Pricing ranges from
    $6,763 – 8,791/month

    Brightview South River - Senior Assisted Living & Memory Care

    8 Lee Airpark Dr, Edgewater, MD, 21037
    4.3 · 96 reviews
    • Assisted living
    • Memory care
    AnonymousLoved one of resident
    4.0

    Friendly staff, clean campus, caution

    I placed my loved one here for the central, clean campus and stayed because the staff are overwhelmingly friendly, attentive and compassionate - memory care teams were caring, meals and activities were excellent, and the grounds (secure garden, planned outings) are well kept. My family felt supported through transitions and hospital visits; staff often went the extra mile and our loved one thrived. That said, there have been reports of inconsistent management, occasional understaffing and odor/cleanliness issues, and costs are high - I recommend it, but with caution.

    Pricing

    $6,763+/moSemi-privateAssisted Living
    $8,115+/mo1 BedroomAssisted Living
    $8,791+/moStudioAssisted Living

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    Amenities

    Healthcare services

    • Activities of daily living assistance
    • Assistance with bathing
    • Assistance with dressing
    • Assistance with transfers
    • Medication management
    • Mental wellness program

    Healthcare staffing

    • 12-16 hour nursing
    • 24-hour call system
    • 24-hour supervision

    Meals and dining

    • Diabetes diet
    • Meal preparation and service
    • Restaurant-style dining
    • Special dietary restrictions

    Room

    • Air-conditioning
    • Cable
    • Fully furnished
    • Housekeeping and linen services
    • Kitchenettes
    • Private bathrooms
    • Telephone
    • Wifi

    Memory care community services

    • Mild cognitive impairment
    • Specialized memory care programming

    Transportation

    • Community operated transportation
    • Transportation arrangement
    • Transportation arrangement (non-medical)

    Common areas

    • Beauty salon
    • Computer center
    • Dining room
    • Fitness room
    • Gaming room
    • Garden
    • Outdoor space
    • Small library
    • Wellness center

    Community services

    • Concierge services
    • Fitness programs
    • Move-in coordination

    Activities

    • Community-sponsored activities
    • Planned day trips
    • Resident-run activities
    • Scheduled daily activities

    4.29 · 96 reviews

    Overall rating

    1. 5
    2. 4
    3. 3
    4. 2
    5. 1
    • Care

      3.8
    • Staff

      4.1
    • Meals

      3.6
    • Amenities

      3.5
    • Value

      2.3

    Pros

    • Kind, compassionate and attentive staff and caregivers
    • Memory care program (Wellspring) praised for engagement
    • Many planned activities and events (morning/afternoon, themed events, excursions)
    • Staff frequently remembers residents’ names and offers personalized attention
    • Positive, supportive leadership and knowledgeable directors cited by several reviewers
    • Clean, well-maintained and newer facility/design
    • Secure, enclosed garden and accessible outdoor spaces
    • Good location and convenient to families
    • Roomy or well-laid-out apartments in some reports
    • Elevator and easy accessibility throughout the building
    • Family inclusion encouraged for meals and events
    • Consistently good meals for many residents; appealing dining presentation
    • Experienced culinary staff cited (e.g., Marriott-trained chef mentioned)
    • Housekeeping and common areas reported as generally clean
    • Safe environment and organized transitions coordinated with physicians
    • Staff responsiveness and timely assistance in many accounts
    • Strong COVID-19 response and infection control noted by some families
    • Warm, neighborhood-like atmosphere with life-enriching programming
    • Supportive hospice/medical coordination and helpful intake process
    • Many reviewers highly recommend the community based on positive experiences

    Cons

    • Inconsistent care quality between reviewers and over time
    • Understaffing, especially in memory care units
    • Management and leadership inconsistencies or disengaged management
    • Serious safety concerns reported (falls, delayed response, unresponsive call buttons)
    • Allegations of abuse, theft, and investigatory incidents brought up by multiple reviewers
    • Persistent urine or strong odors in some hallways/rooms
    • Decline in care after initial weeks for some residents
    • Small rooms or limited apartment size for some units
    • Food quality inconsistent — some found meals missed or inedible
    • Housekeeping lapses reported (linens not changed, rooms not cleaned)
    • Medication delays or inadequate medical attention in some cases
    • High pricing and perceived poor value for some families
    • Unexpected charges or billing issues at intake
    • Mandatory on-site pharmacy policy criticized by at least one reviewer
    • Limited or inconsistently delivered activities despite advertised programming
    • Front desk or administrative staff unprofessional in some reports
    • Noise or early-morning disruptive checks reported by families
    • Smoking area uncomfortable or poorly located
    • Mix of resident acuity causing concerns (e.g., impression of nursing-home level care)
    • Lack of diversity and staffing turnover concerns

    Summary review

    Overall sentiment across reviews for Brightview South River - Senior Assisted Living & Memory Care is mixed but centers heavily on two consistent themes: strong, compassionate frontline staff and robust programming/facilities on one hand, and serious variability in care quality, management, and safety on the other.

    Positive themes are prominent and repeated. Many reviewers emphasize genuinely kind, loving, and attentive caregivers who remember residents’ names and form trusting relationships. Specific staff and leaders (for example Brooke, Kelly, Mary, Jen, David, Suzie, Sandra and others named in reviews) are cited for going above and beyond, providing personalized attention, coordinating transitions with physicians, and supporting families through difficult moments. The Wellspring memory care program receives praise from multiple families for engagement, compassionate caregivers, and activities tailored to residents with dementia. Reviewers frequently note a warm, neighborhood-like atmosphere, opportunities for family involvement, a secure outdoor garden area, and an overall sense that many residents are happier and thriving after admission.

    Facility and amenities get substantial positive mention. The community is described as newer, clean, and well maintained, with nicely decorated common areas, practical accessibility features (elevator, roomy apartments in some reports), and pleasant dining spaces. Food quality is a standout for many families — some reviewers praise consistent, appealing meals and a chef-level approach to dining (one reviewer references a Marriott-trained chef). Activities programming is commonly cited (morning and afternoon sessions, happy hour, themed events, excursions, entertainment), and many families appreciate frequent communication, decor, and the organized intake process.

    However, a strong and recurring counterpoint is inconsistency. Numerous reviews describe a decline in quality after initial weeks, or substantial differences between shifts, units, or time periods. Understaffing, especially in the memory care unit, is a frequent complaint, with linked problems such as delayed medication, slow response to calls for help, limited supervision, and basic unmet needs. Several reviews describe severe safety incidents: residents reportedly left on the floor after falls, unresponsive alert buttons, and delayed medical attention. There are also multiple allegations of theft (silk pajamas, wedding rings) and at least a few reviews referencing police/911 involvement and abuse investigations; some reports say investigations produced no proof, while others describe hospitalizations tied to alleged neglect. These accounts create significant concern about reliability and resident safety for some families.

    Operational and administrative issues appear as another consistent theme. Some families report poor management responsiveness, stories that change when incidents are raised, unprofessional front desk staff, unexpected billing charges, and rigid policies (for example, complaints about mandatory on-site pharmacy). A number of reviewers call out lapses in housekeeping — linens not changed and odors of urine in hallways or rooms — contrasting with other reviewers who say common areas are clean. Dining quality is similarly inconsistent: while many praise the food, others report missed meals, inedible food, or rude dining staff/cooks.

    Cost and value are also contentious. Several reviewers feel pricing (including dementia-care rates over $9k mentioned by one reviewer) is high relative to the care delivered, particularly where families experienced understaffing, safety incidents, or management problems. Conversely, many others consider the community worth the price given the attentive staff and programming.

    In summary, Brightview South River demonstrates clear strengths in staff compassion, resident engagement, dining, and physical environment; many families report excellent, life-improving care and warm community feeling. At the same time, there is notable variability in resident experience driven by staffing levels, management practices, and safety/process adherence. The polarity in reviews ranges from high recommendation and gratitude to strong warnings against placement due to serious incidents. Prospective residents and families should weigh the positive, frequently cited human and programmatic aspects against the reported operational and safety concerns, and should seek thorough, targeted answers during tours—particularly about staffing ratios, incident handling, housekeeping protocols, memory care staffing and programming, billing practices, and recent investigation outcomes—before making a placement decision.

    Location

    Map showing location of Brightview South River - Senior Assisted Living & Memory Care

    About Brightview South River - Senior Assisted Living & Memory Care

    Brightview South River - Senior Assisted Living & Memory Care sits over on 8 Lee Airpark Drive in Edgewater, Maryland, and folks who end up there see a place that gives seniors both assisted living and memory care, so you get care for Alzheimer's and other dementias and there's help with daily activities if you need it, such as bathing, dressing, or taking your medicine, and a staff that's friendly and gets to know each person's particular needs and wants and really tries to keep the environment safe and supportive. There's a separation, sort of, because there are assisted living apartments and then their Wellspring Village™ section that's dedicated mostly to memory care services, and caregivers there focus on giving about 12 to 16 hours of nursing every day, which is quite a bit for people who really need it, and this can be less costly than a full nursing home or in-home care for some folks.

    The place runs on a monthly rental basis, so you don't have to worry about big upfront entrance fees, and apartments are studio or one-bedroom with kitchenettes, cable and emergency call systems, private bathrooms-even with wheelchair-accessible showers and sometimes full tubs, so that helps people age in place. Pets are welcome, and rooms have Wi-Fi to keep everyone connected, which is nice when family can't always visit in person. They say staff are not just professional but also compassionate and kind, and there are a lot of long-term workers who know the residents by name, all working together with a director who's energetic and positive and makes a point to keep spirits up.

    Food stands out a bit with chef-prepared meals every day, and whether you're into vegan, low-sodium, or sugar-free dishes, staff plan for all sorts of diets, so that makes it easier for everyone to find something they can enjoy, not to mention the dining room is set up almost like a restaurant with white linens and a bistro area where people can gather for happy hour or breakfast, and there's even a private dining area for family celebrations, plus room service if you want it. A geriatric medicine specialist is on the premises and there's a strong tie to Anne Arundel Medical Center, which adds a sense of security for complex medical needs, and physical therapy happens right on-site in dedicated rooms, fostering health and keeping residents as active as possible.

    The community has plenty of spots to sit or walk and talk, from outdoor gardens with raised beds for those who like to putter about, to a firepit and safe, enclosed courtyards, and inside there's a TV lounge, fireplaces, computer rooms, a fitness center, and space for meetings, so there's always somewhere to join an activity or just relax. Activities, now, they're something the Vibrant Living Director, who's a Certified Activities Professional, makes sure happen every day, and that ranges from exercise (thanks to programs like SPICE in Motion) to movie nights in the in-house theater or pub gatherings and spiritual services for both Catholic and Protestant faiths, plus offsite worship when requested. There's a packed social calendar-games, outings, educational talks, and pet visits-and staff encourage family to get involved in events if they want.

    Housekeeping and laundry come standard, and there's transportation if folks need rides, whether for errands, doctor appointments, or special outings. Residents needing hospice or respite care can stay, as well as adults who need more care than basic assisted living. Memory care is a focus, with the Bright Minds Program and Wellspring Village™ offering structured life enrichment for those living with memory loss, and staff receive special training for the unique challenges dementia brings.

    Beauty and barber services are right there on site, and the building is equipped for wheelchairs throughout, with elevators and well-kept hallways so people can get around easily. The resident reviews are generally positive, with an average score of 4.3 out of 5, and folks mention good food, helpful staff, and a lively atmosphere, nothing extravagant-more dependable than flashy. The idea, really, is to support independence and choice while lending a respectful hand, so people here can keep some freedom, whether they're taking part in the Vibrant Living program, relaxing by the fire, browsing the library, or walking the outdoor paths. Brightview South River has built a place with care, activity, and good company for seniors who need either assisted living or memory care in the Edgewater area.

    About Brightview Senior Living

    Brightview South River - Senior Assisted Living & Memory Care is managed by Brightview Senior Living.

    Founded in 1999 by The Shelter Group (est. 1977), Brightview Senior Living operates 42+ vibrant senior communities across eight East Coast states from their Baltimore, MD headquarters. They provide independent living, assisted living, enhanced care, and specialized memory care through Wellspring Village. Their philosophy centers on the SPICE wellness program and Bright Minds cognitive enhancement.

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