The Terraces at Brookmeade in Rhinebeck, NY

Pros

• The staff is wonderful, caring, and communicative; they spend time with clients.
• The staff are very respectful and loving.
• The facility offers a nice, small community feeling with a lovely setting and nice apartments for assisted living.
• The staff are great and stay with residents every step of the way, providing support.
• The community is a very good fit for residents, with available activities and inviting staff.
• The care is good and the environment is clean throughout the community.
• The place is beautiful, with scenic property, spacious apartments, and much to offer.
• The staff tailor care to residents' needs.

Cons

• Dollars are valued over residents.
• There are significant disconnects between administration and caregivers, and the staff is grossly understaffed.
• After several falls, the resident was sent to the hospital and deemed no longer appropriate for the facility.
• The facility would not allow the resident to return and charged $9,000 in rent.
• They provided only a meager credit for meals - just over $100.
• There were cleaning issues, including a month-long putrefied urine smell.
• Fecal matter was found on the sheets on several occasions.
• Carpets were so dirty that a carpet cleaner had to be rented.
• Calls were consistently not returned.
• The deposit was still being held.

Review

The Terraces at Brookmeade is best suited for families seeking a small, intimate assisted living community where residents are known personally and care feels relationship-driven. The setting is graceful and hotel-like, with comfortable apartments and a tranquil Rhinebeck campus that lends itself to easy social moments and independent living within a supported framework. This is the kind of place where staff are praised for warmth, attentiveness, and steadiness, and where residents can receive personalized attention in a close-knit, neighborly environment.

Yet this is not the right choice for every family. Alternatives should be explored if priority lies in rock-solid safety reporting, consistently high staffing levels, transparent and predictable finances, and a robust, well-rounded activity calendar. If a family cannot tolerate tensions between administration and frontline caregivers, or demands absolute reliability in incident reporting and issue resolution, other options may deliver more predictable peace of mind. Those who require very aggressive meal quality standards or a rigorously structured daily program may also want to look elsewhere.

On balance, the strongest positives here are precisely what matters most in an intimate setting: genuine, caring staff who cultivate personal connections with residents and families, and a community atmosphere that feels less like a facility and more like a familiar, supportive home. Several reviews emphasize that caregivers are kind, respectful, and present at meaningful moments, with staff members who accompany residents through transitions and milestones. The environment itself supports this. Residents consistently describe the apartments as comfortable and well-sited, and the setting as quietly appealing. When these elements work, they create trust and reassurance that a loved one is not merely supervised but appreciated.

However, the clear and consequential drawbacks temper that warmth. The most serious concerns center on safety and reliability: understaffing, frequent staff turnover, and a notable gap between administration and the caregiving team. Falls are reportedly not consistently communicated, and one review documents a hospital transfer that precipitated a discharge decision followed by a contentious 30-day notice and a substantial rent charge. Such incidents erode trust and complicate family decision-making, because the line between compassionate care and financial or operational rigidity becomes blurred. Financial terms and deposits also emerge as a minefield in several accounts, including refunds that linger unresolved and disputed billing practices tied to post-discharge status.

Cleaning standards and daily operations appear uneven. Credible reports describe recurring cleanliness issues - odor in a suite, fecal matter on linens, and dirty carpets - paired with a revolving door of aides and inconsistent responsiveness to family inquiries. While other families recount strong administrative engagement and consistent communication at times, the friction evident in several accounts cannot be dismissed. Food quality, another variable predictor of daily satisfaction, is cited as inconsistent to poor by at least one reviewer, which wedges into the overall quality-of-life assessment for residents who rely on the dining program as a daily anchor.

Ultimately, the key question hinges on risk tolerance and priorities. If a family can tolerate occasional administrative strain and are prepared to scrutinize cost structures, discharge policies, and incident reporting, The Terraces at Brookmeade can deliver a deeply personal, warm, and comfortable living experience in a small community. But if consistency in safety reporting, financial transparency, and housekeeping standards are non-negotiable, it would be prudent to explore alternatives that promise tighter staff alignment, firmer accountability, and more uniform services. Prospective families should request current staffing ratios, detailed incident logs, and a clear outline of post-hospitalization policies before making a commitment. In the end, the decision should hinge on whether the resident's need for a genuinely intimate, caring environment outweighs the potential for friction between operations and hands-on care - and whether the financial and service terms align with the family's expectations for reliability and peace of mind.

This part of Rhinebeck, New York, offers a variety of amenities that cater to senior living. With multiple physicians, including Children's Medical Group and Orthopedic Associates, as well as nearby hospitals such as Northern Dutchess Hospital and Benedictine Hospital, residents have access to quality healthcare services. There are also several pharmacies in the area for convenient medication needs. In terms of dining options, there are plenty of cafes and restaurants to choose from, ranging from casual eateries like Rhinebeck Bagels & Cafe to upscale establishments like Terrapin Restaurant. Additionally, the proximity to parks like Forsyth Park provides opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation. The transportation options, including the Amtrak Station and Kingston Trailways Bus Terminal, offer convenience for traveling both locally and regionally. Overall, this part of Rhinebeck combines essential services with recreational opportunities that would make it a desirable location for senior living.

Physicians

• Children's Medical Group (0.3 miles)
• Rhinebeck Foot Care (1.1 miles)
• Health Quest Medical Practice - General Surgery, part of Nuvance Health (1.1 miles)
• Rhinebeck Pediatric Associates (1.1 miles)
• Orthopedic Associates (1.1 miles)
• Broadway Family Care Center (4.3 miles)
• Holistic Psychiatry of New York (4.6 miles)

Cafes

• Bread Alone Bakery (1 miles)
• Stone Soup Food Company (5.5 miles)
• Monkey Joe Roasting Co. (5.5 miles)
• Starbucks (5.5 miles)
• Village Coffee and Goods (5.6 miles)
• Panera Bread (5.6 miles)
• Golden Russet Cafe & Grocery (5.7 miles)

Restaurants

• Terrapin Restaurant, Bistro & Bar (1 miles)
• Market St (1.1 miles)
• Rhinebeck Bagels & Cafe (1.1 miles)
• Ole Savannah Southern Table & Bar (4.5 miles)
• Savona Trattoria (4.7 miles)
• Ship To Shore (4.7 miles)
• Armadillo Bar & Grill (4.9 miles)

Hospitals

• Northern Dutchess Hospital (1.1 miles)
• Bone & Joint Center at Northern Dutchess Hospital (1.1 miles)
• Benedictine Hospital (5.5 miles)
• Healthalliance Hospital - Mary's Avenue Campsu (5.5 miles)
• Hospital Benedictine (5.8 miles)
• Northeast Center For Special Care (6.4 miles)
• Kingston Hospital (6.8 miles)

Pharmacies

• Top's Markets (1.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.7 miles)
• Rite Aid (4.9 miles)
• Walgreens (5.1 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (5.7 miles)
• Walgreens (6.5 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (6.8 miles)

Transportation

• Amtrak Station (3.1 miles)
• Kingston Trailways Bus Terminal (6.8 miles)

Theaters

• NCG Cinema (5.4 miles)

Parks

• Forsyth Park (7.1 miles)
• Cas Landi Recreation Park (7.4 miles)
• Wilcox Park (8.7 miles)