Avamere at Rio Rancho

Ginagon

The building felt empty. I didn't see residents anywhere but the building smelled like amonia everywhere. I didn't see a staff member anywhere and I waited a long time at the desk before they found someone to show me around. The place just seemed so quiet like a tomb. The apartment was ok but it was dirty, juice spilled in fridge and dead bugs. I found a place where my mom could see other people and where activities were going on. This was a big no for me.

tookatour

I toured the memory care at this facility and it smelled like bodily fluids. Residents were left unattended in front of the tv and no caregiver was around. It was dark with lights off and they looked like they’re in dirty clothes and dirty hair. Shared rooms only with no privacy. It was sad just warehousing people for 6000 a month—not my dad.

Daughter of Resident

My mother started being a resident of the Avamere facility in Rio Rancho on January 20, 2022. I was finally able to visit the facility and my mother over the Easter weekend 2022. My mother has adjusted quite well, very happy, staff was always attentive, there for residents at all times, pleasant and goofy to keep the residents happy. She loves the fact that at 89, she is pretty much waited on hand and foot, which she has never had, always worked and took care of others. Loves the food, her alone time, her social time, staff and other residents. I am pleased that she is at Avamere Assisted Living in Rio Rancho, NM

Provider Response

Randomuv

Not very good. Administration is often not honest. No nursing staff. Extremely high staff turnover

Provider Response

GJJG

Caregivers and floor staff are amazing. Huge problems with management retention as well as staff retention. Staff are overworked, and many times there are not enough staff on the floor to be able to provide adequate care. Would warn caregivers to stay far away, residents and families are amazing, however there is a severe lack of support for the staff. I would encourage potential residents and families to ask about staffing and how many caregivers they have during each shift including the graveyard shift. The price may be affordable as compared to other communities, however residents still do not receive what they pay for.

Provider Response

Phil

I'm very happy here at Avamere at Rio Rancho (formerly Brookdale Rio Rancho). It's a good choice. The food is outstanding. I put on 15 pounds. I'm very happy with the care. It's very good. I have no problem at all with anything. There are daily exercises, movies every night in the theater room, and arts and crafts. There's a nice trail where they can walk on. The facility and the maintenance group are good. The place had been renovated when it was sold. They spruced it up a little bit. It has a large outdoor and a beautiful courtyard in the middle of the property. I like it a lot. We go to the community senior center, which is one of the best senior centers in the state. I go over there for country and western dancing. The convenience to the senior center is a huge plus. It's a three-minute drive from our place.

Provider Response

john861518

From my experience, Brookdale Rio Rancho is the best. I was impressed with their flexibility and having access to different things in the area. They had a van that will take you anywhere. It had a homier feel and was very accommodating. I stayed in Brookdale at Albuquerque, so I knew what to expect, and I prefer staying with Brookdale.

Provider Response

elbusers

My mother has been in the Memory Care unit at Brookdale Rio Rancho for several months now & we have been pleased with the care she has received. In spite of Alzheimer's, my mother is healthier & looking better now than she has in the last few years. We have found the staff very attentive to the needs of the residents, cheerful & caring despite how difficult some of the residents can be. A new executive director took over @2 months ago & has been making many positive improvements. The staff of the Memory Care unit have always been welcoming to the families and caregivers of the residents and have allowed us to provide for some of the needs & care of our family members. The nursing staff is exceptional in their care & they work with us to ensure that my Mother's health & medical needs are properly addressed. Brookdale Rio Rancho is a very nice, moderately priced facility that has ensured that my Mother has been well cared for. In addition, Brookdale Rio Rancho shows great caring and compassion for the family members of residents by providing a family member's support group. The first month my Mother was at Brookdale was extremely stressful for us not knowing what to expect with Alzheimer's. The support group helped us to get thru that difficult period by meeting & talking with other family members & finding that we weren't alone in this. The support group helps us to make each visit something to look forward to.

Provider Response

Haylee

Please do not move in there! They are very understaffed! They don't care if you are diabetic or not, everyone gets the same food. Service is very slow in the dining room and the people that take care of the residence also serve you your food - they suppose to wear aprons but hardly ever do. Yes you have a alert around your neck, but if you push the button you might hear "we kind of busy right now, please call back later" You are lucky if you get the receptionist at the front desk, she is hardly ever there. But hey you have a happy hour where they serve alcohol to everyone that requests it - diabetic or not. Rooms are very small, staff leaves you waiting. For the money you have to pay to live there the service you are getting in return is terrible1

Provider Response

Maxinne

We moved my mother into a 1-bedroom apartment at Brookdale Rio Rancho. But it was too far away from the elevator and she couldn't handle it. So they helped us move her into a studio right across from the elevator. The staff has been very caring and very helpful. They helped us move things in and out. So far everything's been great.

Provider Response

Jeanne31

The person who took us on the tour at Brookdale Rio Rancho was very nice. We spent probably an hour in the assisted living and watched how people interacted with the clients, so that was kind of nice. They did a lot of different activities with the residents. They attempt to learn about their residents, like how long their attention spans are, their physical activity levels, and things like that. They also gauge who wants to participate and who really doesn't, which was really neat. They had some people who were working with clay, other people were coloring, and one man who just didn't want to get involved in anything, and that was OK. They didn't try to force him to do anything. He wasn’t really having a good day, so they weren't forcing him or verbally abusive or anything like that even though he was being difficult.

Provider Response

Happy visitor3

We visited Brookdale Rio Rancho (formerly Emeritus at Sandia Springs). The facilities were fine, but they did not have a private room available at that time. It was a little large and would be overwhelming for my mother to not know where or who she because of her condition right now. It seemed nice otherwise. The rooms seemed very fine, clean, and spacious. We liked the fact that they had rails along the hallways. The people seemed to be informative. What stood out that day was they were having music for the people there and gathering the people around.

Provider Response

Anonymous120878950

I receive full service provided.

Provider Response

Caring104988150

I did visit Emeritus at Sandia Springs, and I was happy with it. I liked the activities and its neatness. It looked very nice, and it was well kept. The people were very courteous. I was very impressed.

Provider Response

Cathy102655950

Emeritus had some nice features. Everybody has lockets around their necks so that if they fall down, everybody is alerted. It was very small in regards to the residents’ quarters. I like the security systems they had. The surroundings were very nice, and they were being remodeled. Everybody was at the table in the dining room when I went there. I had met the activity director, and they were welcoming and friendly.

Provider Response

kiefc

My mother has lived here for over a year. It is an excellent place. The social director Christina is great. The real quality is the folks that care for mom at night and on the weekends. Folks like Sue and Louis make it easy for me to relax and know my mom is being taken care of in a caring and professional manner. Craig

Provider Response

Caring95420450

Emeritus had little cottages which were like little duplexes, and it looked very ample and very nice. The staff was friendly and helpful. I had lunch there, and it was very good. They had a number of activities. They had a cooking program for microwaves, they had a library, and they had a game room.

Provider Response

Caring30661

Emeritus was more caring and involved with the people there, and the rooms are better. They have cooking classes and a lot of different activities going on to keep my dad busy. I would recommend this place for a higher level of care.

Provider Response

Irma1

Emeritus at Sandia Springs is very clean, very pretty, and very nice. I just kind of like the surroundings and how clean it was. The staff is also very nice. They gave us a really good tour. The food was good. I would give it a five only because of what I have experienced in that one day, but I don't stay there and I don't know everything that is going on right now with my in-laws who are living in one of their little cottages.

Provider Response

Patricia87889650

Emeritus at Sandia Springs was OK. The dining room looked nice, but I didn't eat there. However, I didn't like that it was kind of dark. The rooms were VERY small, too. The people didn't seem much involved; the residents were just sitting around in wheelchairs, and they seemed not happy.

Provider Response

still looking1

The independent cottages were good in size. The price was reasonable. The two women who greeted us were very friendly, personable but not well informed. Most of the staff , we were told, tends to stay for a few years. We found the dining room depressing. The grounds equally so, very little vegetation, paint peeling from exterior wood trims, flower planters empty with stucco breaking off in big chunks. Limited in staff where one would look for expertise.

Provider Response

Clarence6

I'm really tempted to move in right now at Emeritus at Sandia Springs if I'm in a different situation. I was very impressed. I'm only interested in independent living. They have separate cottages from the main facility. They are pretty small compared to what I have now, but for what they have to offer, it's pretty nice. The young lady who showed us through the facility and talked to us was very courteous, very knowledgeable, and helpful. What prompted us to go was they had an outdoor barbeque for the residents. It was nice; it was good. The dining facility seemed very pleasant and nicely arranged. The only downside for me that I would relate to and others wouldn't find was that they had a band playing, and they were loud. Maybe others like loud music and I do not.

Provider Response

WI

this place felt right for my mother in law and brother in law from the time I visited the first time. It is a bit smaller, and close to many things my brother in law will want to drive to. He does not drive freeways and this place is accessible by driving on state highways to get to our house which is outside of the city. The progression from assisted living to memory care option was important to me, and I felt good about their level of monitoring over their residents, and ended up placing my mother in law in assisted living for now.

Provider Response

Caring73453050

I've already decided where I'm going. I'm not moving right at this moment. I can't handle it right now but I've already put a deposit and I'm ready to move to Emeritus. I have a cottage there. The food is fine and they have all kinds of activities.

Provider Response

Gloria15

Emeritus was too expensive for me. The place was pretty large and I really didn't like that. The management was pretty nice. However, you have to bring your own furniture and you have to take your clothes out to be washed, and you do this and do that, and so well, I might as well stay at home.

Provider Response

Gina R.

My dad was able to stay at Emeritus at Sandia Springs for a month. The staff was very nice. We loved all the medtechs. The food was good and my dad ate it. One thing we didn't like was when he got there, everything that they had promised that they were going to do to help us, they didn't do without us having to really stay on them. We got him a studio and the size was perfect for him. When he first moved in, we really had to get on them to clean it like they promised us that it would be cleaned.

Provider Response

GloriaV

I visited Emeritus at Sandia Springs and that facility was quite nice. I enjoyed that place because they have cottages. Their two-bedroom cottages really appealed to me. They got a full kitchen but their rooms were small though. They have transportation service for their residents. They do have nurses on-call 24/7; however, I did not like the staff to be honest. I just felt like they were just too distracted by a lot of things. I made an appointment and the person I was expecting to take me on a tour was occupied with something else, so I ended up having a nurse take me through the tour. It was not what I expected.

Provider Response

Dolores3

We made appointments at Sandia Springs and the staff were very courteous, good, nice and always there for us. They had a three choices on the food menu and it was delicious. The rooms were clean and there were a lot of activities also. It would be better if they had some discounts on the first couple of months.

Provider Response

Extremely Unhappy

I could write an entire book but I won't. All I will say is don't even consider this place for your family member or loved one. WAY under staffed, never returns phone calls, no longer does face to face assessments, just wants you to stop by and sign a piece of paper, food is not food, just a bad bad place. I am finding my Mother a new home - can't take this place any longer! They are detrimental to her health.... I didn't even want to click on a star to rate but I had to, I wouldn't even give them 1 star

Provider Response

Daughter of resident

Mother is a cottage resident of Sandia Springs since about 2009 or 2010. The food service is very poor, too much salt, poor diet choices, meals delivery to cottage is spotty to extremely slow. We now have the much better daily food delivery service from the nearby Meadow Lark senior center. The food is very good. It's also on a suggested donation basis. Check maintenance requests and resolution records. Thermostats are too difficult for operation by even middle aged family members. The maintenance staff has been drastically reduced and the overall infrastructure is old and is running to failure. Mother has had numerous requests for maintenance that have gone months without addressing the worst being a door lock that was too difficult to lock properly. There are no screen doors as a second level of safety. The peep holes are too high. There was an electrical blow-out problem with the heater over Christmas and we had to vacate the property on Christmas eve due to fumes. I'm glad I was there to help. As of today mother has been without air conditioning for 36 hours. Seems like a health concern. Mother raked her own leaves last fall since they were long overdue. Check the dining hall during lunch time. There are considerable waits for food due to the inefficient methods of serving. Also those with minimum care to extreme care eat in the same dining hall. Seems like separating more capable from the assisted would keep spirits up. It isn't fun to see someone loosing control of their food, or other bodily functions at meal time. Also the pull cord for emergencies would chirp randomly and would have to be manually turned off by mother. As of now I'm not sure they're even functional. Talk to residents in the cottages if you want more information. This is meant to inform you of our experiences. The positives: Mom enjoys her meal companions and the socialization. Holiday meals are better than the usual fare. Mom's still there because she's too aged to handle big routine changes. If you're looking for a place that offers personal services be sure it's not institutional. I would only move mother into the assisted living center if she lost total memory or was in hospice. The costs are extremely high for the value delivered.

Provider Response

AUVNRMPJSGQ4G

I was generally pleased with Sandia Springs' staff, facilities, and amenities during my father in law's stay there. The staff were usually helpful and available and my father in law rarely had any complaints about them. However, often when my wife and I would visit we would have a hard time finding a staff member or a nurse if we needed anything. I think that they are understaffed and should fix that. The facilities were modern and adequate. The rooms were very comfortable during the winter, but would get very hot during the summer. The management was probably trying to save money by not using the air conditioning too much but that made it quite uncomfortable for both the residents and the visitors. The amenities were fine and the food was good. My only other complaint is that the facility provided little for the residents to do. Maybe that's normal for assisted-living facilities, but it pained me to see my father live such a sedentary lifestyle when he had been so active earlier in life.

Provider Response

dlhamlin

I think the contract process could use some TLC. It's overwhelming for all. There could be more assistant to financial aide, especially for a vet. Our room was not ready when scheduled, and paid for. Not even living there yet and every uneasy about everything.

Provider Response

ZineHowa

We took a walk through of this place about a week ago. We are trying to find a place for my father in law because he has gotten to the point where we cant take care of him alone any more. his health is failing slowly but he can still do alot for himself. so we toured this place and from my point of view it was really nice. it looked very clean and well kept. It seemed like the people there were happy and enjoyed living there. That is somthing that is important to my husband and i. we had a tour of another place and the people just looked so unhappy like they wornt being treated well. we dont want to put our father in a place like that. we want to make shure he will get the help he needs and sandia springs seems like it would be a nice place. I wish i would have talked to some of the people living there and got there point of view.

Provider Response