Franklin Park Senior Living

So nice and new. Just a bit of a 'hotel' feel. I may have to go back through the residents & visitors entrance.

I toured at Franklin Park, and I found the community to be extremely nice. I really liked it and thought it would be a good fit for us. However, it was too expensive, and I felt I could find a place that was just as nice, but more practical.

We liked the community and were going to move in, unfortunately circumstances changed and they were not able to accept my loved one. We never moved in, after initially telling me they could not refund my money, they said they would, which is nice, however it is taking a long time for that process to complete.

The cost went up pretty significantly. Dining room has trouble keeping a vendor. Kitchen staff and meal routines change frequently. They have been short staffed quite a bit, having to hire temporary staff to fill in, or just being short. The staff they have is very good. It's the turnover that is the problem.

This is a friendly community. I believe with good intentions. However, they have a staffing problem. They continue to loss personnel and if replaced they are not trained properly. I've been very disappointed with the food served. I needed to have been more observant before signing a contract. I wish I had taken more time in my selection.

The facilities are beautiful and typically kept clean. Assisted Living is still nice but memory care is not. They are consistently short staffed and hire unqualified staff. They food is now poor and many residents have lost a lot of weight. Residents just sit in the dining room or their individual rooms most of the day. Poor management and lack of staff has made a nice facility decline.

If you have someone who doesn't need any memory care, it is a great place. If it is for memory care it is good. If it is in the middle of the road, it is not good at all. It would be nice to have an enclosed outdoor area for the residents to go to freely. This is one of the main reasons we moved my loved one out of the community.

The staff in memory care varies a great deal and are not well trained. The ones who are excellent have figured it out on their own. It’s a very pretty place with very nice people. But if you are someone who wants to point out difficulties (present everywhere) with the aim of making things better for your family member, you will be accused of being too critical. The people in charge take things too personally. And that sometimes makes it difficult to communicate and to help your family member. But kudos to the morning team!!

They were not expecting us when we arrived. They did a quick shuffle and gave us a tour. We had lunch there and the food was good. It’s a fairly new facility so everything looked well maintained

Apartment is quite roomy and looks good now, as it is new. Shortcuts were made in the construction, which will lead to breakdowns in appearance. For instance, cheap flimsy cabinetry, water based paint used on doors and trim. Don' know what major problems exist but it leaked badly in heavy rain. Landscape is nice and walkways and parking area are good. Lots of good and beneficial activities as well pretty good entertainment. Management is good. After the first week or two, the repetitive menu gets old.

Beautiful place and grounds for the independent living section. However when you go to the back of the facility where both assisted living and memory care is housed. Furniture and decor as well as grounds spoke more of less elegance and importance.

We chose this community based on all of the things that would be provided for our loved one. Right now there seems to be a high turnover of staff and there is no consistency. There isn't an activity director so my loved one is often sitting alone not doing anything. The two at the front desk are truly amazing in their friendliness and caring. They were one of the reasons we chose this place because we thought their personality would reflect the way the rest of the staff would be. It's brand new and it looks like a resort. We had our loved one come live here so that she would have companionship with people who are at the same stage in life. Where we would know our loved one would be safe and secure and enjoying life. We have spoken to the management and they are trying to find a resolution and fix the staffing problem. We hope they do it soon.

Very nice but doesn't quite compare with the Emerald Oaks location.

This place has the potential to be five stars all the way across the board with a few minor changes. For the cost, it could easily be better. I have learned a lot about memory care units, and most were totally unacceptable. I needed one that would take a couple, both have dementia, one has Alzheimer's. Both are high functioning, meaning they bathe and dress themselves; neither is in a wheelchair; they are fine in assisted living except for the fear that the one with Alzheimer's will go for a walk alone and get lost. Franklin Park fit the bill perfectly; they have showers in the apartments and full time attendants to keep an eye on things. My biggest complaint is the food. They serve what is known nutritionally as the SAD (Standard American Diet). This is the diet that causes most diseases including premature aging and death. The worst thing is the amount of wheat products served. It has been known by researchers for many years the gluten in wheat erodes the lining of the intestines and causes inflammation in the intestines, the lungs and the brain. People in memory care should not be served any wheat products, yet Franklin Park serves it in large quantities at every meal. How can people in that line of work not be at the forefront of current knowledge? The dietician needs to join the local DRCI (Dieticians Researching Current Issues). Bacon and eggs, hot dogs, hamburgers and pizza, should not be the basis of an elderly person's diet. I am 70 years old; my doctor took me off of wheat 15 years ago and my chronic bronchitis was gone in a week; my cholesterol dropped over 100 points the first month. I met my wife 6 years ago; she has not eaten wheat in almost 40 years. We eat wonderful, healthy meals everywhere we go. We ate at the Mexican restaurant across 281 from FP and had grilled chicken, Romaine lettuce and steamed vegetables, it was a great meal. At FP they ha d hot dogs.\r\n\r\nIt should be easy for anyone who calls themselves a cook to feed elderly people large amounts of steamed vegetables, chicken and fish. Chicken soup with lots of vegetables would surely by a hit. Everything I ever made for them was eaten with gusto. Last night neither of them enjoyed the canned peas or chicken with tortellini, but they ate the Texas toast and coconut pie. Other elderly memory care patients were eating hot-dogs. All of these people also have congestive heart failure and do not need hamburger patties with melted cheese. My only other complaint is the drug handling. I don't understand why they call me to renew prescriptions. They have the containers with the phone number of the pharmacy and the prescription number. It would take them less time for them to use the automated service to re-order (the pharmacy texts me when anything needs to be picked-up and I get them and take them to FP). Instead, I get a message that my mom is run ning low on an item. I have to call FP to get the number, they don't have it for some reason, then I have to call the pharmacy and speak to someone to reorder. They should have a list for each person with the prescription numbers.

Did not like the way it smelled.

Absolutely gorgeous, but little more than what we needed.

Too over the top for Mom and Dad.

I did not observe many people no activity going on. Weird event with the front desk. . .No link to their website

Our mother moved from Austin to San Antonio when my sister's husband was transferred. She was very disappointed in Franklin Park. It was not a friendly atmosphere. The clientele stayed in their rooms except for meals. There were not many who took part in any of the few activities that were offered. When we had issues, the director took along time to get back with us. My brother in law had to meet with him several times. Some of the issues were addressed and some were not. Mother was not happy at Franklin Park at Stone Oak.

I read wonderful reviews for Franklin Park. When I decided on Franklin memory care for my husband. I was given a beautiful care plan. A plan for the care they could and would provide. When I saw what was not happening I ask caregiver why. Their reply was Management tells family’s what they think you want to hear.