Overall sentiment across reviews for Brookside Stone Mountain is highly mixed, with clear polarization between families who had very positive, sometimes glowing experiences and those who encountered serious problems. Most consistent positives relate to the community’s location, the availability of group activities, certain individual staff members who provided excellent, compassionate care, and some units or common areas that were clean, sunny and well-maintained. Most consistent negatives are organizational: chronic understaffing, high management turnover, poor communication, and multiple reports of safety incidents (falls, hospitalizations, unlocked doors and slow call-button response). The cumulative picture is a community that can provide a pleasant, active environment under the right staffing and leadership circumstances, but where many families felt they had to remain actively involved and vigilant to ensure basic care needs were met.
Care quality: Reviews show wide variability. Several families praised caregivers and nurses who showed attentiveness and fostered resident progress, with some short-term rehabilitation and hospice experiences described positively. At the same time, many reviews reported gaps in basic care: missed dietary accommodations, meals not prepared for chewing, incomplete medication administration, dehydration leading to hospitalization, inadequate oxygen/daily medical needs, and falls attributed in part to insufficient supervision. The caregiver-to-resident ratio is frequently described as inadequate, particularly at night and on weekends, producing long wait times for assistance. Multiple reports indicate that when staffing is short or inexperienced, families often needed to be present or frequently check in to ensure care was performed.
Staff and management: Staffing and leadership are recurring fault lines. Several reviews highlight warm, compassionate, and highly competent individual employees who went above and beyond and made families feel comfortable. Conversely, many accounts describe staff who are rushed, overworked, undertrained, or rude. High turnover and frequent changes in management were repeatedly mentioned, with some reviews noting terminated managers and an overwhelmed administrative team. Communication breakdowns (phones unanswered, front desk unstaffed, billing disorganization) and inconsistent implementation of policies were commonly cited. A few reviewers reported improvements under new management or staffing, indicating that changes in leadership can materially affect resident experience.
Facility and safety: Physical aspects are mixed. Positively, some residents enjoyed spacious rooms (reported sizes 240–550 sq ft), large windows, natural light, and a pleasant courtyard. The small community size appealed to families who preferred a more intimate setting. Negatives include older areas needing remodeling, worn rugs, dirt and cleanliness issues reported in bathrooms or under sinks, and renovation cleanup problems. Memory care repeatedly gets negative notes: described by some as a dark basement and an afterthought with a higher risk of misplacement or safety lapses. Specific safety concerns were detailed — unlocked doors during business hours, inconsistent calling systems between units, frequent falls, and some hospital transfers — underscoring the effect understaffing and inconsistent procedures have on resident safety.
Dining and dietary services: This is another area with polarized experiences. Several reviewers praised breakfast, the on-site chef, and dining experiences, while many others described meals as poor, not prepared for residents’ chewing needs, and dietary accommodations being overlooked. There are notes that no dietician or clear menu was evident, and that special diets were sometimes not honored. These mixed reports suggest variability by dining staff, shift, or management oversight at mealtime.
Activities and social life: Activities are frequently cited as a major strength: exercise classes, bingo, holiday parties, in-house entertainment, and transportation for outings were noted to keep many residents engaged and active. Multiple families reported loved ones enjoying the program. At the same time, some reviewers wished for more year-round activities or a dedicated activities director, and a few reported dark common areas or small halls that dampened engagement. Suitability for specific residents (e.g., those who won’t or can’t participate) varied — some residents did not engage with programs.
Costs, contracts, and payment: Price sensitivity appears in many reviews. Reported price points reach up to about $3,000/month with additional charges (phone/cable, move-in fee of $3,000 mentioned by one reviewer, and a starting personal care fee of $325). The community is primarily private-pay (no Medicaid), which contributes to concerns about value: several reviewers feel they paid high rates for inconsistent care, while others found the pricing competitive and good value compared with alternatives. Billing disorganization and surprise fees were also remarked upon.
Patterns and final assessment: The dominant pattern is variability driven by staffing and management stability. Positive experiences are concentrated when stable, experienced staff and responsive leadership are present; negative experiences correlate strongly with understaffing, management turnover, and poor internal communication. Safety and nutrition are the most serious recurring concerns (falls, medication errors, missed dietary needs). Cleanliness and maintenance are inconsistent across units and over time. Families seeking Brookside Stone Mountain should expect a small, activity-rich community with potential for excellent personal interactions but should carefully vet recent staffing levels, turnover history, fall and incident rates, memory-care layout and safety, diet accommodations, and exact fee structures. Prospective residents and families may benefit from observing multiple shifts, asking for staffing ratios and fall statistics, witnessing a mealtime, touring the memory-care space, and clarifying contract fees and hospice protocols before committing.
