Bickford of Suffolk
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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 Suffolk
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85
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35
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10
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9
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5
Reviews with Comments
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My mother who is a resident has told me several times that the staff has not been responding to her alert for the last couple weeks
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It just upsets me that she never seems happy with any of the food served. With the cost of the residence, I would hope that the meals would be of a higher quality. Other then that, she seems to enjoy all the staff and stays busy. Thanks
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There should be more activities for memory care besides watching tv and sitting at the dining tables with books.
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All of my complaints have to do with the dining room. Some days it's a surprise what the residents will eat. The menu hasn't been posted, or there is a change. There still isn't enough help passing out beverages and food. The meat is often tough. The cakes consistently are dry. The tables are not always set with enough silverware or glasses. The floor needs to be mopped more often. The addition of the handicapped people do help, and the tables are set when they come.
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I would like to commend (name removed) for their help in assisting me in getting my mother, who is confined to a wheelchair and is a Mary B resident, to a medical appointment, and in providing her records for the appointment. What used to be so simple is now a Herculean group effort to accomplish, and their attention, timeliness, and sympathetic professionalism towards the task was a tremendous help!
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Done ⌛️
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It would be great if meals could be a bit more consistent with food selection and time it takes to get served. Thank you!
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Everyone at Bickford has been very attentive and caring.
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I'm frustrated that the staff in the MaryB's is not consistent. Consistency is so important back there. You can tell a big difference when the usual staff isn't there. Why would you move the staff that wants to be there and put people that would rather be upfront back there? This is making staff morale low and will eventually lead to people leaving to make more money elsewhere if they don't have job satisfaction.
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Disappointed in food. Way too salty. Desert was dry cake. Also, disappointed that my mother's bathroom/toilet was so dirty and unsanitary. Her floor looked like it had not been vacuumed in a few weeks. She is paying about 30% more than top notch facilities in Roswell, Ga. I would think it would be better with activities.
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Stability/retainment of staff is a concern. My mom's apt has not been cleaned since 3/18. Bathroom floor and toilet are dirty and hygiene/cleanliness concerns. This is from moving 3 wipes across the bathroom floor with my foot. Rent is very expensive and my mom is not getting the services she is paying for.
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Building is always short staffed. Called building admin. On weekend to complain that staff that were present were overwhelmed and was told that they were fully staffed, they were trained and could handle it. I replied that they were over working staff, some had been there for 9 straight days and they were overwhelmed. (name removed) replied that wasn't her problem. I said that as an admin. Staff satisfaction was definitely her problem and was told it wasn't. Never see (name removed) on the floor I am there almost every day for several hours a day. Her door is rarely open. I have never seen her in the building on a weekend. Doesn't seem concerned with well being of employees which is affecting the level of care being given residents. Staff turn over seems very high.
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.
My mother seems very much at home at Bickford. Thanks for making that happen!