St. Gabriel Athens

Pros

• Residents at St. Gabriel Athens appreciate the spacious rooms and personalized color choices, contributing to a positive living environment.
• The community fosters a strong sense of camaraderie, with numerous activities that keep residents engaged and socialized.
• Staff members are recognized for their caring and compassionate approach, treating residents like family and providing attentive care.
• The facility is described as clean and organized, enhancing the overall experience for both residents and visitors.
• Many reviews highlight the excellent quality of meals prepared by chefs, with fresh and healthy options available.
• Families feel reassured about their loved ones' care and have recommended St. Gabriel Athens to others based on their positive experiences.
• Employees express deep satisfaction working in the community, emphasizing a supportive work culture that prioritizes resident dignity and respect.
• Overall impressions of St. Gabriel reflect a warm, welcoming atmosphere that prioritizes both resident well-being and staff morale.

Cons

• The new owners and management at St. Gabriel have led to a decrease in staff and poor resident care, with unrealistic schedules for employees.
• Some residents expressed dissatisfaction with the food, noting that it is often not hot or tasty when served.
• There are communication issues within the staff, leaving residents unsure of whom to approach with concerns.
• A reviewer mentioned inadequate staffing levels at Thrive, leading to rushed care and unresponsive administration.
• One review highlighted a lack of proper hygiene and supervision in the memory care unit, resulting in neglectful situations for residents.
• There was criticism regarding the training of staff in memory care, describing them as uncaring during interactions with residents.
• The experience at Thrive was compared unfavorably to other facilities due to the perceived lack of compassion and professionalism from both staff and administration.

Review

St. Gabriel Athens has garnered a variety of feedback from residents and their families, revealing a multifaceted picture of the assisted living community. On one hand, there are numerous positive remarks highlighting the spaciousness and comfort of the rooms, with many residents appreciating personalized touches such as tasteful repainting. This sense of personal care extends beyond just physical accommodations; it is often echoed in comments about the warmth and attentiveness of staff members, who are frequently described as feeling like family to both residents and their relatives. Families express satisfaction with how staff members treat their loved ones with dignity and respect, fostering a genuine sense of community that residents seem to cherish.

Nevertheless, there are also notable concerns regarding management and operational issues at St. Gabriel Athens. Some reviewers have pointed out challenges stemming from recent changes in ownership that occurred around July, leading to mismanagement and reduced staffing levels. Residents have voiced feelings of neglect—citing an absence of sufficient personnel scheduled according to established rules—which detracts from the overall experience and resident care in the facility. Complaints about inconsistent schedules for staff contribute perceptions that management does not adequately prioritize resident needs or address these concerns effectively.

Food quality emerges as a common point for improvement across several reviews. While some residents appreciate options for à la carte dining featuring fresh ingredients like salmon and vegetables, others report dissatisfaction with meal temperatures—a problem particularly concerning when hot meals arrive cold—and disappointing taste profiles. Acknowledging this issue, the administration hosts monthly meetings where residents can voice their feedback on various matters, including dining experiences. Many remain hopeful these avenues for communication will lead to positive changes regarding food service.

In contrast to critique-filled voices highlighting deficiencies in certain areas, several families express strong support for St. Gabriel’s wide range of activities that promote engagement among residents. From games and movie nights to social events such as outings to local restaurants or specialized classes like weight lifting and Bible studies, there's a robust activities calendar fostering social interaction and mental stimulation which many families feel adds great value to their loved ones' lives. The spirit of community shines through in comments from relatives noting how much their loved ones enjoy participating in diverse offerings.

The experiences related by long-term employees emphasize another dimension—their personal commitment to providing quality care in a supportive environment makes St. Gabriel feel like home not just for residents but also for staff members themselves. Employees express pride in their work while describing strong relationships between team members and the elderly they care for daily. For them, working at St. Gabriel is more than employment; it’s about building meaningful connections within a nurturing atmosphere.

However, contrasting this employee sentiment are alarming accounts concerning another facility under similar operations—Thrive—indicating varying standards within elder care services across locations. Reviews indicate disheartening levels of training inadequacies among personnel at Thrive while drawing comparisons with St. Gabriel's practices where staffing had notably improved over time according to some accounts within this community despite ongoing administrative hurdles elsewhere noted previously by dissatisfied parties.

Through balancing glowing reviews applauding its spirit with critiques detailing operational inconsistencies indicative of broader industry challenges faced by assisted living homes today—particularly post-pandemic—St.Gabriel prompts reflection on what truly constitutes quality eldercare: compassionate service delivered consistently amid structural support systems designed not merely as profit-driven entities but lifelines genuinely devoted toward enriching lives during vulnerable stages steeped traditionally with respectability among generations seeking refuge together sharing joys along journeys ahead still teeming possibilities waiting eagerly far beyond maximum capacities achieved thus far!

Physicians

• Athens Dermatology Group, Karen Maffei MD (1.9 miles)
• Bo Edwards (2.3 miles)
• Hawthorne Medical Associates - Watkinsville (2.3 miles)
• Evergreen Pediatrics (3.2 miles)
• Oconee Primary Care (3.4 miles)
• Bishop Frank D Jr DMD (3.5 miles)
• Endocrine Specialists of Athens (4.9 miles)

Places of Worship

• Watkinsville First Baptist Church (2 miles)
• St Joseph Catholic Church (5.6 miles)

Restaurants

• Zaxby's (2.2 miles)
• Taqueria La Parrilla (2.3 miles)
• The Falls Restaurant (4.3 miles)
• Larry's Giant Subs (4.8 miles)
• Newk's Franchise (4.9 miles)
• Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen (5 miles)
• Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers (5 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (2.3 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (5.2 miles)
• Jennings Mill Drug Company (5.5 miles)
• Hodgson's Pharmacy (6.4 miles)
• Kroger Pharmacy (6.5 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (6.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (6.6 miles)

Parks

• Herman C Michael Park (4 miles)
• Athens Memorial Park (5.7 miles)
• Oconee Forest Park (6.2 miles)

Hospitals

• St Mary's Health Care System (4.9 miles)
• St Mary's Hospital (6.8 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (5 miles)
• Lumpkin Cafe (6.3 miles)
• Jittery Joe's (6.4 miles)
• Panera Bread (6.6 miles)
• Jittery Joe's (6.7 miles)
• Starbucks (6.8 miles)
• Starbucks (6.9 miles)

Theaters

• GTC University 16 Cinemas (5.2 miles)
• GTC Beechwood Cinemas (6.7 miles)