Bergen Cnty Healthcare Ctr

Pros

• The staff were attentive and kind during a difficult time.
• They understood immediately the need to move the mother to a cottage where she would have other widows to support her grieving.
• The center has communicated with the family each week since March.
• The steps taken to contain the virus worked.
• The facility came through the outbreak with very few deaths and illnesses compared with other NJ nursing homes.
• The family expresses deep gratitude for the staff.

Cons

• The staff's job is not easy, and managing the virus outbreak is very difficult.
• Most other nursing homes in New Jersey have lost many residents and staff to the virus.

Review

Bergen County Health Care Center will be remembered by one family as a place of safety, compassion, and steadiness through some of the most challenging years of caregiving. The parents moved into the center about three years ago, and from the very first days there was a sense of belonging and reassurance. The writer recalls walking in with their parents and meeting a woman whose own mother had recently passed away. That moment, and her words about having made the right decision, stayed with them as a confirmation that they had found a good home for their parents. The sense that this place would be more than just a care facility - an environment of kindness and support - colored many months that followed.

The gratitude extended beyond routine care. When the writer's father died last year, the staff's response stood out as particularly meaningful. They were attentive and kind at a time when any family needs immense comfort. More than that, the staff demonstrated a deep understanding of the grieving process and acted on it with sensitivity: they recognized the need for the writer's mother to be moved to a cottage where she could be surrounded by other widows who were also navigating loss. Such thoughtful placement created a communal space for grieving, a recognition that healing can be aided by companionship and shared experience, not just medical attention.

As the world faced the Covid-19 pandemic, the center's approach to communication and safety became a defining feature of the experience for this family. Starting in March, the staff maintained weekly communication with relatives, ensuring that families were kept in the loop about the wellbeing of their loved ones. The steps taken to contain the virus were described as effective, and that sense of proactive protection provided a measure of reassurance during a time when fear and uncertainty were widespread. The facility's leadership and teams worked to implement infection control practices that could withstand the pressures of a highly transmissible illness.

Compared with many other nursing homes in New Jersey, this center stood out for its outcomes during the outbreak. The writer notes that many facilities in the state suffered significant losses in both residents and staff, painting a stark contrast with the experience at Bergen County Health Care Center. The implication is clear: the center managed the crisis with a combination of vigilance, care, and perhaps good fortune, resulting in relatively fewer deaths and illnesses. That outcome reinforced a sense of trust that the staff would continue to protect residents in the face of future waves, whenever they might arise.

The staff's dedication is presented not only as professional competence but as a core value in caregiving. The writer emphasizes that caring for others in a nursing home is not an easy job, especially during a viral outbreak, yet the team carried the load with grace and effectiveness. The ongoing gratitude is palpable: "we all have the deepest gratitude for the staff there," the writer affirms, recognizing that the daily responsibilities - from medical care to emotional support to clear, compassionate communication - require resilience and a genuine commitment to those in their care. This sense of appreciation extends beyond a single incident; it honors a sustained, humane approach to elder care.

Finally, the narrative notes a significant development: the center closed in August 2021. Even with that closure, the impact of the experience remains strong for the family. The writer's reflections convey a lasting sense of trust in the people who cared for their loved ones during a period of extraordinary challenge. The stories of weekly updates, the thoughtful relocation to a supportive living arrangement during grief, and the courageous management of the pandemic together form a portrait of a place that, for a time, offered more than just services - it offered steadiness, empathy, and a sense of community in the most trying times. The gratitude expressed here speaks to the enduring value of compassionate caregiving and the difference it can make in families' lives when they face loss, fear, and uncertainty.

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (1.3 miles)
• Walgreens (1.5 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.3 miles)
• Walgreens (4.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (5.2 miles)

Parks

• Tallman Mountain State Park (1.4 miles)
• Piermont Pier (3.1 miles)
• Uniontown Playground (3.3 miles)
• Hart's Brook Park & Preserve (6.7 miles)
• Riverdale Park (7.2 miles)
• Van Saun County Park (7.8 miles)
• Nyack Beach State Park (8.5 miles)

Restaurants

• The 9W Market (1.5 miles)
• The Filling Station (1.5 miles)
• Harvest on Hudson (2.5 miles)
• Hudson Social (2.9 miles)
• Brrzaar (4.2 miles)
• Goosefeather (5.3 miles)
• Taco Bell (5.8 miles)

Transportation

• Metro North - Dobbs Ferry Train Station (2.9 miles)
• Metro North - Tarrytown Train Station (6.4 miles)
• Metro North - Bronxville Train Station (6.4 miles)
• Metro North - Riverdale Station (6.5 miles)
• Metro North - Hartsdale Train Station (7.2 miles)
• Metro North - Mt Vernon East Train Station (7.9 miles)
• Pelham Station (8.8 miles)

Physicians

• Orangetown Pediatric Associates (3 miles)
• Northeast Orthopedics & Sports Medicine - Orangeburg (3.3 miles)
• Kayal Orthopedic - Westwood (4.4 miles)
• Park Medical Group PA (4.7 miles)
• Babra Saeed (5 miles)
• Medical Arts Building (6.1 miles)
• Tenafly Pediatrics (6.3 miles)

Hospitals

• Hackensack Meridian Health Pascack Valley Medical Center (4.4 miles)
• White Plains Hospital (8.7 miles)
• NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital (8.7 miles)
• The Valley Hospital (8.9 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (5.6 miles)
• Art Cafe Of Nyack (6.3 miles)
• Starbucks (6.5 miles)
• Boxer Donut & Espresso Bar (6.5 miles)
• Coffee Labs Roasters (6.6 miles)
• Starbucks (6.8 miles)
• Starbucks (7 miles)

Theaters

• Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers (5.7 miles)
• AMC Palisades 21 (7 miles)
• Nanuet STM 12 & RPX (8 miles)
• AMC DINE-IN Shops At Riverside 9 (8.2 miles)

Places of Worship

• Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (6.4 miles)
• The Riverdale Minyan (7.4 miles)