Tandem Health Care in Tallahassee, FL

Pros

• The Aviata at the Gardens has a home-like feel and a clean, inviting environment.
• The staff welcome residents with open arms and treat them like family.
• The nurses and CNAs go above and beyond to care for all residents.
• The nursing team is compassionate, attentive, and earns families' trust.
• The activities department is well-liked and engaging.
• The unit managers and directors provide strong leadership and support.
• Paula, Tiffany, and Teresa are appreciated for their professionalism and dedication.
• The facility is described as clean, pleasant, and providing excellent customer service.
• The therapy and rehab teams deliver excellent care and help residents improve.
• The food service, including pancake breakfasts, is positively mentioned.
• Families would highly recommend the facility as a good option for loved ones.
• Leadership figures like Teresa Youmas and Chelsea Green are praised for going above and beyond.

Cons

• The facility is filthy and nasty, needing a deep cleaning.
• The staff are unresponsive and neglectful, leaving residents waiting for assistance.
• Medications are frequently mismanaged, and patients go without needed drugs.
• Rooms reek of urine and aren't cleaned properly.
• Call buttons are ignored or take too long to be answered, endangering residents.
• Personal belongings are often lost or stolen by staff.
• The administration is described as clueless and unprofessional.

Review

This community is best suited for families that can maintain an active, hands?on oversight and demand a highly engaged care team. The strongest value emerges where staffing is sufficient, leadership is accessible, and a true sense of community flourishes. A homey feel and meaningful rehab potential show up in many accounts when frontline caregivers are consistently present and unit managers are responsive. In short, the facility can deliver positive, patient-centered care, but only if there is disciplined supervision, clear communication, and staffing levels that match resident needs.

Those whose priority is consistent, reliable 24/7 care with minimal family intervention should consider alternatives. The reviews repeatedly flag understaffing, long call-bell wait times, and lapses in basic daily care such as bathing or timely mobility assistance. Cleanliness and odor concerns appear in several accounts, alongside missing belongings and even medication missteps. For residents with complex medical needs or a high risk of emergencies, the facility's variability demands careful diligence and a readiness to escalate or relocate if conditions don't stabilize. If a predictable, smoothly run routine is non?negotiable, other options with firmer governance deserve consideration.

On the positive side, frontline teams often demonstrate genuine commitment. Social services staff - Paula, Tiffany, and Teresa - are repeatedly praised for professionalism and for guiding families through transitions. Nursing leadership and unit managers are described as attentive and collaborative, with individuals who listen and respond. The rehab and therapy teams can deliver real progress, and the dining and activity programs contribute to a warmer, more engaging environment in places where operations are well supported. These strengths signal what the community can be at its best: cohesive caregiving, patient advocacy, and a capable recovery-oriented program.

Yet the cons are deep-rooted and consistently expressed. Understaffing remains a core issue, with frequent reports of delayed responses to call bells and of care tasks going unattended. Sanitation problems, unpleasant odors, and inconsistent room upkeep appear across multiple reviews, as do allegations of neglect, miscommunication, and even medication or documentation errors. Families recount disorganization around discharges, mislaid belongings, and the feeling that message delivery to families is unreliable. The building's aging infrastructure compounds these problems, contributing to uneven experiences between units and undermining confidence in overall safety and quality.

The positive aspects can offset some risk when strong leadership and staffing are sustained. Where the director of patients experience and unit-level leaders stay engaged, communication improves, and families observe better coordination in care planning and transitions. Therapy services can remain a clear strength, contributing to tangible health gains and a sense of progress for residents. The presence of compassionate nurses and committed CNAs - when they show up consistently - creates pockets of trustworthy care that families will notice and value. However, these bright spots rely on continuous, measurable improvements in staffing, accountability, and facility maintenance; otherwise the favorable elements risk being overwhelmed by ongoing operational fragility.

For families weighing options, the path is clear and practical: visit repeatedly, talk candidly with current residents and families, and demand explicit commitments around care plans, staffing ratios, and timely leadership access. Review recent state survey findings and observe whether the environment, communication cadence, and cleanliness have stabilized over an extended period. If the facility cannot demonstrate dependable staffing, prompt responses, and consistent upkeep, move toward alternatives with stronger performance records in Tallahassee. This community can be a viable choice for a care plan that hinges on engaged staff and solid rehab, but only when oversight is relentless and performance benchmarks are nonnegotiable.

This part of Tallahassee, Florida, is a well-equipped and convenient area to consider for senior living. With a variety of physicians' offices, radiology centers, and specialized medical facilities within close proximity, residents can easily access healthcare services. There are also several cafes and restaurants nearby offering a range of dining options. Pharmacies are readily available for medication needs, making it convenient for seniors to refill prescriptions. In case of emergencies, several hospitals are located within a short distance. Additionally, there is a place of worship nearby for spiritual support and community engagement. Overall, this part of Tallahassee provides a well-rounded environment for seniors seeking convenience and access to essential services.

Physicians

• Radiology Associates of Tallahassee (0.1 miles)
• Women's Imaging Center (0.2 miles)
• Alfredo Nova (0.2 miles)
• Eastwood Medical Center (0.2 miles)
• Florida Cancer Specialists (0.2 miles)
• Spine And Wellness Center (0.2 miles)
• Hematology-Oncology Assoc (0.2 miles)

Cafes

• Freshroots Kitchen (0.3 miles)
• Panera Bread (1.2 miles)
• Lucky Goat Coffee (1.3 miles)
• Starbucks (1.8 miles)

Restaurants

• Zaxby's (0.8 miles)
• Ology Brewing Company (0.9 miles)
• Jersey Mike's (0.9 miles)
• Hardee's (1 miles)
• Moe's Southwest Grill (1 miles)
• Las Brazas Mexican Grill (1.1 miles)
• Firehouse Subs (1.2 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.8 miles)
• WellPack Pharmacy: Compounding & Wellness (0.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.1 miles)
• Walgreens (1.3 miles)
• Stewart's Pharmacy (1.3 miles)
• Winn-Dixie (1.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.8 miles)

Hospitals

• Tallahassee Memorial Hospital Women's Pavillion (1.1 miles)
• District 2 medical examiners office at TMH (1.2 miles)
• Capital Medical Oncology Unit (1.3 miles)
• Tallahassee Medical Center (1.3 miles)
• Tallahassee Community Hospital (1.3 miles)
• DaVita (1.7 miles)

Places of Worship

• Easthill Baptist Church (1.6 miles)