FRIENDS VILLAGE, INC (NJ75A002)

I have been a resident here for about a year and have had many occasions where Kaileen from billing has been exceptionally helpful. Along with her bubbly energetic personality she is always available whenever I need her and very knowledgeable towards any information Ive needed.

My parents passed away several years ago and their estate was entitled you receive some money back. A new company took over, canceled the old contract, and never paid out a dime. Isn't that called STEALING, especially if the money was in an escrow account. If you're considering this place, I'd go somewhere else.

We moved my mom from a facility in Alabama to Friends Village in the summer of 2023. If you’ve ever heard the horror stories of poorly run facilities that was the one she previously lived in Alabama. Once we moved her to Friends it was like night and day. Mom resided at Hancock in the Memory Care wing. The staff there is wonderful from the administration, nurses, aides, cooks, activities, maintenance, therapy and custodial. I’ve never run into a more caring group of people who looked after her every need. They ran activities during the day to keep them sharp and to help socialize. The staff members helped her with every day activities like dressing, meals, showers and toilet assistance, etc couldn’t have been more helpful or pleasant. I always enjoyed my visits to see mom not only to see her but because I loved to converse with the staff. Mom sadly finally passed way in April, 2025 but up until her final breath they looked after her and made her eventual passing as comfortable as possible. I also give a shout out to the Helping Hands and hospice personnel who were with her 24/7 during her final days doing what they do best giving her comfort and keeping her company. I strongly recommend if you have a loved one who needs a place to stay whether it be independent, assisted or some special needs look no further than Friends Village and rest peacefully knowing your loved one is being looked after in a great way. I know because I’ve seen both ends of the spectrum.

Alisa Hodzic the Household Coordinator is a compassionate leader setting the tone for the staff. She has always been available to me regarding my sisters care for the last 2 years. Whether ensuring that she is engaged with activities when able, coordinated between various departments when I need answers doesn’t stop until she has an answer for me. She interacts with my sister and the residents in a friendly positive way.

We found the care at Friends Village Assisted Living (Fall 2023) to be extremely lacking and unconscionable. They are in a state of constant turnover, which means they are almost always understaffed. Much of the time, my in-laws would not receive assistance with their basic needs (showering, dressing, etc). Their room was left dirty-- with spills/stains on the floor, soiled linens on the bed, and a stopped-up toilet. We also found their security and safety protocols to be severely flawed. One night, a nurse had to call the police to find my missing FIL. Officers found him face-down on the sidewalk after an "undetermined amount of time". Instead of being invested in my FIL's well-being and their security breakdown, the management seemed primarily concerned about justifying their practices (not getting sued). Management is quick to throw their employees under the bus in order to save their own reputation. It was a thoroughly demoralizing experience.