Northeastern Ohio Alzheimer's

Pros

• The staff at St. Mary's Alzheimer's Center is described as compassionate, competent, and loving, treating residents like family.
• Residents with dementia are not rejected and receive attentive, pain-aware care.
• The facility is praised for exceptional cleanliness and state-of-the-art dementia care in Ohio.
• Clinical Director Suzie is commended for an open-door policy, advocacy, and timely actions to improve comfort and relief.
• Families feel supported by the entire team and grateful for the care provided to their loved ones.
• The staff is repeatedly characterized as kind, patient, diligent, and dedicated, with many individuals named as caring angels.
• The center is highly recommended for dementia care, with positive anecdotes about nurses, aides, doctors, and administration.

Cons

• The reviewer notes the father's steady decline since arriving at St. Mary's Alzheimer's Center.

Review

There is a deep sense of gratitude in these experiences, rooted in the reality that a loved one with dementia is cared for by a group of people who feel more like family than staff. The writer feels blessed to have their father settled at St. Mary's Alzheimer's Center in Columbiana, Ohio, where there is a palpable sense of safety and belonging. The facility's culture stands in stark contrast to fears of rejection or discharge due to challenging behaviors; here, dementia is not a reason to push residents away. Instead, the team makes a point of welcoming and supporting each person, treating them as members of a close-knit family and ensuring they are never made to feel disposable.

The care experience is built on the broad spectrum of professionals who come together to support residents. Nursing and cafeteria staff share responsibilities alongside maintenance crews, physical and speech therapists, aides, housekeepers, physicians, and various support services and administrative personnel. The reviews repeatedly emphasize that this is a team effort where every member contributes to a cohesive, compassionate environment. The staff's approach is observant and proactive: they notice when a resident is in pain or starting to deteriorate and respond with the level of attentiveness that families rely on during difficult times.

A defining claim about St. Mary's is its commitment to excellence in dementia care. Descriptions highlight state-of-the-art care and an emphasis on best practices that set a high standard within Ohio. Cleanliness is repeatedly noted as exceptional - the kind of thorough, well-maintained environment that contributes to a sense of calm and safety for residents and their families. The combination of advanced care protocols and meticulous cleanliness underscores the center's reputation for reliability and quality.

Central to the early and ongoing trust is the Clinical Director, Suzie, whose open-door policy is praised as a crucial element of the care philosophy. Families feel heard and seen, with Suzie described as an advocate who listens to concerns, champions the resident's needs, and takes corrective action to improve comfort and pain management. This openness appears to foster confidence and a collaborative relationship between the facility and families, reinforcing the sense that residents' voices - and their families' peace of mind - are respected.

Many of the strongest affirmations come from time spent with a father who arrived in 2022 and continued to live under the center's care as his condition declined. The staff's response evolved in step with his needs, always meeting him where he was with patience, diligence, and kindness. The descriptions evoke an "incomparable" team - one that adapts beyond "first-rate" care to address every shift in the resident's needs. In addition to the general excellence, the praise naturally turns to individuals who stood out: Stephanie, Trisha, Terry, Lisa, Melissa, Suzie, Jane, Rhonda, Miriam, Michelle, Jodi, Willie, Cody and his wife. These names symbolize the personal bonds formed - people who made a difficult journey safer and more comfortable.

The testimonials extend beyond one family's story, offering a hopeful message to others facing dementia care decisions. If you have a loved one with dementia, including Alzheimer's and Lewy Body dementia, and you can no longer provide full-time care at home, St. Mary's in Columbiana is portrayed as a fortunate find. The narrative emphasizes that from the first day a loved one arrived until the end of life, the care team provided steady, compassionate attention - nurses, aides, doctors, and administrators working together to keep residents safe and respected. The overall tone is one of gratitude and awe for people who carry "beautiful souls" through challenging times, offering reassurance that compassionate, capable care remains possible even in troubled times.

Additional voices in the collection of reviews highlight personal connections that extend beyond the resident to their wider family network. One family member speaks of a Great Aunt who lives there, noting that every call to check on her is answered with a smile in the voice of the staff, and that the entire team remains pleasant and considerate. Another notes that their great grandmother is treated with genuine kindness and care. The repeated expressions of thanks - "THANK YOU" - and the emphasis on smiling, kind communication reinforce the sense that this is more than a facility; it is a welcoming, respectful community where families feel heard, supported, and reassured.

Taken together, these reviews paint a coherent portrait of St. Mary's Alzheimer's Center as a place where compassionate care, professional excellence, and a family-like atmosphere come together to honor residents living with dementia. The staff's attentiveness to pain, their willingness to advocate on behalf of residents, and their ability to adapt to changing needs create a trusted, dignified environment. For families seeking a home away from home that feels like a lifeline rather than a last resort, St. Mary's in Columbiana stands out as a beacon of insistently humane care and unwavering dedication.

Restaurants

• Das Dutch Haus Restaurant (0.9 miles)
• Burger King (1 miles)
• Arby's (1.1 miles)
• Heck's Restaurant (1.8 miles)
• Riser Tavern & Grill (5.2 miles)
• Quench Bar & Grill (5.8 miles)
• McDonald's (5.8 miles)

Parks

• Harvey S. Firestone Memorial Park (1.5 miles)
• Firestone Park (1.7 miles)
• The Hine Memorial Fund Playground (6.8 miles)
• Coy Park (6.9 miles)
• Boardman Park (7.9 miles)

Physicians

• Salem Community Hospital (1.8 miles)
• Prima Health Care (2.6 miles)
• Evans, Mark Mercy Health North Lima Primary Care (4.9 miles)
• James Prebis MD (5.7 miles)
• Boardman Medical Pavilion (5.8 miles)
• Akron Children's Hospital Specialty Care - Boardman (5.8 miles)
• Pediatric Specialties (5.8 miles)

Hospitals

• Physicians Dialysis Center-North Lima (5.1 miles)
• Corporate Care (5.7 miles)
• Select Specialty Hospital (5.8 miles)
• St Elizabeth Boardman Health Center (5.8 miles)
• Greenbriar Rehabilitation Hospital (6.7 miles)
• Akron Children's Hospital (7.1 miles)
• St Elizabeth Anticoagulation Clinic (7.2 miles)

Pharmacies

• Hometown Pharmacy (5.1 miles)
• Pharmacy Benefitdirect (6 miles)
• Marc's Stores (7.3 miles)
• Kids N Cures (7.7 miles)
• Meijer Pharmacy (7.8 miles)
• Walgreens (7.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (7.8 miles)

Cafes

• Panera Bread (5.6 miles)
• Suzie's Dogs and Drafts (7.7 miles)

Theaters

• Cinemark Tinseltown (7.4 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Charles Church (7.6 miles)