Bickford of Okemos
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Pay My BillReal Residents, Real Reviews
Knowing who to trust in this journey is hard — especially when your loved one’s health and happiness are at stake.
A letter from Andy Eby Andy Eby Caregiver/Sales & Marketing
The decision to consider senior living is never an easy one. You’re looking for caregivers to help with situations that may have you feeling exposed and powerless. We understand that this is a vulnerable time for your family.
Here at Bickford, we believe that vulnerability is not a weakness, but a strength.
We honor the courage it takes for seniors and families to navigate the aging journey and we believe we owe you our vulnerability in return.
That’s why we display real reviews from our residents, both positive and negative. We’re not interested in cherry-picking feel-good comments from casual visits.
We aim to earn your trust by showing the full spectrum of feedback from internal monthly surveys of our residents and families. This is an uncommon practice in our industry.
Many of the reviews you’ll see are positive, serving as a testament to our “whatever it takes” commitment to helping residents live their best lives.
We interpret negative reviews through two lenses: First, some contain hard truths. It hurts to hear, but sometimes we deserve it. This feedback sharpens us, allows us to see where we fall short, and demands that we get better.
Second, some reviews arise from the unbearable emotional pain families feel as they watch a loved one decline. In these situations, our caregivers may bear the brunt of unrealistic expectations. As the saying goes, “Hurt people hurt people.”
We trust your discernment to distinguish between the two. Feel free to ask us about any review that raises questions or concerns. We believe that trust isn’t built on a facade of perfection but on honesty about our successes and challenges.
Thank you for considering placing your trust in us.
Andy Eby
Reviews for Bickford of Okemos
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Reviews with Comments
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1) Call button watch still causing red rash on wrists. He takes it off. Need to have a band he is not allergic to. 2) New nurse has never reached out to introduce herself. I have heard of no assessments by the new nurse. Speech therapy was ordered by neurologist while (name removed) was there. Still has not happened as far as I can tell. 3) bed is frequently left unmade and floor always need vacuuming. 4) several lost items that have had to be replaced including shoes and sheets. 5) news letter comment about providing gloves in apartment is the first time we were informed about this expectation. Overall, this is a great place for him. The staff are kind and he is mostly happy, but there are definitely things that could be better.
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Staff is very caring! | ❤️ to “ We appreciate your feedback, (name removed). ”
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The staff is WONDERFUL!! Thank you
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Please ensure main phone of branch never goes unanswered. Thank you.
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I am (name removed) point of contact for falls. She's had 3-4 in the past two weeks and I have not been called once
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Things have become a bit more challenging lately and I feel your team has done so much to make things as good as possible.
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(name removed) is new. Great attitude. Lovely human. Grateful.
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Still would like to get mom walking more.
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Dishes still dirty in the sink and I saw some ants around the faucet in the bathroom.
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Impressed that BFMs took the time to inquire and verify with me about a strange telephone call from an inappropriate former family member. Also shout out to (name removed), as always, for keeping on top of changes in meds not in Medicare's formulary. in addition, the ancillary care staff (PT) also had the good sense to contact me. Thank you so so much!
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Bickford staff have gone above and beyond to make Mom feel welcome in her new apartment. The meals are tasty and activities are fun. Mom appreciates that someone knocks on her door to remind about meals and activities, and she feels at home.
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Would like to see more effort to get my mom out walking. Whether in the building or outside (weather permitting). For some reason she doesn't prefer to walk laps inside. Also concerned with the 1 week delay between UI diagnosis and prescription. Not sure where the breakdown was, and not wanting to assign blame, I know you're all working hard. What could be done to make that turn faster? | And I appreciate you asking for it.
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We are so thankful for a caring staff to help us navigate health issues with our parents.
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We love Bickford. We tell people that we love Bickford. Our mother is happy there. She says she's "comfortable" there. She has been in several rooms at Bickford over the four years. She's been there. Staff has changed, but it has remained an excellent facility.
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I thought the visit from the guy that sang and played guitar was nice.
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I'm very happy with the attitude and effort everyone brings to their work. (name removed) was super helpful around getting mom's tv installed, and (name removed) even let me in his workspace and left it unlocked for me.
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Bickford of Okemos has a wonderful director and a core team of compassionate and caring staff. I'm just sorry that some of the very best staff who have been loyal to Bickford for years aren't compensated better and are leaving. These experienced, multi-year staffers provide the best care and have made Bickford of Okemos stand out from other facilities. The very fact that Bickford has been able to retain staffers for years gives families the confidence that our loved ones are well-cared for. Yet there is only so much the director can do. It's a real disappointment that the corporate office doesn't recognize and value the longevity, importance and contribution of long-term staffers.
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(name removed) is a gift.
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Things seem to have been steadily improving at bickford since the current Director took charge. The difference is amazingly positive. Very pleased.
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Everyone one on the team is very thoughtful and kind. I know you're all quite busy but yet seem to be so available to mom and me. Thank you.
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So many things this month to include in Thanksgiving appreciation and including the Bickford family. They put on a lovely Holiday dinner as well as many activities. So grateful. Decorations are thoughtfully planned and placed and include the dining area and residents doors! Thank you for making this so homey for our loved ones!
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(name removed) is an excellent director and is responsible for creating a positive atmosphere that keeps excellent staff from leaving despite pay that is lower than other facilities. Excellent staff create an excellent experience for residents.
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I believe things have approved greatly under your current Director.
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Leave me alone
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Excellent staff - all of which is due to (name removed), the building director. Good staff will not stay in a poorly run facility and where they are not appreciated.
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Very thankful for Bickfords wonderful caring staff. Have entrusted their care to several family members and trust their care. They are responsive and caring to include the kitchen staff preparing special meals to the facilities person helping with a shower issue. The staff feeds those who can't feed themselves and makes sure all are included and well cared for- I don't know what I would do without their support and guidance!
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I was so impressed with the cider mill trip. The staff all pitched in to help all the residents have a great outing. It was fun to watch the teamwork and their thoughtful caring with each of the residents. Mom said she was glad she went.
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My mom is settling in nicely. The caregivers are so kind and caring. I'm happy with my choice of Bickford of Okemos for my mom.
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Thank you for all you do. I appreciated the rapid response to my emails this week and including Mom in more activities.
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It's been an amazing turnaround. The Okemos Bickford is once again a stand out in the community for its caring atmosphere, professional staff, and excellent director.
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(Name Removed) is extremely responsive to any requests. Made sure mom got a ride to her 89th birthday lunch, so we could meet her at the restaurant. Very helpful to us.
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I would rate at 4.9 We struggled a little with the laundry scheduling a little, but overall pretty satisfied.
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Biggest concerns: getting Mom engaged in activities and cleanliness of toilet. Appreciated the Family Meeting yesterday. (Name Removed) is committed to insuring Bickford is a homy community of well cared for residents. Staff are always responsive to call light and very caring to Mom. Appreciate everyone wearing name tags!! Thanks for all you do.
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(Name Removed) gets high marks for her constant and continual efforts to create a welcoming and supportive atmosphere and to hire and keep excellent staff. Next to having the right director, the staff and staffing is the key to everything - at least for memory care - because without good staff and enough staff the experience is miserable.
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(Name Removed) is wonderful and clearly is delighted to be working for your organization. (Name Removed) is a gift in all the ways. (Name Removed) is delightful and cheerful. I don't see (Name Removed) much anymore but the folks in the very back where mom was in Mary B for a while are also extremely dedicated and beautiful humans. There are so many good people there, I'm so grateful. The new cook whose name I am blanking on is really courteous with the residents, She always comes out after they have mostly eaten and asks how they are and whether they want more. My mother is hearing impaired and also kind of too polite to ask for more so they've started just giving her extra vegetables which is what she will eat without prompting. They also have learned to not put cheese on her food anymore which really helps her want to eat it. She grew up on a farm and cheese is not appetizing to her. Except, for some reason, grilled cheese sandwiches which have a sentimental memory attached.
Did you know
Most senior living communities don’t share internal reviews
Know the Real Residents, Real Reviews Difference
Our Reviews
Real Residents, Real Reviews
- From verified residents & families
- Unfiltered
- Solicited monthly
- Current, ongoing & up-to-date
Other Reviews
Google, A Place for Mom, etc.
- Can be written by anyone
- Often come from people who don’t actually live there (i.e. just came for a tour)
- Reflect a static, one-time experience
- Partial picture
Why other senior living communities don’t share internal reviews
- Most communities don’t solicit reviews on a monthly basis. Most surveys are annual and used for internal purposes only.
- They’re caring for a frail, vulnerable population 24/7/365. Healthcare, by its very nature, can be messy, especially when you’re on around the clock. Service failures are almost inevitable in this context.
- They know that some of the comments aren’t necessarily accurate
- They don’t have the courage to be vulnerable. They want to control how prospective families see them.
- They’re afraid it would hurt their sales and marketing efforts
- They don’t trust the consumer to be able to handle the truth
Did you know
Bickford Senior Living’s happiness score is 2x the national average
Reviews FAQ
Bickford residents and families have frequent opportunities to participate in providing feedback throughout the year. Bickford sends out a comprehensive annual survey evaluating all aspects of a residents experience. Following this survey, Bickford sends out a monthly survey to see if we are making progress on improving their happiness levels. The responses to both surveys are posted on the website and remain there for a year.
Bickford is committed to transparency. That means posting all feedback – both positive and negative. Every review is included in our overall score (star-rating). However, we do not post comments that are libelous, profane or risk violating the privacy of our residents.
A Bickford Verified Resident Review is a review provided by a resident or family member/significant other that has been verified by Bickford as an authorized individual. Individual names are protected for privacy reasons.
Bickford has developed a program to improve resident happiness based specifically on the scores and comments of the surveys. Each Branch sets goals to improve targeted areas identified from the surveys. The actions that need to be taken are discussed as a part of each shifts daily stand-up meeting.
Due to the unique and personalized nature of our business, responses to reviews, if requested, happen individually.
Staff and medical providers are very caring but laundry (lack of it getting done) continues to be a point of issue.