Barclay Friends

Pros

• The staff at Barclay Friends is described as pleasant, welcoming, and caring, with many expressing appreciation for their upbeat demeanor.
• The facility is noted for its beautiful appearance, including lovely rooms, beautiful gardens, and a home-like atmosphere rather than a clinical one.
• Many visitors found the various activities offered, such as botany programs and games like Bridge, to be engaging and enjoyable for residents.
• Family members appreciated the teamwork among the nursing staff, aides, social workers, and therapists in providing care for their loved ones.
• Reviewers mentioned that the dining experience was positive, with good food being served to residents.
• The proximity of Barclay Friends to family homes was highlighted as a convenient benefit for families visiting their loved ones.
• Some reviews indicated that positive interactions between staff and clients were evident during visits, contributing to a respectful environment for all residents.

Cons

• Many aides at Barclay Friends are described as generally apathetic and preoccupied, lacking friendliness or kindness, which reflects poorly on the management.
• A family member reported negligence in care, leading to severe health issues for their loved one and subsequent investigations by the state confirmed neglect.
• The cleanliness of patients' rooms was repeatedly criticized, with claims that cleaning staff did not perform their duties properly despite complaints to nursing staff.
• An individual experienced a frustrating admissions process, noting that communication from the admissions personnel was inconsistent and unhelpful regarding vacancies and qualifications.
• It was noted that the facility is not suitable for residents with Alzheimer's, as staff were untrained and uninterested in providing proper care.
• Concerns were raised about rehabilitation services being mismanaged, with therapists appearing more focused on personal conversations than patient care during sessions.

Review

Barclay Friends, located in West Chester, has garnered a mix of reactions from family members of residents. Some individuals praise the facility for its beautiful aesthetics and various amenities like enclosed patios and lovely walking areas. Many find the atmosphere inviting, with outdoor spaces that are particularly enjoyable during pleasant weather. The bright, roomy suites and attractive gardens contribute to a warm environment that feels more like home than a clinical setting. Families appreciate the diverse levels of care offered at Barclay Friends, ranging from skilled nursing to memory care, indicating that it can accommodate residents throughout different stages of their lives.

However, beneath the facility’s appealing exterior lies a troubling undercurrent regarding the quality of care provided by staff. While some reviews highlight positive interactions with nurses and aides who often display kindness and respect towards residents, there is an alarming number of accounts detailing neglectful behavior from caregiving staff. A poignant example comes from a daughter who witnessed severe health issues developing in her mother due to negligence—issues that sparked an official state investigation into the facility's practices. This review emphasizes an essential point: appearances can be deceiving; just because the environment looks nice does not guarantee compassionate or attentive care.

Several families have echoed concerns about staff indifference, describing how many aides seem preoccupied or apathetic in their roles. Despite some caregivers demonstrating warmth and attentiveness, others reportedly lack engagement with residents’ needs. It appears that management may contribute to this problem by fostering an environment where indifference toward resident well-being prevails over genuine concern. For family members actively seeking help for loved ones suffering from conditions like Alzheimer’s disease or other cognitive impairments have specifically cautioned against choosing Barclay Friends citing inadequate training among staff to handle such sensitive situations.

Another significant barrier noted by potential residents' families relates to the admissions process itself, which has been criticized for being confusing and inconsistent. Some individuals reported receiving contradictory information regarding availability and pricing from admissions personnel, creating frustration during an already emotional time in their lives. One family's experience revealed disorganized communication leading them through convoluted discussions around qualifications for residency—highlighting a lack of transparency within administrative processes at Barclay Friends.

Despite these criticisms about caregiver engagement and admission procedures, there are numerous testimonials praising specific aspects of the facility related to rehabilitation services post-surgery as well as general assisted living experiences before transitioning into nursing care settings. Families expressed satisfaction with how team-oriented approaches facilitated effective recovery protocols for residents after medical events like surgeries or falls, underscoring successful collaborative efforts among nurses, social workers, therapists—and even housekeeping staff—to promote patient wellness when provided optimal support.

It's worth noting that while there are seemingly significant concerns associated with specific elements within Barclay Friends’ operations—including cleanliness issues flagged by family members—the outstanding qualities highlighted in several reviews underscore both its potential benefits as well as areas ripe for improvement moving forward—a balance that prospective residents must carefully consider when searching for suitable long-term care options compatible with their loved one's unique circumstances.

Hospitals

• Chester County Hospital (0.3 miles)
• Family Lounge (0.4 miles)
• Paoli Hospital (7.6 miles)

Parks

• Marshall Square Park (0.4 miles)
• Stroud Nature Preserve (2.4 miles)
• Goose Creek Park (4.1 miles)
• Lionville Park (5.8 miles)
• Ridley Creek State Park (8.5 miles)
• Marsh Creek State Park (8.8 miles)

Physicians

• Chin, Katherine Gateway Internal Medicine of West Chester (0.4 miles)
• Fern Hill Medical Campus (1.1 miles)
• Penn Internal Medicine (2.3 miles)
• Brandywine Valley Pain Control Center (4.2 miles)
• Nemours Children's Health (4.4 miles)
• Chester County Eyecare Associates (4.5 miles)
• Family Practice Associates (4.5 miles)

Restaurants

• Square Bar (0.6 miles)
• Split Rail Tavern (0.7 miles)
• Chipotle Mexican Grill (1.1 miles)
• Levante Brewing Company (1.9 miles)
• On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina (3.7 miles)
• Appetites On Main (3.7 miles)
• IHOP (4.3 miles)

Cafes

• Gemelli - Artisanal Gelato & Dessert Cafe (0.8 miles)
• Giant Cafe (1 miles)
• Starbucks (1.7 miles)
• Starbucks (4 miles)
• Stolen Sun (4.8 miles)
• Coffee Cup Restaurant (5.6 miles)
• Starbucks (7.1 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.3 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (3.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.9 miles)
• Walgreens (4 miles)

Transportation

• Exton Station (EXT) (3.4 miles)
• Downingtown Station (DOW) (5.8 miles)
• Septa Malvern Station (6.7 miles)
• SEPTA/Amtrak: Paoli Station (8.3 miles)
• SEPTA Thorndale Station (8.3 miles)

Theaters

• Movie Tavern Exton (3.6 miles)
• AMC DINE-IN Painters Crossing 9 (6.8 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Paul's Episcopal Church (4.4 miles)
• Willistown United Methodist Church (6 miles)
• Saint Joseph Church (6.2 miles)