Andara

Andara has worked out great for me. The people here are all great, the staff is terrific, the nurse has been wonderful. I think this is a highly educated place. It is a place where rent is pretty high when it comes to comparing, but the quality of the staff, the activities, and the food makes it worth it. They do only have one driver here for transportation, so if that is something you depend on I would make reservations in advance. The driver is wonderful and will take you anywhere. I have been extremely happy here and I would recommend to others who are looking.

The activities just started to open back up, but we do have one bit of feedback. The community is pretty old school they do not have a lot and families can't go online to view their meals or activities. Everything is still on paper, which we would like to be able to see things online so we can encourage our loved one to be more interactive.

Andara was fantastic. The people there are just wonderful. The amenities and services they provide are just the top. During the Covid period, they were doing a lot of virtual activities. Also, when my loved one passed, they were absolutely wonderful and easy to deal with. They helped me in terms of cleaning out her apartment. I donated a lot of furniture. They made everything so easy for me, and there was no friction. They refunded the unused portion of the pre-paid rent. So in a time of dealing with the trauma of a loved one passing, I really appreciated how they handled everything. I think there's two crisis points for families: 1) finding a place for your loved one's care, and 2)exiting that place when a loved one passes. And going through both of those points with Andara was such an enormous relief.

The staff members are absolutely amazing they would be a 10 out of 10, they have just been fabulous. Even though our loved one is in assisted living, he does not need much help but if he ever did they would be there immediately for him. He absolutely loves the food, and the activities are still pretty limited but they do allow live music. This had been great for the residents they can and mingle with each other while social distancing. One of the best selling points is the value and it is in the best location. The biggest thing for our loved one is he only has to write one check a month for his payments, and not a bunch of separate checks or payments, it just makes things much easier.

If you are seeking to find an independent living community with various amenities, then Andara may be a viable option. There are different floor plans to meet various needs. The community grounds are pretty and the waterfall in the community pool is soothing and inviting to both residents and visitors. The activities are plentiful and varied thanks to [name removed], the Activity Director, who strives to continually exceed resident's expectations! The Finance Manager, [name removed], consistently responds to residents and family members no matter how large or small the requests. Most of the front desk staff are friendly and helpful. And, [name removed] was a delight to interact with on a weekly basis! Kudos to these individuals for trying to make Andara a better community! If you are considering the assisted living side of this community, I DON'T recommend it to anyone. Hence, the one star rating. For a first hand review of some of the gaps with Andara Assisted Living, I'd recommend that you check out the 2018 State Audit results. A few issues that I consistently observed about Andara Assisted Living included (but are not limited to) the following: There was a constant churn of staff who came and went so quickly that new faces seemed to appear each week resulting in gaps with consistently carrying out basic tasks. The last nurse (the fourth nurse since 2016) was rarely in the office and when she was there, her door was closed and she didn't seem to have a good handle on the staff or residents. Additionally, constant back stabbing and rifts were an ongoing source of little to no teamwork among the staff. The processes appeared to be fragmented, lacked automation and were laden with human errors (e.g., a medical technician sent paperwork about my loved one with the paramedics which had incorrect birth date, Medicare information and other relevant information which caused delays with critical testing at the hospital). And, while a care plan was developed for my loved one, out-dated information continued to appear on the plan and required follow-up with the nurse to make the necessary corrections. Additionally, I was asked to complete several pages of paperwork (before the state audit commenced) that had originally been completed when my loved one moved into the assisted living side of the community. When I asked a medical technician why I was having to complete paperwork that had already been done, the response given was that leadership had no idea what happened to it. Corners appeared to be continually cut with daily/weekly tasks such laundering and showering of my loved one and finger pointing was plentiful among the staff when questioned about the status of completing these tasks. Personal belongings and hygiene articles also started to disappear from my loved ones apartment yet, when I reported this to leadership, little to no action was taken. Staff members were also observed laughing at and/or making derogatory comments about residents who were experiencing confusion or difficulty. And, these same employees had been seen (on more than one occasion) telling residents to 'shut up'. The list of gaps is much longer than I can outline in this review, however, I'm sure that you get the point. And, while the new executive director (this is the fourth person in this role since 2016), appears to have a desire to improve the community, the gaps are too significant within the assisted living side to be a viable option for anyone. There are too many other options out there that offer better care at comparable or a more competitive price than Andara. Speaking from personal experience, I suggest that you DO NOT consider Andara Assisted Living (under any circumstance) as an option for your loved one. It will only bring ongoing headaches and work on your part. And, your loved one(s) will incur the most impact from the numerous inconsistencies and gaps.

The "space" is lovely. The food fairly good. Most of the dining staff and front desk are very nice and effective. Some, even terrific. Now, that that's out of the way, let me explain why under NO circumstances should you EVER leave your loved one with these people. They have NO intention of being truthful about the quality of care your loved one will receive. My father moved here in August '17. Neglect was rampant. The management is incredibly defensive, condescending, narcissistic and worse. With them knowing I was his primary family contact (and lived out of state), they didn't even notify me when he went to the hospital (TWO of the three times). Their former ED, [name removed], is simply dishonest...at best. My dad was in rehab for a month...while he was paying the full tab, including for housekeeping. I sent someone into his room three weeks after he'd been gone...and they found all sorts of mold growing in his fridge, the apartment was so smelly, they had to open the windows and leave. I shared with this [name removed], director of health & wellness...and she tells me her staff checked and the room was “spotless and it smells good.” ARE YOU KIDDING?! OH, two days before my dad was to return to [name removed] from rehab, [name removed]and another staff member came for a visit (after Advanced Healthcare of Scottsdale (a great place) had been requesting that visit for more than a week). Later that evening...a Wed., I get a legal eviction for my dad. 14-day notice. Guess what, you NEVER send your loved one back to a place like this after they've evicted you. They'll be even further neglected. He was supposed to return 1.5 days later. This is just one story of how they run their business. The parent company? Doesn't even list an address or phone number. Just a contact form. That should tell you a lot. AVOID THIS PLACE...AND IF YOU END UP CONSIDERING A PLACE [name removed] IS WORKING AT, DO NOT SEND YOUR LOVED ONE THERE.

The "space" is lovely. The food fairly good. Most of the dining staff and front desk are very nice and effective. Some, even terrific. Now, that that's out of the way, let me explain why under NO circumstances should you EVER leave your loved one with these people. They have NO intention of being truthful about the quality of care your loved one will receive. My father moved here in August '17. The management is incredibly defensive, condescending, narcissistic and worse. With them knowing I was his primary family contact (and lived out of state), they didn't even notify me when he went to the hospital (TWO of the three times). Their former ED...well, she is simply dishonest...at best. My dad was in rehab for a month...while he was paying the full tab, including for housekeeping. I sent someone into his room three weeks after he'd been gone...and they found all sorts of mold growing in his fridge, the apartment was so smelly, they had to open the windows and leave. I shared with this [Name removed], director of health & wellness...and she tells me her staff checked and the room was “spotless and it smells good.” ARE YOU KIDDING?! OH, two days before my dad was to return to Andara from rehab, [Name removed] and another staff member came for a visit (after Advanced Healthcare of Scottsdale (a great place) had been requesting that visit for more than a week). Later that evening...a Wed., I get a legal eviction for my dad. 14-day notice. Guess what, you NEVER send your loved one back to a place like this after they've evicted you. He was supposed to return 1.5 days later. This is just one story of how they run their business. The parent company? Doesn't even list an address or phone number. Just a contact form. That should tell you a lot. AVOID THIS PLACE...AND IF YOU END UP CONSIDERING A PLACE [Name removed] IS WORKING AT, DO NOT SEND YOUR LOVED ONE THERE. AVOID THIS PLACE...AND IF YOU END UP CONSIDERING A PLACE [Name removed] IS WORKING AT, DO NOT SEND YOUR LOVED ONE THERE.

Very nice place. We didn’t like the art decor. The apartments are a nice size with nice appliances. It’s a possibility but not our first choice.

Things are going well here for my Mom. She’s happy with the activities that they provide, she enjoys the exercise classes and bingo, and she’s happy with the food. There seems to be a lot of variety and options to choose from and they try to be accommodating with what the residents want to eat. I’m satisfied with the level of care that she’s receiving. They sometimes forget the little things but, overall, they seem to be patient, kind, and sensitive to her requests. My Mom has dementia but is still very sharp, so part of why we moved her in was because the independent and assisted living residents can mingle together. Because of this, she’s been able to make lots of friends. The facility also offers a Catholic service, which was very important for my Mom. I would recommend this place for people that are independent or need little assistance.

Beware of safety protocols that are not being followed here. Heavy door on garbage bin areas on each floor has trapped seniors. Families not being notified when their relatives are sent to emergency, call system each morning for residence not followed up at all times. Easy access to senior buildings without office asking who is entering the building, just hit the button and it’s opened. Looks beautiful, some really nice people work here, third director in two years and the present director is very unimpressive. Buyer beware.

Sometimes a beautiful place covers the issues of incompetence for its senior customers. This was our family’s experience. The paramedics were called in the middle of the night, when my mother hit her call button. No protocols were followed. [Removed] called my cell phone, not my home phone or any of my brothers contacts at 1 am. Mom was alone in the ER. Mistakes were made. I called the director at [Removed] seven different times. She never returned my call until I tracked her down three weeks later. No one from [Removed] ever called to find out how my mother was doing. She had been a resident for two years. We had another episode a year earlier at [Removed]. She had not hit her buzzer to say she was ok early that morning as all residents should do. the front desk claimed they saw her. She was accidentally found nearly 24 hours later. Had a fall could not get up, was extremely dehydrated, almost died. The buzzer for emergencies in her room wasn’t working. Maybe the reason this place has changed directors three times in two years is because there are serious safety issues that need to be addressed. Also, they are very good at making promises of improvements that never happen, don’t buy into what they will do in the future, look at what they are doing now.

Tour was nice. 5 stars for the elegant decor & amenities. [removed] pool, many great patios, lovely bar & all common areas. Rooms are very generous with full kitchen/laundry. Con: no outdoor walking paths. Must use off site public sidewalks.

It's a nice, small community. The facility itself is a little dark, but the apartments are nice.

Andra reminded me of a holiday inn, and we did not like the decor. The staff did give us a nice tour but this was just not the place for my mom.

I like knowing that my friends are in a nice community for care. The staff are always helpful to there needs. The community is clean and well taken care of . They menu is nice and a good healthy variety of meals that are served. The like the activities and they are participating. They had a great 2 bed room and love this enviroment. We would recommend the care of this community for excellent care.

The tour we had at this community was good. However my mom didn't like the decor of the community. It was a little dark and different for my mom's liking. When we talked with the representative, there were no availability.