Being There Senior Care, LLC

Pros

• Kathleen at the front desk is exemplary - capable, friendly, and lovely.
• Sandra in the dining room is attentive, kind, and fun, always ready to listen or share a quick joke.
• Keri, the head nurse, blends competence with accommodation and truly understands residents' needs.
• Kim Craig, the Vibrant Living Assistant, is the reason mom is content; she is kind, attentive, enthusiastic, and meticulous in planning activities.
• Brightview Catonsville is described as a vibrant, welcoming, and caring community.
• The facility is beautiful with spacious apartments and a robust calendar of on-site and off-site activities.
• The dining program features good food and a pleasant environment, including a nice outdoor space in memory care.
• Move-in experiences are well-managed; staff help with acclimation and maintain clear, proactive communication with families.
• The care team is professional, proactive, and easy to reach, with strong coordination among PT, OT, and medical staff.

Cons

• The new director ignored the original agreement and did not provide the promised daytime memory care.
• They did not help her get dressed in the mornings or evenings.
• They would not take her to meals unless the reviewer called and pressed them.
• If she reached the dining facility, staff did not assist with the menu and she often had no food.
• She was left in the same clothes for 10 days and was not helped to change or bathe.
• Room entries at 3:30am with lights on and keys shaking to wake her for a "bed check" frightened her.
• The RN ignored all concerns about her care.
• The resident aides had no idea who she was or what her needs were.
• Communication did not travel; information about her needs was not relayed.
• On move-in day, she was left alone while others were out and not taken to lunch.
• Conversations with the director and the VP went nowhere.
• The facility took money but did not provide the services they claimed they would.
• The reviewer suggested installing cameras and documenting conversations via email for written records, implying a lack of accountability.

Review

Brightview Catonsville feels at first like the kind of place families hope for when they're looking for a new home for a loved one who can no longer live independently. Across a chorus of reviews, the building is described as beautiful and welcoming, with an atmosphere that blends warmth, activity, and genuine care. The sense of vibrancy is not just in the d?cor but in the daily life of the community - theme nights, exercise classes, outings, games, and music that give residents something meaningful to look forward to every day. People repeatedly note that the environment invites participation and fosters connection, so visits don't feel like interruptions but part of a living, engaged community.

What makes Brightview Catonsville stand out in the stories told here are the individuals who carry the day-to-day heart of the place. Kathleen, the front desk associate, is praised for being capable, friendly, and lovely - a front-line touchpoint that makes families feel seen and welcomed. In the dining room, Sandra is described as attentive, kind, and fun, always willing to listen to a story or share a quick joke to brighten a moment. The head nurse, Keri, is remembered for combining competence with accommodation, genuinely understanding the residents and tailoring care to their unique needs. And then there is Kim Craig, the Vibrant Living Assistant, who is often singled out as the reason many residents - especially the reviewer's mother - feel content and valued. Kim's leadership of activities, from theme nights to outings and music, is portrayed as meticulous and deeply considerate of what residents want and need. Together, these staff members form a picture of Brightview as a place where people are known, respected, and celebrated.

The resident experience, when things are clicking, is described as collaborative and inclusive, with strong lines of communication and a family-friendly rhythm. Families repeatedly highlight how easy it is to visit and participate; they describe feeling welcome to come and go, to join in activities, and to share in the daily life of their loved ones. The dining experience is not merely about meals but about community - special dinner nights, friendly staff participation, and a sense that residents are not just fed but celebrated. The sense of professional coordination among the care teams - PT, OT, and medical staff working in concert with families - also emerges as a consistent theme, helping families feel that their loved ones are in capable and coordinated hands. It is the combination of competence, warmth, and engagement that many reviewers say makes Brightview Catonsville feel like a home away from home.

Yet alongside the many glowing reflections, there is one prolonged, deeply negative account that stands out: a move-in experience that did not meet promises or needs, followed by a run of troubling incidents that left a family feeling ignored and unsafe. The reviewer describes an agreement to place their mother in assisted living with dementia, with a plan to transition to memory care as needed, and an expectation that the staff would provide mornings and evenings assistance, meals, and dressing. According to the account, a new director named Susan arrived and apparently did not honor that original arrangement. The narrative goes on to describe mornings and evenings when help with dressing was not provided, meals were not arranged without persistent prompting, and residents sat hungry or neglected in dining spaces. The reviewer recounts a sequence of troubling episodes, including a 3:30 a.m. "bed check" that woke and scared the resident, a lack of proactive care from the RN, and aides who did not seem to know the resident's needs or history. The sense conveyed is of muddled communication, scattered accountability, and a feeling that the resident's needs were not prioritized.

That experience culminated in a decision to move their mother out. The reviewer is frank about the impact: the impression that the staff were asking the family to acclimate to them, rather than the other way around; the perception that the facility accepted money without delivering the promised level of service; and a strong recommendation to insist on written documentation and even cameras to verify communications and care. While this negative episode sits in tension with the otherwise glowing portrayals, it is presented not as a single critique of the entire Brightview Catonsville enterprise, but as a stark counterpoint that highlights the importance of reliable care, clear communication, and steadfast attention to each resident's individualized needs. The reviewer's cautions - about the need for documentation, consistent staff engagement, and leadership accountability - read as a call for improvement rather than a condemnation of the facility as a whole.

In the end, the collective voice about Brightview Catonsville is layered. Outside of the difficult experience, many reviews celebrate a place that feels alive with care, connection, and meaningful activity. Families speak of a home-like atmosphere where staff members know names, stories, and preferences, where meals are enjoyable, and where the calendar is filled with opportunities to engage, explore, and share moments together. The positive testimonials emphasize the sense that Brightview is not only about safety and medical oversight but about enriching daily life - about residents thriving, forming friendships, and discovering new things every day. The staff stories - Kathleen at the front desk, Sandra in dining, Keri the head nurse, and especially Kim Craig in vibrant living - appear repeatedly as the soulful core of the Brightview experience.

Ultimately, Brightview Catonsville is described as a place that embodies what many families hope for: a welcoming, well-run environment with capable staff, abundant activities, and a genuine commitment to residents' happiness. For some families, it delivers what they need and what they want for their loved ones - joyful engagement, clear communication, and a sense of community that feels like home. For others, it underscores the reality that care is not perfect and that leadership and consistency matter as much as warmth and skill. The reviews together sketch a facility that can be extraordinary in its daily life and practice, while also reminding prospective residents and their families to look closely at how promises translate into ongoing, attentive care. In every corner, there is a clear message: Brightview Catonsville has the potential to be a truly special place, and when the human elements align - staff who remember names, respond promptly, and treat every resident with dignity - it shines with the best of what elder care can be.

Located in Catonsville, Maryland, this area offers a variety of amenities for seniors looking to settle down in a vibrant community. With several hospitals and medical centers nearby, residents have easy access to healthcare services. There are also numerous pharmacies for convenient medication refills. For those who enjoy dining out, there are restaurants ranging from casual options like Chick-Fil-A to more upscale choices like Manor Hill Tavern. Places of worship such as St Augustine's Church and Bridgeway Community Church provide spiritual support. Transportation options like the Amtrak/MARC station and car rental facilities make it easy to get around town or visit nearby attractions. Additionally, parks like Patapsco Valley State Park offer opportunities for outdoor recreation. Overall, this part of Catonsville combines convenience, entertainment, and essential services to create a well-rounded living environment for seniors.

Hospitals

• Spring Grove Hospital Center (1.3 miles)
• Sheppard Pratt Health System (3.4 miles)
• University of Maryland Medical Center (6.4 miles)
• Baltimore VA Medical Center (6.5 miles)

Physicians

• Wilkens Medical Center (2.1 miles)
• Saint Agnes Medical Group: Maryland Cardiovascular Specialists - Catonsville (3 miles)
• South Baltimore County Medical Center | Kaiser Permanente (3.2 miles)
• Pine Heights Integrative Health (3.4 miles)
• American Radiology Services (4.5 miles)
• Dr. Klebanow & Associates (4.6 miles)
• Seton Medical Group (4.7 miles)

Restaurants

• Guinness Open Gate Brewery & Barrel House (2.5 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (2.9 miles)
• Heavy Seas Beer (3.2 miles)
• Auntie Anne's (3.4 miles)
• The Trolley Stop (3.6 miles)
• Manor Hill Tavern (3.8 miles)
• Phoenix Upper Main (3.9 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Augustine's Church (2.6 miles)
• Bridgeway Community Church (5.1 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (2.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.9 miles)
• Rite Aid (3 miles)
• Rite Aid (4.9 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (5 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (5 miles)
• Walgreens (5.3 miles)

Transportation

• Amtrak/MARC - BWI Rail Station (4.3 miles)
• Avis Rent A Car (5.1 miles)
• Hertz Rent A Car (5.1 miles)
• BWI Rental Car Facility (5.1 miles)
• US Customs & Border Protection (5.6 miles)
• Concourse E (5.6 miles)
• BWI Baggage Claim (5.7 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (4.4 miles)
• Starbucks (5.6 miles)
• Starbucks (5.7 miles)
• Tous Les Jours (5.9 miles)
• Starbucks (6.5 miles)
• Ceremony Coffee Roasters (6.9 miles)

Parks

• Patapsco Valley State Park (4.6 miles)
• Blandair Regional Park (6.1 miles)
• Centennial Park (6.5 miles)
• Rash Field (6.8 miles)
• Centennial Park (6.9 miles)

Theaters

• Cinemark Holdings (6 miles)