Leah was truly wonderful throughout our search for an assisted living facility for my dad. She took the time to teach us about the process, explain available options such as Clinics Can Help, and give us a very thoughtful and informative tour. Her kindness, patience, and clear communication made a stressful decision much easier for our family.
Although we ultimately chose another community because it was closer to our home, we were incredibly grateful for Leah’s help and professionalism throughout the process. It meant a lot to us to work with someone so caring and genuinely willing to help. I would absolutely recommend reaching out to Leah if you are navigating this process for a loved one.
I’ve gone back and forth about writing this review for a year but I’ve decided if it prevents even one person from putting their loved one into memory care here, then it is worth sharing.
I was my grandmother’s live-in caretaker for three years before she ended up needing more care than I was able to provide her. She had dementia, was a fall risk, and was 95 years old. Otherwise, she was a healthy woman for her age. Never got sick, her bloodwork always came back great, and she had a great appetite when it came to eating food.
She went into Barrington able to walk with her walker, feed herself, brush her own teeth (when reminded), and overall knew what was going on around her. She was resistant to it, but my mom and I thought we were doing the right thing and getting her the care she needed.
We informed the staff at Barrington that she was prone to getting UTI’s, was incontinent, and a fall risk. They assured us that they had everything under control and that we would be able to breathe and not have to worry about her.
Within two weeks of her living there, we noticed signs that she may have a UTI (shaky mouth, trouble eating, etc) and informed the staff that we would like her to be tested. They tested her and told us it was negative. She seemed to be doing okay over the next week but the signs came back even worse and in that time, she also caught a bad respiratory infection. After further investigation, it turned out her original UTI results were actually positive - so we were misinformed and she was not treated for it until over a week later.
At this point, she was put into a wheelchair, unable to walk with her walker or stand up on her own. She could no longer feed herself and needed assistance. She was unable to speak in full sentences. So, to summarize, within ONE month of her being in their care, her health deteriorated significantly and things only got worse from there.
She was living at Barrington from mid-December of 2024 until the end of February 2025. She was hospitalized twice within that time. Before her living there, she hadn’t been hospitalized in over 5+ years in me and my mother’s care.
The second time she was hospitalized, I received a call from her Vitas nurse on a Wednesday stating that her hip was out of place and she was in excruciating pain. (Keep in mind, she could not get out of bed, walk, do anything on her own at this point. When we asked Barrington what happened, they said they didn’t know.) We decided it would be best for her to be transported to the hospital. My mom and I met her there and that is when she was put in hospice, passing three days later on Saturday, March 1, 2025.
If we had known that this is how things were going to turn out from moving her into Barrington’s memory care facility, we would have NEVER done it. We thought we were making the right choice to improve her quality of life for her final years. Instead, it decreased her quality of life and with that, the time she had left with us.
If you are considering moving your loved one into their memory care facility, please research the lawsuits Barrington has against them. I wish I did this ahead of time. Similar things have happened to several other people. Change needs to happen within their memory care facility. Everyone in there deserves better care and attention than they were given.
After months of searching for a place for my father, we visited Barrington Terrace and met with Leah. She was OUTSTANDING, answering every question, providing a detailed overview of the facility and all of it's offerings, including complete transparency of all fees. Our meeting went way past the allotted time, and you'd never know it as Leah remained focused on us and our needs- how AWESOME and REFRESHING! Taking a tour sealed our decision, as the grounds, facility & PEOPLE all left a positive & comfortable impression.
Returning for my father's assessment, Marie, the LPN, provided one of the most caring and conversational assessments I've encountered, making my nervous father feel at ease in short order.
Receiving a call from Kim, the facility's Executive Director, a couple days later to follow up on our experience, turned into a 15 minute discussion where I felt she truly cared to hear of my experience, never feeling she wanted to quickly move on.
The last "step" was reviewing and returning all of the necessary documentation (which was provided with detailed, easy to follow directions) with all the financials matching to the penny previously reviewed.
I'm excited, as is my father (who stated "this place is really nice and I really like the people I met") for this next chapter and trust this team will be the best decision we could have made.
Please give Leah, Kim and Marie an opportunity for your loved one- you'll be very happy you did!
Update a few days post move-in. Jim, (Maintenance Supv), and Sheila (Move-in Coord), were equally GREAT to make sure everything was in working condition, incl reviewing the HVAC, TV operations (simple for most, but challenging for some elderly) with my father and providing with easy to read reference instructions.
This team is great and a shout out to Howard (bus driver who has a constant smile a nice word for all), Debra (Activity Dir who keeps an incredible calendar of events for all, and shared a video of my dad the 1st night participating- which brought tears and comfort!), Nicole (nurse who initially met with my dad the 1st day to “get to know him” and has one of the most welcoming smiles and demeanors), Pat (the “Gatekeeper” at the reception area who is always in control and does great with everyone’s questions/inquiries), and Michelle (lunch server with a genuine smile for everyone while patiently taking everyone’s orders and serving with a great attitude!).
I know this is lengthy and have by no intention left others out, but this team has been nothing short of amazing!
Barrington Terrace has been a positive and reassuring choice for my family. The staff is consistently friendly, responsive, and willing to take the time to answer questions and help resolve concerns. Communication feels open, and there’s a genuine willingness to listen and work through issues as they arise.
Most importantly, it feels like a safe, well-run community for my aging parents. I’m grateful to have found a place that values both resident care and family input.
A dear friend of mine just moved into Barrington Terrace a month ago. I didn't know what to expect. I must say, I've enjoyed watching her transformation back to her old self again. She's happy, and I'm relieved to see her energy has returned. Each time I talk to her about the food, she shares how much she likes it and is looking forward to what's next. So far, so good!
