My parents were in the memory care unit. They always seemed to be understaffed and shorthanded. Not only were these staff members in charge of personal care, they also had to serve the food and clear the dining room. The dining room was in dire need of a deep cleaning .There were times that staff was pulled away from this unit and sent to work downstairs in the general Assisted Living unit. I always felt that the memory care unit got the short end of the stick because the residents up there for the most part cannot advocate for themselves unless they have a family member to do so for them. Cameras are a must. Also, in my opinion, I feel that the person who is in charge of this unit does not have the managerial skills to effectively and efficiently run it. There were some bright spots. Some of the caregivers really were exemplary as well as the Wellness Director and the PT services. As for the Director of the facility, I felt she really did care. But since this is corporate run, I always felt that sometimes she had her hands tied or had to run everything past the person above her. They up charge you for everything Including if your pills aren’t in blister packs. The nickel and diming adds up very quickly.
Choosing Sunrise Assisted Living for my grandmother was one of the best decisions our family ever made. From the very beginning, we felt supported, heard, and genuinely cared for, not just as a family, but as people walking through a very emotional chapter of life.<br><br>The leadership at this Sunrise is exceptional. From day one, the director set a tone of honesty, warmth, organization, and follow-through. We were told upfront that no place is perfect, but that any concerns would be handled promptly, and that promise was kept every single time. Communication was clear, meetings led to real action, and I always felt comfortable asking questions or voicing concerns. I never felt like “just another family.” I felt welcomed, supported, and cared for.<br><br>When my grandmother first moved in, the team thoughtfully assessed her needs and felt she could thrive in assisted living rather than memory care. That decision gave her such a beautiful quality of life. She made friends, was paired with compatible tablemates, joined activities, played games, and truly felt part of a community. Watching her engage socially and find joy again meant everything to us.<br><br>As her needs changed, the transition to memory care was handled with incredible care and sensitivity. We were guided through every step, and the staff clearly understood the psychology involved in making such a move. The transition was seamless, supportive, and absolutely the right decision. We saw improvements almost immediately. In memory care, her days were filled with meaningful, appropriate activities that gave her confidence and a sense of belonging. She especially loved the group games. Seeing her smile, laugh, and even show her competitive side again was priceless.<br><br>The caregivers and staff are truly extraordinary. They showed endless patience, kindness, and respect, especially during moments of confusion related to dementia. My grandmother felt safe, and I felt at peace knowing she was in capable, loving hands. Many team members went above and beyond to ensure she was eating, sleeping safely, clean, comfortable, and treated with dignity at all times. Some even became deeply bonded with her and with me.<br><br>The wellness and healthcare team was outstanding. They worked seamlessly together, noticed changes quickly, communicated clearly, and always had my grandmother’s best interest at heart. Medications, vitals, feeding support, and therapy were handled thoughtfully and proactively. I trusted this team completely.<br><br>What sets this Sunrise apart is the heart. The staff doesn’t just do their jobs, they form real, genuine connections. They celebrate the residents, include families, share photos, invite loved ones into the community, and create an environment filled with warmth and compassion. Even the quiet moments of care, the smiles, gentle words, patience, and reassurance meant more than I can express.<br><br>I will be forever grateful to Sunrise of Huntington for giving my grandmother such a beautiful final chapter and for supporting our family with such compassion. If you are looking for a place where your loved one will be truly cared for, this is it.
Adendum to my updated experience with Sunrise of Huntington... (moved my parents to the BRISTAL of EAST NORTHPORT a year after they were at Sunrise)<br><br>As of August 2025 l moved my parents out of the Sunrise Memory Care Unit due to a variety of concerning issues. My mother suffers from Alzheimer's disease and after a year there she started to decline. I was told when we started my parents at Sunrise that there are two memory care units. One for higher functioning residents and the other memory care was for<br>"lower functioning residents". With this knowledge I was easily convinced that this was the right place for my parents. Once my mom's cognitive functioning was getting worse I requested to get her moved to the other memory care in which we were then told there's no difference!!! We were absolutely aghast because this was why we chose this place and management was well aware of that. They kept repeating to us over and over again that the unit has "evolved" and was no longer what they stated it was in August 2024 when my parents first came. In addition, I was constantly getting complaints from the staff about my moms behaviors, which are very common behaviors of that of an Alzheimer's patient! It's a memory care unit, that's what your job is to handle patients with memory issues. They should not have been surprised by any of her behaviors and it should have been handled efficiently and without constantly complaining to me. The staff was unable to come up with ideas of how to rectify these concerns thus leaving me to reach out to a Bristal facility for suggestions. The Bristal knew a solution to my mom’s problem but Sunrise care team could not come up with one. I found that to be extremely concerning and my faith in their competence was forever lost.<br><br>In addition I was told repeatedly that my mom would "benefit from a private one to one caregiver because she needs constant redirection". Again this is part and parcel of the Alzheimer's disease and should not have been a surprise to them. We were paying $27,000 a month for both parents and now we are being told to pay extra money to a private aid. With that amount of money we were paying, there should never be a need for that! Furthermore, they are severely understaffed and they have the caregivers serving food and cleaning up at meal times rather than being staffed properly in which you have designated staff for serving and staff for purely taking care of the residents. The staff had a lack of communication with each other as well. I was often thrown in the middle of situations in which staff never relayed pertinent information to each other and things were not handled. My brother and I asked them to modify my mom’s medications a bit to help her with her mood, anxiety and agitation and we were told no multiple times. My mom had a hard time sitting still and needed a lot of redirection. However, the staff could not figure out how to redirect her!<br><br>Since the move to the Bristal of East Northport I have nothing but wonderful things to say!! Upon my mom’s first day here they told me that my mom was on the wrong cocktail of medications and they changed that immediately. My mom is no longer agitated, her verbal skills have improved, anxiety dissipated and her need for redirection is no longer constant. She's able to sit for much longer periods of time than at Sunrise and her whole disposition has changed for the better. They keep her very well stimulated pretty much always. The caregivers absolutely adore her and it's wonderful to know that my mom isn't a nuisance or a burden to the facility where it was portrayed to me she was at Sunrise. They also have designated caregivers for every role in that place. Everywhere you turn there are multiple staff members that are always willing to help. I'm so beyond thankful that I was recommended to the Bristal of East Northport.<br>The staff is capable, competent and well trained! You can rest assured that your loved one is being very well taken care of!!!
