Berkeley Hall Nursing Home

Pros

• Everyone at Autumn Lake is very helpful and nice.
• The staff at Autumn Lake is very caring and helpful.
• Residents receive competent and caring care.
• The rooms are clean and spacious, and residents are well cared for.
• The facility is immaculate and very clean.
• The dining hall and exterior are beautiful.
• The food is amazing, and there are plenty of activities for everyone.
• Therapists Leo and Miranda are confident, patient, and kind.
• Syronda is a caring and professional nurse who communicates with families.
• Dietitian Cathy is exceptional and ensures that residents eat well.

Cons

• The most troubling issue was the consistent lack of staff and the apparent burnout among those who were present.
• There are serious concerns about the facility's operations.
• The staff's attitude made things worse; some were unpleasant, rolling their eyes and displaying visible frustration when basic questions were asked.
• The facility constantly smelled of urine, and his room was frequently dirty during visits.
• On one visit, he was found on his knees using the toilet, with his hands in the water, before anyone was available to help.
• On another occasion, he was found unclothed, and no one could explain why.
• Five weeks there and he did not receive a shower.
• There were no options for an individual menu selection, and he did not get much sleep due to loud neighbors.
• The front desk staff were nasty and unhelpful to visitors.
• Medical procedures were done without informing the family, illustrating a major communication problem.

Review

Autumn Lake has drawn a wide range of experiences from families and residents, with many praising the facility as a warm, caring, and well-maintained place for rehabilitation and long-term care. Several reviews describe it as among the best options in the area, where staff are consistently described as compassionate, attentive, and helpful. Families repeatedly note that their loved ones receive attentive, patient-centered care, and that the environment feels welcoming and well kept. One reviewer called it "the finest care" their family member has received after a long hospital stay, highlighting competent and compassionate staff. Another visitor described the building as "very nice and super clean," with staff who are "caring and helpful" and who clearly form close relationships with the residents. The overall tone from many comments is one of gratitude for a facility that feels both supportive and capable in tending to acute recovery and ongoing needs.

A key pillar of the positive experiences centers on the quality of therapy and the clarity of care plans. Reviewers frequently mention the presence of engaged therapists and nurses who communicate well with families. In particular, therapy staff such as Leo, a part-time physical therapist, and Miranda are noted for their confidence, patience, and skill, with remarks that they know what they're doing and involve families in progress updates when asked. The care team also includes a dedicated dietitian named Cathy, who is described as exceptional for ensuring residents eat well, sometimes creating special menus and even going shopping to source appropriate items. Beyond the therapists and dietary staff, families consistently point to social workers and nursing staff who explain care plans and next steps, and who strive to keep everyone informed as the resident's treatment unfolds. A sense of reassurance is conveyed when the team demonstrates coordination and accessibility, even when individual interactions vary.

The human touch is a recurring thread across many reviews. Numerous family members speak highly of specific staff members who go above and beyond to make loved ones feel comfortable and secure. For example, Kathy is recognized for helping one patient feel at ease, and there are frequent acknowledgments of the kindness and professionalism of the day and evening nursing teams, including caregivers like Syronda, Marie, and Chantal, who are described as caring and communicative with families and residents. A 95-year-old mother's first day is recounted as especially welcoming, with staff extending warmth to both the patient and the family, leaving a positive impression about the care environment. The director receives praise in one heartfelt note, with gratitude directed toward Kelly for compassionate outreach, and Maggie the nurse is singled out for her responsiveness and the care she provides to a patient in pain, including timely pain control and attention to meals. Such anecdotes emphasize a culture that values personal connection and clear, ongoing communication.

The facility's appearance and ambiance also receive favorable remarks. Reviewers frequently comment that the building is bright, cheerful, and well kept, with attractive d?cor and clean common areas. The dining hall and exterior are described as beautiful, and the overall environment is portrayed as uplifting, with pictures and a bright, inviting atmosphere that contributes positively to the patient experience. In addition, reviewers note that there are many activities available to residents, with staff coordinating or facilitating social and recreational opportunities that help residents stay engaged and maintain a sense of normalcy during recovery or longer stays.

However, not all feedback is wholly positive, and a notable minority of reviews raise serious concerns about management, staffing, and basic day-to-day operations. In a strongly worded account, a reviewer gave Autumn Lake a one-star rating and described persistent under-staffing and burnout among those who were present. The experience included long waits for assistance with basic needs like using the bathroom, frequent lapses in cleanliness, and a troubling odor of urine that pervaded hallways and rooms. The reviewer recounts an alarming incident of a resident being found in an unsafe, undressed state, with no explanation given, and notes that staff appeared frustrated or unhelpful when asked for information. The report describes a pattern of limited communication about medical procedures, a lack of showers over an extended period (five weeks in one case), and a general sense of disorganization that apparently affected care timelines and coordination. The reviewer also questions transportation arrangements and cost, suggesting systemic issues in planning and resource management. Taken together, this account paints a picture of a facility grappling with significant operational and communication gaps that can undermine even strong clinical care when those gaps widen.

Alongside this, another review highlights frustrations with the front desk as a first point of contact. While other staff members are praised for kindness and responsiveness, the commenter notes that the front desk can set a negative tone if visitors are not met with courtesy and willingness to help. This emphasizes that good care is not only about medical treatment and daily nursing tasks but also about the quality of initial interactions and ongoing administrative support. When front-door experiences are not positive, it can color the overall perception of the facility, even if clinical care remains strong in other parts of the operation.

In sum, Autumn Lake emerges as a place with substantial strengths: a caring, engaged staff; dedicated therapists and dietitians who work closely with families; a warm and communicative leadership presence in some accounts; and a bright, clean, activity-rich environment that many residents and families appreciate. Yet there are clearly serious concerns raised by at least one reviewer about staffing levels, workload, cleanliness, and transparency around medical procedures and care planning. The most constructive takeaway is a portrait of a facility with substantial potential and many compassionate, capable individuals, but one that has important work to do in strengthening staffing stability, front-line consistency, and proactive communication to ensure every resident's daily experience matches the high standard demonstrated by many of its staff. When these improvements align with the already strong clinical and interpersonal care, Autumn Lake could consistently deliver the remarkably positive experiences described by numerous families.

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (0.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.4 miles)
• Walgreens (4.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.5 miles)

Places of Worship

• Church of the Little Flower (0.7 miles)
• St Vincent De Paul Rc Church (3.2 miles)
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (6 miles)
• Our Lady of Fatima Roman Catholic Church (7.7 miles)
• Morrow Memorial United Methodist Church (8.6 miles)

Restaurants

• McDonald's (0.8 miles)
• Stirling House Diner Seafood Pavilion (2.9 miles)
• Scotchwood Diner (2.9 miles)
• Wendy's (3.1 miles)
• Stirling Hotel (3.2 miles)
• Stage House Tavern (3.2 miles)
• Stone House (3.6 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (2 miles)
• Starbucks (4 miles)
• Starbucks (6.8 miles)
• Starbucks (7.3 miles)
• Starbucks (7.5 miles)
• Lokl Cafe (7.7 miles)
• Panera Bread (8 miles)

Physicians

• Watchung Pediatrics (3.6 miles)
• New Jersey Spine Center (4.8 miles)
• Warren Dermatology Associates (5.2 miles)
• University Radiology (5.3 miles)
• Kartan Saritha Summit Medical Group Westfield (5.5 miles)
• Summit Medical Group (6.3 miles)
• Medemerge (6.3 miles)

Parks

• Forest Road Park (3.8 miles)
• Mindowaskin Park (5.2 miles)
• Ponderosa Farm Park (5.7 miles)
• Loantaka Brook Reservation Recreation Area (6.1 miles)
• Ginty Field (6.7 miles)
• Columbia Park (6.9 miles)
• Florham Park Recreation Department (6.9 miles)

Transportation

• NJT - Summit Station (4.5 miles)
• NJT - Short Hills Station (6.4 miles)
• NJT - Millburn Station (7.4 miles)
• Signature Flight Support (7.4 miles)

Hospitals

• Lyons VA Hospital (6.5 miles)
• Morristown Memorial Hospital Atlantic Health (7.4 miles)
• Saint Barnabas Medical Center (8.6 miles)