Hello all.
My father was moved by me at the age of 89 to willow towers in Westchester county for full assisted living. After 4 years there He passed this past September.
Throughout his stay it was incredibly difficult to get any follow up or detailed answers on his care from either Nora O’Brien or Grace Ferri as to concerns we saw with his care, bed bruises, slips and falls, medication. Contradictions in writing and in calls from them on who his contact was and how to reach us. . This as his medical team would always refer to them if/we hen we had questions.
I have been attempting to receive answers from both since his passing regarding his belongings, his, bills and his payments. This as the executor of his will. Produces to them several times.
They have avoided/ignored our concerns and asks in favor of my father’s daughter who held his health care proxy. This as she lives local and I’m hours away. She (his daughter) has worked directly with Nora and Grace as friends to “play games for financial gain”.
Grace is very much there to sell you on the facility. She’s great at it. Smiling away and certainly sold my father’s daughter with smiles and fluff. As did Nora who refuses to acknowledge my father’s wishes and will. Instead ckesrky documented to “work with” a now “friend” in his daughter for apparent financial gain or in not disclosing changes to his needs coordinated by them without others notification. Upon asking of Nora. Constantly contradicted herself in written communications to me. Very unprofessional. But done with a smile. Normally the easiest way to be slick.
Sadly we have now had to bring in attorneys at an expense to us as we do not receive a call back or return of email from either responsible party.
I’ll be following up on this review as we have also sent in complete to various NYS and Westchester County departments. This in addition to working with probate in NYC (where the will is and has been held). as they prepare the Letters of probate needed to have Willow towers answer questions and be accountable for his belongings post his passing. also to bring additional attention showing me as executor and how these questions should be responded to.
Be very careful. Grace is a salesperson. Not a caregiver. Nor is Nora. They sell!!
Many professional health experts are awesome there. Frank at the front is wonderful and caring. And have been appreciated. Yet if you aren’t watching everyday the leaders in Grace and Nora will lead from a financial gaining standpoint and in no way human care. Wd saw the negative impacts during my father’s stay of their goals.
Please feel free to reach out to me should any have any questions or would like to see our communications prior to being sold on having your loved ones there.
Eric D Broslaw.
I would like to shout out the memory care unit and their director, Micki Buchanan, for allowing me the privilege of a photo shoot for Women’s history month. Micki asked me to come and have a fun photo shoot with the residents. The care managers assisted the residents with hair and makeup, they made sure they all looked their best. The residents posed and laughed with their family members, the care managers, Micki and each other! The care managers were kind and gentle and very engaging with all the residents. It was nice to photograph the residents with their spouses and family, as photo shoots are typically off site but Micki provided an opportunity for fun and lasting memories for their family and loved ones.
Due to my grandmother's health concerns, we moved her into Willow Towers in order to ensure she was in a safe and controlled environment. Every time I visit her, I am astounded at how much the staff cares about her and how they have made this transition as easy as possible. I can tell that my grandmother is relaxed around her care team and they have always been attentive to her and any health concerns that come up while she has lived with them. From walking into the building to my grandmother's room I am surrounded by friendly faces and an impeccably maintained building. I could not recommend Willow Towers enough!
My mother, who is in the late stage of Alzheimer’s disease, was moved into The Phoenix Memory Care Unit at Willow Towers Assisted Living in December, 2025. Unfortunately, my experience there was deeply distressing and alarming from the very first day, and I moved her out within a month.
The day after my mother moved in, I witnessed multiple residents yelling in distress. One male resident became upset and used inappropriate language, to which a care aide responded by screaming at him, also using profanity, and repeatedly yelling “SIT DOWN!” This outburst was extremely upsetting, and no other staff intervened to calm the situation or support the resident. When I asked the Care Manager if this behavior was normal, she apologetically said, “Yes.” I knew then that I had made a mistake in bringing my mother there.
Throughout the next two weeks, my concerns only grew. The environment on the third floor (The Phoenix unit) was consistently chaotic. The staff rarely smiled or interacted warmly with residents, and the level of care was heartbreaking to witness. My mother, who walked regularly before moving in, was kept in a wheelchair all day and even lifted by her pants seat when taken to the bathroom—causing her distress. I frequently found her in soiled diapers, and her personal cleanliness and comfort were neglected.
The activity area was unbearably hot—often near 90–100 degrees—and residents were mostly left sitting around with the TV as their only stimulation. My mother also developed a bruise on her arm while staying there, and when I expressed concern and asked staff to handle her more gently, I was met with defensiveness rather than compassion.
The facility appeared unclean—on one visit, I witnessed a large cockroach crawl into my mother’s room and nearly onto her. Days later, another dead roach and even dried human feces were found under her bed. To make matters worse, I noticed my mother wearing someone else’s bra and missing her prescribed dementia medication patch.
Communication with management was consistently challenging. The Director of the Memory Care Unit, Micki Buchanan, often became irritated or dismissive when I raised concerns. Even more serious, when I reviewed my mother’s medical records before discharge, I discovered that she had been denied 11 of her 13 prescribed medications during her 30-day stay. Despite repeated written and verbal requests, I was ignored for nearly two weeks before receiving her full medication record.
I have since moved my mother to another memory care facility with an enhanced license that provides truly compassionate, peaceful, and safe care—a stark contrast to what we experienced at Willow Towers.
My heart breaks for the residents who remain there. If your loved one resides in The Phoenix at Willow Towers, please monitor their medication, health, and emotional well-being closely. Every resident deserves safety, dignity, and respect. If you witness questionable care or violations, I strongly urge you to report your concerns to the Department of Health so that they can investigate.
My mother lived in Willow Towers for 28 months. She was cared for in a way that I would describe as professionally competent, humane and friendly. On weekly visits – and sometimes more often – I had ample opportunity to observe interactions between WT staff and residents. It was clear that residents were treated with respect and in a way that anyone would want an elderly family member to be treated. I certainly did and, aside from an occasional quibble, had no complaints.
In an assisted living facility the aides have the most direct contact with residents and the most consistently intimate contact. Obviously, I did not observe certain kinds of interactions between my mother and the aides. But I saw enough, and spoke to my mother enough, to be confident that the hands-on care was good. I also want to mention the nursing staff and the house physician, who provided first-rate care.
When my mother entered WT for a tryout period, we were told that management strove to run an assisted living facility that provided excellent care but also one in which the atmosphere was friendly and disruptive social cliques were discouraged. They have succeeded.
I am happy we chose Willow Towers for my mother and recommend it without reservation
