Marsdale Manor delivers what it advertises - a retirement residence offering room & board to both paying & subsidized residents.
Marsdale at the time I stayed there (end of July to end of August 2012) had some issues you will not find advertised and may find concerning.
The first was a period of approximately 3 weeks where there a continued elevator loss of use. Marsdale is a two-storey building offering the use of a single elevator and two sets of stairs, one at each end of the building. Loss of use of the elevator caused hardship for many of its residents especially those who used walkers or wheelchairs. Many also had mobility & balance issues and there were few people there at that time who were not greatly inconvenienced.
During this time Staff were required to carry meals by hand to those who could not navigate the stairs or reach the dining room. The extended period of time to have this loss of use and elevator service/repair requirement for such an extended period of time appeared to be mostly an issue caused by cash flow shortages as well as poor management.
Shortly after the elevator repair was finally completed, the discovery of bed bugs became the main focus. As with all insect infestations, fumigation was mandatory. Eventually the appearance of bed bugs seemed to be under control, but that issue may have returned as eggs & larvae can take months if not years to control.
Although the meals provided met the minimum requirements for sustenance, there was a blaring lack of whole and fresh food. Almost ALL food served in the dining room was and possibly still is highly processed and as would be expected in dining rooms on a budget, food was over-cooked and over-salted. Beverages were limited to coffee and tea along with choice of one small glass per meal of fruit juices that were always sweetened with processed sugar. Over all, all foods and beverages served at Marsdale were and possibly still are the absolute minimum to sustain life.
One other shocking feature during my stay at Marsdale was the lack of kitchen hygiene followed by most if not all kitchen staff. Obligatory hand washing was seldom if ever practiced. Food preparation at Marsdale as I witnessed it was unhygienic and did not follow safe practice. It is possibly still that way today.
Personal safety issues? None that were imminently or overtly threatening, but during my one month stay, the police were called to address & control drug and alcohol issues. Arrests were made and a couple of the residents were also taken to hospital in ambulances.
And one other item that must be addressed; "all the thieves aren't in Bagdad" applies when speaking of Marsdale Manor. Protecting your personal possessions and money from residents must certainly apply to management (Sean David the administrator and owner Owen Roberts).
In my personal situation, I was charged a $300.00 security deposit plus $45/day. $45.00 a day seems like a lot, and compares to a stay in a Holiday Inn. I recommend that you do. Regretfully others who are senior and/or infirm in any way have very little option.
About the issues mentioned? For me, they remain unresolved after almost ONE year. The administrator Sean David and Marsdale owner Owen Roberts both assured me on my departure that my deposit and any overpayment would be refunded. That has not been the case. As with all over-payment issues, there is only one year to reclaim money from landlords such as these. As stated, "ALL the thieves aren't in Bagdad."
My recommendation? Don't stay there unless you have NO OTHER CHOICE. In my opinion, the YMCA/YWCA would be a better option.