Upper River Personal Care Home in Marietta, GA

Pros

• New Life Personal Care Home is described as a wonderful in-home hospice facility with a caring owner and staff.
• Florence Bailey is praised as an Earth Angel for her exceptional, loving care.
• The home provides peace for families and is spotless in every area.
• Florence offers a welcoming, comforting presence that makes the stay at New Life a delight.
• Families receive regular updates, which reassure them that their loved ones are well cared for.
• Florence and her team treat residents like family, attending to body, mind, and spirit.
• The care helps loved ones finish life with dignity and comfort.
• The facility provides personalized care in a loving home environment.
• The home is very clean, well-maintained, and meals are cooked from scratch.
• The staff are professional, attentive, and communicate well with families.
• Families feel they can trust New Life PCH with their loved ones.
• Many reviewers say moving a loved one to New Life was the best decision and would do so again.

Cons

• A reviewer warned that potential clients should not leave their loved ones there.
• A reviewer warned not to be fooled by Florence's charm and pleasant demeanor.
• They claimed there is little to no certified help beyond Florence and questioned whether she has the required certifications.
• Simple requests were not attended to.
• The daily meals were described as horrible and limited.
• There were ongoing arguments with the staff and frequent firings.
• They alleged Florence's incompetence.

Review

Upper River Personal Care Home in Marietta is best suited for families seeking a warm, home-like setting where care is intensely personalized and delivered by hands-on, resident-focused operators. This model excels for loved ones who need steady daily support, gentle supervision, and consistent reassurance rather than a clinical, institutional feel. It shines when end-of-life comfort, dementia-friendly routines, and meaningful family involvement are the core goals. The environment is small-scale, with a strong emphasis on cleanliness, homestyle meals, and a sense that residents are treated as family. For families prioritizing peace of mind, clear updates, and a compassionate, almost familial caretaker presence, this is a compelling fit.

However, this approach is not for everyone. Those who require robust, on-site medical nursing oversight around the clock, a formal memory-care program with structured activities, or a large, highly regulated campus may want to consider alternatives. One review highlights concerns about staffing certification and consistency, noting that some families worry about the level of formal credentials and back-up coverage in a small, privately operated setting. For families prioritizing strict clinical protocols, standardized staff certification, or a broader range of specialized clinical services, a larger facility with dedicated nursing staff may feel safer and more predictable.

The strongest advantages here lie in the human-centered care and the communications backbone that families experience. The care model treats residents with extraordinary attention to daily needs - medication management, bathing, dressing, and meals - while maintaining a home atmosphere. Families repeatedly describe thorough, ongoing updates, often through video calls or regular messages, which reduces anxiety during transitions and allows loved ones to stay connected. The atmosphere is noted for warmth, personal attention, and a sense that staff genuinely know each resident's preferences, from dietary quirks to routine comfortable for mobility and safety. In a setting where dignity and emotional well-being matter, these pros can markedly offset the lack of a large clinical staff.

From a practical standpoint, expect a strong focus on cleanliness, home-like d?cor, and "from-scratch" meals, with staff who go the extra mile to secure small comforts residents want. The model supports families who need to coordinate care around work schedules, thanks to visible, regular communication and a staff culture that invites family involvement. For families seeking flexibility - such as arranging visits, special items for a loved one, or a personalized approach to medication and daily routines - this setup often delivers more responsive, tailored service than larger facilities can offer. The trade-off is ensuring that expectations about medical depth and credentialing align with what a small home can consistently provide.

When evaluating Upper River PCH, the decision hinges on whether the value of a serene, intimate living arrangement outweighs the potential gaps in formal clinical staffing. Tour the home with specific questions: How is staffing coverage during evenings and weekends? What certifications do on-site caregivers hold, and who handles medical contingencies? How are medication changes communicated, and who coordinates with hospice or physicians? What is the process for meals, dietary restrictions, and special requests? Can prospective families review recent updates to see how communication works in real time? These questions directly address the contrasts highlighted in the broader feedback, helping families decide if the home-like, family-driven model aligns with their loved one's needs.

In sum, Upper River Personal Care Home stands out for families seeking an intimate, compassionate, and highly personalized living option where daily care feels anchored in love and attentiveness. It offers an extraordinary sense of peace through a small, well-kept home environment, rapid family communication, and a treatment approach that emphasizes the whole person - body, mind, and spirit. It is a particularly strong choice for those aiming to maximize comfort, dignity, and continuity in a setting that acts more like a caring family than a facility. Cautious consideration should be given to families needing rigorous clinical staffing or a broader programmatic scope; for many, though, the advantages align closely with what matters most to a loved one navigating a gradual transition into assisted living.

This area of Marietta, Georgia, offers a variety of amenities and services that could be attractive to seniors looking for a comfortable and convenient living environment. With multiple pharmacies nearby, accessing medication and healthcare supplies is easy. Additionally, there are various dining options including familiar chain restaurants like McDonald's and Chick-Fil-A, as well as local favorites such as Johnboy's Home Cooking and Frankies Italian Ristorante and Pizzeria. Places of worship are also readily available for those seeking spiritual fulfillment. The proximity to parks like Shaw Park and Harrison Park provides opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation. For medical needs, there are several physician offices in the area, offering convenient access to healthcare services. Overall, this part of Marietta offers a mix of conveniences that may appeal to seniors looking for a vibrant community with diverse amenities.

Restaurants

• McDonald's (0.8 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (1 miles)
• Bruster's Ice Cream (1.5 miles)
• Johnboy's Home Cooking (1.6 miles)
• McDonald's (1.6 miles)
• Frankies Italian Ristorante and Pizzeria (1.6 miles)
• Taco Bell (1.6 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.1 miles)
• Walgreens (1.6 miles)
• Walgreens (2.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.9 miles)
• Orchard Square Holding (3.7 miles)
• Walgreens (3.9 miles)

Places of Worship

• Transfiguration Catholic Church (1 miles)
• Calvary Chapel Woodstock (4 miles)
• First Baptist Church Woodstock (4.6 miles)
• Congregation Etz Chaim (5.1 miles)
• Kennesaw United Methodist Church (5.9 miles)
• Woodstock City Church (6.4 miles)

Parks

• Shaw Park (1.3 miles)
• Harrison Park (2.1 miles)
• Aviation Park Kennesaw (4.6 miles)
• Woofstock Park (5.2 miles)
• Dupree Park (5.5 miles)

Physicians

• Piedmont Imaging Center (3.2 miles)
• East Cobb Center For Therapy (3.6 miles)
• Marietta Dermatology & the Skin Cancer Center (4.8 miles)
• Piedmont Heart of Marietta (4.9 miles)
• Pinnacle Orthopaedics (4.9 miles)
• Resurgens Orthopaedics (5.1 miles)
• Kennestone Physicians Center (5.1 miles)

Cafes

• Panera Bread (4 miles)
• Starbucks (4.5 miles)
• Giga-Bites Cafe (4.6 miles)
• Starbucks (5.8 miles)
• Starbucks (5.9 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Barrett Commons 24 (4.1 miles)
• Movie Tavern Sandy Plains (5.1 miles)

Hospitals

• WellStar Kennestone Hospital (4.9 miles)
• Kennesaw Hospital (5.8 miles)