We ended up placing my mom in Bellaken Garden in Oakland's assisted living. We were able to visit and we went through her Medicare health plan with them and they did some sort of contract regarding the health care service part. The other residential fee and stuff we would be paying out of pocket. It was a very good fit for her. When we called, the staff was very responsive to asking initially what we were looking for, and then the application process was done with them. Plus, they worked with my mother's Medicare health plan and that was very useful. My mother was also looking for a place where the staff could speak the Cantonese language. She speaks Cantonese and a large number of the staff there are Cantonese-speaking. My mother also needed a certain level of care, she's wheelchair-bound, she needed a place that was willing to accept and have staff that was qualified to help her at her level of care. There were a few places that we spoke to that basically could not accept her. She's in a shared room. It's okay, it's not great but it's good for the price we're paying. I know there are some nice ones, but they were so expensive. We spoke to the administrative staff about the meals and actually, the place has a lot of residents who are Chinese and a lot of staff that is Chinese. They cater to Cantonese and Chinese food and my mother likes it. So, it was a good fit. Right now, during the pandemic, there are no group amenities. The residents are pretty much still confined to their own rooms and stuff. I believe they have an exercise program and there is a community area, like a communal area. The building itself, the facility itself is in the center of the inner city but when you go there, it's actually very secluded and it's kind of in a cul-de-sac and it's very quiet. So, we were very surprised. It almost feels like it's not in the city so that's why we liked it.

Bellaken Garden was very nice, the staff was very good, they have skilled nursing and assisted living, and they were very helpful in getting my mom in a soon as possible. They're very good so far and very welcoming. They have activities every day, but we had to watch the direction on the food though. They had singing, services in the community room, and Bingo.

My mom was supposed to go to Bellaken Garden; however, they gave up her room. The staff was nice, but the people were just sitting out in the hallways with nothing to do. The rooms were kind of sterile. They were all shared rooms. They had two dining rooms because it was a fairly large facility. They had bingo, trips, and activities. My mom was a Chinese, and a lot of the residents were also Chinese. It was more of a community for her.

Our relatives living in Oakland found Bellaken Garden for his dad. The place has assisted living and skilled nursing. It is fine, not very good but it's okay. The staff is friendly and the food is good.

My grandmother has lived here for over three years and I have found that their workers are truly caring toward the residents. I have visited my grandmother every week especially the past 8 months or so and I always watch how their caregivers work with other residents (since I always go at lunch time, I get to watch residents getting their meals and caregivers serving the meals, and helping residents who need help with feeding. The administrators also seem caring and nice and assure me that they don't mind getting calls from me asking about my grandmother or even asking what she would like me to bring her to eat when I visit. I agree with other reviewers in that this place is old and doesn't look upbeat, but it is wonderful for those who need Chinese-speaking caregivers. The food is a frequent complaint as well ... but maybe anyone can get tired of any kind of "cafeteria food" after a while? I feel comfortable that my grandmother is in good hands living here.

The staffs were all professional, very caring and friendly to the residents and their families. The facility overall will give a feeling that you are home and that everybody is family.

Bellaken Garden offer both assisted living and skilled nursing. I've referred three residents there, and it's been a good fit. One of the things I like about them is that they have hospice on site. That can be a good thing, since moving can be painful and traumatic. Bellaken Garden is in Oakland, close to the Oakland Hills. It's a serene area--secluded, on a hillside, very parklike, with views of the foothills. It's beautiful but not close to shopping. The have apartments for assisted living and room for skilled nursing. The apartments come in four floor plans. The facility itself is older but well kept up, and the ground are beautiful. They have 58 beds for assisted living. It's a gated community, and they have gardens and flowers like you wouldn't believe. The staff is exceptional. There's little turnover, and they well trained. The activities program is okay -- not the best but adequate. it's 7 days a week, from about 9 am to 4 pm, and they have a social worker assigned to each resident. The residents I've referred there all say the food is very good. They don't offer a lot of choice, but they have three meals a day.

As assisted living facilities in the Bay Area go, Bellaken Garden is quite affordable. And it has skilled nursing available, which is nice, since it means residents don't have to leave when they need that level of care. Historically, it has appealed mostly to an Asian clientele (mostly Chinese), which makes it a good fit culturally and linguistically for that population. The facility itself, though, is old and a little dreary. And I've heard mostly bad reviews of the food. Overall, it has an institutional feeling - not homey at all. I do refer people there, though"”for affordability and for cultural fit.