dirty. It hadn't been updated in a very long time. I only talked to the lady that gave us the tour. I didn't talk to anyone else. She was wonderful.

Provider Response

Alvin

Brookdale Lake Charles was a nice place. I saw both the assisted living and memory care. The staff were good people to work with. They take you around and explain everything. It was a good tour.

Kenneth

I went to Brookdale Lake Charles. I thought it was nice. I went into the office. I sat down with a staff and a few of the senior persons. It was really pleasant. We did the tour. First, we had a conversation. They answered all the questions that I had for them. They shared some information with me about the comfort of Brookdale and then we did a tour. They invited me into one of the rooms to see how it was set up and it was very comforting. They gave me the activity calendar, and I thought it was pretty nice the way it was set up and how it is laid out in some of the activities that were scheduled to have. They have a form of schedule from 9:00 until 6:30 at night. It was pretty nice. The staff members were very pleasant. They answered all my questions. They provided a tour. They did everything that I had expected from them.

Ruby

My dad had been in Brookdale Lake Charles. He has dementia, but it wasn't a good fit for him. The staff members were nice. As far as the community itself, they just didn't offer the best in memory care pretty much with my dad. He just sat in the hall and sat in his room all day. There was really no interaction with him, and he became depressed; it just wasn't a good fit for him. He can still communicate, and he needs to have that social aspect in his life. It just wasn't a good fit for him. Actually my sister and I would have to go several times a week to give my dad his bath; otherwise, he didn't get a shower. They didn't get him in there to get a shower. He said he didn't want to do something like take a shower, and they just left him to it and you can't have that. Every time we went (which was a few times a week), the room was dirty. My sister and I would clean his room, and we would make his bed. We would bring his laundry home and wash it because they seemed to lose his laundry. It just wasn't a good fit for us. We cleaned the room. We gave him his showers. We did all of that. My dad wouldn't eat the food, so we also brought food every day. They have two separate courtyards: one for just assisted living and one for the memory care unit. But with the dementia, these people don't even realize most of the time that it's even there. They need someone to bring them to that courtyard to be able to get out in the sun, and that wasn't anything that they did. The courtyard for memory is a very small courtyard. It's provided there, but it's up to the patient to remember that it's there. The staff members were nice, but they just didn't do enough.

Provider Response

Jerry

My mom moved into Brookdale Lake Charles yesterday. It's less than 2 miles from my house. The staff were very accommodating. The room is very adequate and very nice. The facility is clean and looks very inviting. Its close to my house so it's a good location. The place is very pleasing and its not run down. It looks like its in pretty good shape and its well-kept.

PT

My mom is at Brookdale Lake Charles. We chose it because of the memory unit, and we are satisfied. The staff are good so far. Mom would like to be outside more, but because they are in the memory unit they can't just wander. They have activities and an activities director. The place is okay; it looks like a nursing home. It looks clean. It is out of town, almost out of the city, and kind of out in the open. It is on a very busy street, though.

Rodney

Brookdale is an assisted living facility. Very clean, friendly staff, my husband is quite happy living there.

Micki

My loved one resides here and I must say she receives exceptional care and attention. The staff is in constant communication with me to ensure her needs are met and that we all agree that any decisions made are in her best interest. The facility is beautiful as is my loved one's private living quarters. The staff is friendly, patient, and genuinely cares about the residents. They do their best to make my loved one comfortable and happy. I highly recommend this for senior living.

JR

Brookdale Lake Charles is a lovely place. When you put your own furniture in the rooms, it looks like an apartment with a bedroom and a walk-in shower without a step over. They had a half kitchen with no stove, but had a microwave, mini refrigerator. They had a dining room and people who came to play music for them. The manager was very informative and helpful.

Margaret

My father is at Brookdale Lake Charles, and so far, it's been good. He has three meals a day and laundry is included; they come and pick it up once a week, change his linens, and pass by and change his trash every single day. They also give him a ride to his medical appointments. The staff has been very nice. The facility is clean.

Dale205454

I visited Brookdale Lake Charles. The staff was very nice and showed me around and answered all my questions. When I went there, they had only one one-bedroom available. All of the other rooms were taken. It needed some repairs, like replacing the lights. They served breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They had buses and provided transportation for doctors' appointments. There was a big courtyard where they could go outside by themselves because it was fenced up.

Liane750567

Brookdale Lake Charles was very nice, clean, very pleasant, and didn't have odors. It didn’t have an independent living facility. The staff was very nice, caring, and understanding of the residents and their needs. They also had freshly prepared meals. The rooms were nice but small, and you can bring your own furnishings.

John460204

My father is in Brookdale Lake Charles. They have people within the same culture as my father, so that is why I picked it. He plays bingo every now and then. I know they have a cooking class that they do once a week that he likes. When he went there, he was injured, so he is just now starting to participate in things. I know he is doing some physical therapy right now. He likes going out and drinking coffee with his fellow residents more than anything, which is the culture in Louisiana.

Vickie681405

The rooms at Brookdale Lake Charles were like small studios and hospital-type rooms. It’s a really good facility. The staff seemed very nice and patient. They had outings at different times of the month, visiting entertainment, bingo, and cards. I know some residents did exercises and took cooking classes.

Jackie114326350

The people at Brookdale are really very nice. I met the activity coordinator, who was excellent. The room was really nice and clean, and all of the people were very friendly. They were just getting back from a field trip when I visited.

Greg24

Brookdale Lake Charles had a lot of things to offer for the residents like activities to keep them active. The food smelled good, and the people that were there seemed happy. They had outings and trips to the malls and the park. The activities director was actually the person who gave us the tour. He was very energetic and outgoing. He seemed to want to involve everybody. A lot of residents responded to him during the tour. They served three meals a day, and I believe they had a snack area that residents can go to at certain times for snacks and something to drink. Everything I saw was clean and well kept.

Caring96648450

Overall, I thought Emeritus Lake Charles was good. It was very clean, and the people were friendly. They had bingo, I know they have exercises.

Caring4502

The people of Emeritus at Lake Charles were very polite, very nice, and they have a really nice facility. It is a very good location. The residents seemed to be happy there. I was just looking for a place that was better and the Emeritus was something I think that my mother would enjoy.

Terry31

Emeritus at Lake Charles was very old, and when you walked in the old people were just sitting around, kind of not engaged and not visiting, and it had that old nursing home smell. They had very tiny rooms there too. The director was really friendly and very helpful, but it just felt like old people were kind of just sitting around. I couldn't picture my dad being happy to be there. The director, a young girl, was very helpful and very informed. I liked her. She was very easy to talk with. The place was not so great, but she was a great person.

Provider Response

Caring85247250

Emeritus was very good. There were several followup phone calls, lasting for months, just checking to see how things were going. I was very impressed both by the facility and the person who showed me around. There were three or four different styles of rooms. They showed me one of each. Personally, I thought they were small. That's another thing that impressed me. While I was sitting there at the table and we were discussing the facility, all of the workers just showed up with a meal and put it in front of me. I was surprised. I wasn't expecting to be fed, and the lady encouraged me to go ahead and try it and gave us what was being served that night. It was excellent. I ate it all and felt really good about that. Apparently, they're very proud of it, and that's one of their selling points. Overall, I felt very good about the place.

ButterflyLady56789361

This facility has a very caring family of employees. The administrator, Jeremy F. has really good management skills and has put together an excellent team.

lsufan

I was impressed by the services Emeritus had to offer, including several full time on-site staff members. The staff consisted of a nurse and events coordinator. The nurse cared for the patients and checked on their day to day needs. The events coordinator helped set up activities the residents enjoyed that also helped keep the residents fit and healthy. For example, some days they danced and others they had local hospitals speak on various topics. The facilities are nice, clean, and well kept. My only issue was the staff who can be slightly abrupt.

Kimberlystodder

This facility was extremely nice. Walking into this place was like walking into an upscale hotel. There was a beauty shop there that was small but well equipped to cater to any hairstyle that a resident might request. When I saw the dining room I gasped... it was like an uptown restaraunt complete with fancy dining chairs and great food. The guests rooms we saw were like a five star hotel room. The residents seemed very independant. They seemed to move about freely without needing much assistant. The residents also seemed very happy, full of smiles. I really liked it here. It was more of a community of slighty older people who just needed companionship more than medical care.