Birch Bay Retirement Village

I have interacted with all levels of staff and many in management. Many experiences signal the excellent quality of care: oversight provided by hospital ownership and management, strong community support, dedicated professionals, creative care programming, involved personal care from staff, availability of administrators, high level of communication. The physical location adjoining Acadia National Park and overlooking Frenchman’s Bay is stunning. Facility maintenance matches quality of custodial care.

What we like about Birch Bay is the friendly caregivers and thoughtful activities- music therapy in particular! The community feels small and homey

After my Wife’s diagnosis of dementia and her level of care increased, I began researching assisted living options. After meeting with staff, I was convinced that Birch Bay’s Safe Harbor Memory Care program was the right choice. Making the move was difficult for both of us but with the help of the geriatric physician that works with Birch Bay and the staff that is specially trained in dementia care techniques she was able to adjust and become comfortable in her new home at Safe Harbor. Knowing that she is safe and cared for with compassion and concern every day has made life easier for both of us as we witness the progression of this disease. All of the staff at Birch Bay including administration, nursing, aides, housekeeping, and maintenance have been kind and considerate in every way. They make all residents feel special and warmly welcome all visitors as part of the Birch Bay family. I am so glad that my wife is living at Safe Harbor and am eternally grateful to all of the staff.

My parents have both lived at Birch Bay since late 2019, and my dad recently passed away in the dementia wing. The biggest thing I can say about Birch Bay is how amazingly kind everyone who works there is. Through all my parents went through, and I went through with them, I felt they were so cared for by the entire staff, from nurses and CNAs, to administrators, to cleaning team, kitchen folks, maintenance people, music therapists, everyone. I have never met a person at Birch Bay that I wouldn’t hug and thank profusely for everything they do. They make what can be a challenging time in life feel as safe and comfortable as possible. I am so grateful that Birch Bay was an option for my family.

My elderly parents have been living at Birch Bay for over 10 years. They have lived in both an independent living apt and assisted living. Now that my Dad is deceased and Mom is dealing with health issues, she moved to assisted living. The level of care is generally very good and I have peace of mind knowing she is receiving the care she needs. The staff is wonderful and very caring and the food is delicious in the dining room. There are a few challenges. Like many retirement communities, BB has struggled to remain fully staffed. This means in independent living, residents who press their alert buttons may have to wait a long time for assistance to arrive. Many staff have had to play multiple roles (cleaning, waiting tables, etc.). The food in Pleasant Cove (assisted living) seems to be mostly leftovers from the dining room at noon of the following day, and sandwiches for the evening meal. Assisted living is also very expensive, and the expenses add up as residents require more care.

Although Birch Bay is visually appealing, the luster wears off as the months go by. There has been too much staff turnover, with little continuity with the incoming staff. We have had to spend too much time re-educating the new staff on the care of our loved-one. The staff does not seem to review the copious notes we submitted and upsets our loved-one when the staff tries things that we asked them not to do. A constant reply from the staff is that they do not have enough staff to provide the care/assistance we requested for our loved-one. Other than 9 to 5, it is extremely difficult to contact the appropriate person. When we can eventually reach someone, we are told the appropriate skill set is not available. Birch Bay seems to be on a down-hill slide. Can't hire the right people. Can't hire enough people. Can't provide appropriate care. The only reason they remain is that they are one of the few places around that provide any services. If there was competition, BB would not survive.

My mum is blissfully happy at Birch Bay Retirement Village. She is generally agreeable and cheery. When she is not, the staff handles her beautifully, allowing her to always feel respected and holding on to her dignity - mum may not think so due to her disease, but her family does. Nothing but my mum's care and happiness matter!

From day one I have been treated like a family member! Every place is clean in order and all employees a very accommodating, friendly, helpful and I can definitely recommend “Birch Bay Retirement “ who’s looking for the best. Congratulations to all including the exterior maintenance Crew , a job very well done . Let’s keep it up

My husband, [name removed], is a resident of Birch Bay Pleasant Cove Assisted Living and has been since [date removed]. I am grateful for the excellent care that he receives. The staff is caring and professional. When I visit [name removed], I am grateful that Staff members know and call him by his name. The facilities and grounds are in great shape. His room is always clean…his laundry is clean and folded. [name removed] enjoys the recreational activities, especially the different music programs and men’s group. I feel fortunate that we have Birch Bay to care for someone that I love. At times It is difficult for me to realize that Ben is not coming back home but I am grateful to the staff for making [name removed] feel welcome and comfortable in his new home.

Excellent work by maintenance staff at no charge for covered items in cottage. Have needed replacement refrigerator and quickly supplied. There are problems in the Inn, due to staff shortages and excessive service charges, together with poor communication on upcoming events. Overall level of satisfaction with life in my cottage - high. Good value for investment, with intention of remaining here as long as possible.

Overall, Birch Bay is a nice place to live. It is situated on a hillside with incredible views. It is very close to Bar Harbor village, which has a hospital, grocery store, drug store and many seasonal restaurants, plus is very close to the incredible Acadia National Park. It is well-maintained and the chef, head nurse and all the support staff and caregivers are wonderful people. My main complaint is the executive director, a recluse who focuses on getting every last penny out of the residents. In assisted living you have to provide everything, from sheets to tissues, even though you pay close to $[removed]/day! The head activities coordinator is the same, very unfriendly and reclusive. If they were replaced, I would give it 5 stars! The ratings below reflect these two, which brings down the ratings.

My husband and I recently moved into a cottage at Birch Bay. We love the cottage and the neighbors, who live in the other 19 cottages. It is such a privilege to have city water, city sewer, trash pick up, and mail delivery. This is quite a change from our previous home in this community. The option to eat in the main dining room is a plus. The food is excellent and there are all the apartment dwellers to socialize with. I especially enjoy the gym and the hiking trail.

Just over five years ago a decision had to be made. After a neurology appointment, it was clear that my Mom was in the early stages of Alzheimer disease and my Dad already had some mild cognitive impairment from a stroke suffered 8 years prior. With some coaxing from me and some trepidation on their part, they chose to sell their house and move to Birch Bay Retirement Village. It was the best decision we ever made. They started in an independent living apartment and in time progressed to Assisted living during the COVID shut down, and eventually they progressed together into the need for memory care. Though having parents in care during COVID was difficult, Birch Bay did a great job of loving and caring for them. Though family could only have limited contact during the epidemic, the staff at Birch Bay did an outstanding job of extending themselves to be surrogate family during that time. Both of my parents are now gone, but I can't thank Birch Bay enough for their outstanding care.

My grandmother has been a resident of both the apartment and Pleasant Cove neighborhoods. I have been pleased by the attentiveness of the staff in the Health Services department. The caregivers are kind, compassionate and treat every resident as an individual with respect. Her physician from MDI Hospital has the ability to visit her weekly when we have any medical concerns. She has also been very happy with the dining options- meal delivery when she was in her apartment and now three full meals a day in Pleasant Cove. The programming/activities staff are bubbly and energetic and always make every resident feel special. The housekeeping and maintenance staff take great care of the campus. I wouldn't want my grandmother to live anywhere else!

Everything we need to be healthy and safe is provided. The setting is so beautiful and the small town atmosphere is everything I need to feel inspired every day. I am in an independent cottage and volunteer at one of the local biological research centers and participate in the community. The slower pace of life in a small town is just right for me because the there are so many ways to stay active and mentally inspired here. All together, I like to say, "its sure is hard to hate".

We chose Birch Bay primarily because of the convenient location to me. I am able to visit daily if I want to and that is a huge plus. Also their approach to care is great - they have music therapy which I think is really helpful to folks with dementia. It is a low pressure place, they don't drag residents out of their rooms to do things if they do not want to do them. It does have that hospital like feel to it and that is the one downfall for us. It is expensive, but the quality care provided is priceless. I would definitely recommend this facility to others.

Gorgeous setting. Quality of food varies with chef. Chefs seem to last about two or three years. There are design problems in most apartments that cause unreachable shelves as well as storage problems. More activities are needed but space for them is severely limited. The staff is wonderful. The alter system for help is very good. Administration of rules and regulations to contain COVID-19 has been tough to live with but has been very effective.

Clean, calmly decorated halls, friendly staff. Medical staff kind of intrusive maybe due to the pandemic. Amazing views from walking path around the apartment. Meals ok. Hilltop location assured quiet surroundings.

My mother has been a resident at Birch Bay for five years. She was in an independent living apartment for the first three, and is now in Pleasant Cove, the assisted living unit. She has always been happy with the location, the view, the staffing and the services at Birch Bay. She loves the Bar Harbor area, and enjoys the views of the bays and islands out her windows. Every time any of us call, she assures us she is "well-fed, well taken care of." She appreciates the attentiveness of the staff, the music and craft activities, and the clean, warm and cozy environment. We have been especially impressed with the Birch Bay response to COVID-19. Their attention to detail has been top-notch, communication to family and visitors superb, and precautions well thought out. My uncle and aunt had been living at a different (more expensive) facility, and after visiting my mother several times have now joined her at Birch Bay. We all recommend it highly!