Grand Living At Tamaya's Online Review Report Card

I am a resident of Grand Living at Tamaya and have had the pleasure of living here for over two and one half years. I am very pleased with the property itself, as well as the conscientious staff, the on site amenities, the programs and activities, and the special events that are scheduled from time to time.I am especially impressed with the new Executive Director, Tracy Underwood. Although she has only been here for a short time, Tracy has already effected a number of positive changes and improvements within the community. She is also very accessible and is great about communicating with the residents.I truly believe that Tracy and the entire Grand Living team do everything they can to provide all residents with the very best quality of life possible within a senior living environment.

Beautiful facility but that is basically all you are paying for... aesthitics only. Management of this facility is poor and clearly the leadership in corporate are all about the $$$ - too busy opening up new facilities to be bothered with ensuring they are providing the services hard sold on the front end. You are in the business of caring for people... shouldn't that be your number one concern. No need to reach out to address. We have and continue to go through the proper channels with no resolution. Just want others to be keenly aware before being enamored by shiny objects... talk to the residents... not the sales person.

I am very impressed with the new general manager, Tracy Underwood. I find that the operations are running much more smoothly especially in dining services. She takes time to listen and work with her team to make our experience most pleasant.

Tamaya Grand Living will sell you the “ritz carelton” experience, but not deliver on it. They paint themselves as an assisted living facility that is Parkinson’s friendly. Neither is true. One week before my father in law was to move in (mind you we had already provided notice to the facility he was currently in at the time), they said they would not take him. Only reason they provided was that he required too much care. Despite the fact we were going to pay for the highest level and most hours. Despite the fact that he uses a walker on his good days, wheelchair on the bad days. He just needs assistance in dressing, bathing, reminding to take his medicine every 4 hours, and on his bad days perhaps some help to get to dinner. I guess everyone else that we saw in wheelchairs didn’t need any assistance? The wheelchairs were fake and they an all bathe and dress themselves without assistance? Their sales lady, after we were very clear on my father in laws needs, continued to seek us out and sell us for over three months. Be wary of their sales techniques. They promise the moon but do not deliver. They sell themselves as Parkinson’s friendly, but we’re concerned my father in law could fall. Hello- everyone over the age of 75 is a fall risk, especially those with Parkinson’s. Yet we were told over and over again that they were Parkinson’s friendly. Then they said they could not give him his medicine every four hours. So in the end- they are NOT an assisted living facility. They don’t want to assist with anything. Period. You must be the perfect person to live there. Be very wary…

My entire experience from first phone call to the friendly receptionist and interaction with the directors and residents has been 5 star. The community is impeccable and large staff ensures quality and quantity of service. There is nothing like it in the Jacksonville region.

This review is of the memory care facility. We just moved our mother to another community because she was not getting the care she needs. They are understaffed and not just in numbers. The director of memory care, while kind and friendly, is in over his head and seems ill-equipped to care for people with dementia. The director of the facility was nowhere to be found 99% of the time we were there and often did not answer email or return phone messages. Communication with family is sorely lacking. When my family came to visit, it often took many tries to get someone to come to the door to access memory care. We saw staff sitting away from residents on their phones or paying no attention to anyone. Many residents sat in chairs sleeping. I suspect it was because they were bored. Grand Living didn’t replace their excellent activities director after she left. I understand Covid has been a major problem with activities and creativity is needed. My mother was not bathing or taking needed medication and had incontinence issues. There was often visible feces on her body, clothes, and furniture both in her room and in the common areas. Her room was dark and dirty. The answer was always “we can’t make her do anything.” We now know that a skilled staff can get residents with dementia to bathe and take medications. While several staff members were kind to my mother, I cannot recommend putting your loved one in memory care at GLT.UPDATE - Executive director Chad Anfinson commented below that he would be contacting me personally “today”. That was a week ago. As I expected based on the poor communication while my mother was living at GL, I never heard from him.

My mom loves it at Tamaya. Great staff, lots of activities, delicious food, and the location is so convenient to my house. I can easily provide her transportation and visit her anytime.

I will do my best to put into words how incredible and wonderful the staff and facilities are at Grand Living Tamaya are but I assure you there’s no way I will be able to articulate it aswell as they deserve.First, after over year long research in the Jacksonville area for my parents and experience our family has with my Grandmother who lived in assisted living, I can tell you that I have extensive and frequent insight into Assisted Living facilities.Most importantly, daughter to my mother Betty that suffered tragically from Alzheimer’s and dementia. We moved my mother and father into Tamaya and they lived together until her condition required her to be in Memory Care full time. My Father moved back into his home.The nurses, care specialists, support staff were absolute angels to my Mom. When she moved into Memory care during peak of COVID they went above and beyond to maintain her connection with us through Zooms, calls, texts, sent us videos of her dancing, doing activities and interacting. As awful the COVID impact was they did everything they could to care for her.Then, she transitioned into Hospice care and we were able to resume visits due to vaccination protocols, we were back in with her and observed first hand the amazing bond the staff had formed with my Mom and how incredible they were with all the residents of the Memory care wing. My Mom would light up with joy when the staff would come in and be with her. She had nightly “girl time” as they would routinely have special time talking, doing hair and nails. It was literally like watching Angels care for her.The final days my Mom was with us were filled with tears, prayer and love. From Chad and Marcel to EVERY nurse and caretaker - my family could not be more grateful to what they did for her. They embraced my Mom as if she was their own family. They provided very good medical, nursing and nutrition care to her and communicated to our family. I cannot begin to tell all the special things they did for her - and there are over a dozen of them I could name and each one is a gift from God. We would be in my Moms room and observe how well they communicated and interacted with all the residents.The day my Mom passed there were tens of us in the room singing and praying with an outpouring of love. I wish I could fully express into words how incredible Grand Living Tamaya staff is. Many of them even attended my Moms funeral mass - devoted and caring to the core.Finally, my Father recently fell, suffered a hip fracture and spent a couple weeks (non weight bearing) at Brooks Rehab. He needs additional time and care and he wanted to move back into Tamaya for the remaining recovery time. While we have only been a few weeks since my mom passed we still communicate with the staff they check in on our family and have welcomed my Dad back to care for him now.I could write for days on how impressed I have been with the professionalism and level of care provided by the men and women at Grand Living at Tamaya. I give my strongest and highest recommendation to anyone considering a home for their loved ones. I know first hand how personal and heavy of a journey our family had and I wish no one has to go through this and a cure is found soon. For us, the journey was brighter because of our time at Grand Living at Tamaya.

My 87 year old father is a resident at Grand Living. Initially in the independent section, and now in the memory care section.Our experience thus far has been excellent. Grand Living strives to do everything with concern and compassion. The nurses in the Luminations section, their memory care section are top notch and extremely nice. Carol, Jasmine and Harriett are especially kind, have great personalities, and are very helpful to the residents.Marsel Malolli, the Director for the memory care unit is excellent. Very professional, engaging, dedicated, and always has a positive attitude and smile on his face. Julie May, the head nurse, is exceptionally wonderful as well. A wealth of experience and knowledge.The jobs all these people perform are difficult and challenging. They do it with dedication, commitment, and genuine compassion.In summation, it is a great place with warm, caring, and kind people. From the moment you walk in you are greeted and made to feel very welcome. I promote Grand Living to friends and family all the time. Their staff is their strength and competitive advantage. They are the ones that make the difference in an "excellent" senior living facility verses just an "average" one."EXCELLENCE IS NEVER AN ACCIDENT; IT IS THE RESULT OF HIGH INTENTION, SINCERE EFFORT, INTELLIGENT DIRECTION, SKILLFUL EXECUTION AND THE VISION TO SEE OBSTACLES AS OPPORTUNITIES."- ANOYMOUS

My sons took me to see Grand Living at Tamaya when considering it for their 88 year old Father. It is a beautiful facility with extraordinary amenities. I felt like I was at a Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons Hotel. The independent residence apartments are lovely. The pool and gardens are very inviting. My sons have been so pleased with the care their Dad is receiving. He has recently moved from independent living to memory care. The additional assistance has been invaluable. The nurses are gentle and kind, and they make every effort to keep the residents active and involved. Our children have cared deeply for their Dad. I am so pleased they have found a compassionate home for him.