Bickford of Urbandale
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Real 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 Urbandale
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15
Reviews with Comments
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I'm so thankful to have my mom at Bickford. She has received wonderful care which gives great peace of mind!
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The dinner entree was bad tonight..cold pasta salad..who wants that? How about a hot meal? Something that warms the stomach ..these people want hot food! | (name removed) please! | We need the nurse's email address asap | We would like to be reimbursed for the sweatpants you lost in the laundry | We are missing 2 pair of sweatpants and wash clothes | We need diaper change 3 times a day at least | We need the may calendar | We need the nurses email address
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TURNOVER OF STAFF SEEMS HIGH. NOT SO GOOD.
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Most staff are kind ans helpful. One staff member is bossy to clients, another yells at clients. Breakfast delivered most days, but not all days. Gluten free meals ok but not good variety. Staff not always available to take clients to meals. Director seems gone a lot. Slow on repairs and upkeep. Only does one load of laundry per week. So sometimes clothes are wrinkled mess. | I told manager, too. She said she'd wotk on it.
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Menu items are not desirable. They no longer have cable channels
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It is so good to know that our mother is cared for by people who care to put in the time with her. She has always been a social person and she receives lots of interaction with staff and other residents at Bickford. We, her family are grateful to know she is cared for when we can't be there with her.
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Bickford has been amazing to work with. The staff is wonderful! It gives great peace to know my mom is in good care.
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Bickford has been a wonderful place for my mom... very supportive, awesome directors and staff, and I know she's in great care!
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Get more activities for men!!.. workers are good!.. management is piss poor!!
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(name removed) has been very helpful
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Okay
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Staffing problems
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My mother passed away and the staff could not find the DNR that we had signed with Hospice. Therefore, we had to watch EMS attempt to resisatate her knowing that went against our wishes. Then recently I have had to contact Bickford once again due to the fact that the funeral home has been unable to get a hold of the PA to sign the death certificate. What kind of organization needs to be set in place so other families do not have to go through the same pain. I will not recommend Bickford to anyone!
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I'm so thankful for the Bickford staff! They go above and beyond my mom's needs to see she is taken care of. I appreciate every one of them!
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Staff has been wonderful and has made (name removed) feel at home. Haven't seen her this calm in years
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While meals have been a little better lately, the response time is too long when calling for assistance
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.
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