New Albany - Optalis

My 90 year old mother with dimentia broke her hip in mid April 2026 and required rehab before returning to the memory care facility where she lives. I give the nursing care and aids high marks for their patience while helping her get through a difficult situation. I give the administration (i. e. social workers) low marks for their lack of communication and responsiveness during her time at Optalis. Unless I asked, there was no feedback on her progress in therapy. I had to follow up repeatedly on calls made to the case worker office due to a lack of responsiveness. Being mom has dimentia, it was important for communication to be through the family (POA) in addition to the patient.

This review is a long time coming. My mom had a short stay here over a year and a half ago, and since she has passed, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on that emotional and stressful season of life. Like many families, we moved my mom into assisted living hoping she would have the care she needed while also gaining social interaction, activities, and a sense of community. We specifically chose this facility because we were told it would provide a smaller environment where she could easily get to meals and activities. Unfortunately, that was not our experience. My advice to families is to ask a lot of questions before moving in and make sure you fully understand what daily life actually looks like. Visit multiple times, at different times of the day, and even unannounced if possible. Had I done that, I likely would have realized there really was not an active dining room program taking place the way it had been presented to us. We felt very misled during the process. I honestly left feeling like the marketing director either did not fully understand what daily life looked like in the building or was simply telling us what we wanted to hear in order to secure a move-in. One of the things we were specifically looking for was a dining program and social engagement. Instead, meals were always delivered to residents’ rooms more like a hospital setting than an assisted living community. The activities program was also not what we expected, as it was blended with the nursing home side of the building, requiring my mom to walk a significant distance to participate with residents she did not know. What disappointed me most was the lack of response from administration. I sent a lengthy and heartfelt email explaining our concerns and why we were giving our 30-day notice, and I never received a response from the executive director. There were positives. The rooms were nice and worked well for my mom’s needs, and we made her space feel very warm and homey. The location and setting of the building are also wonderful. The pricing was also appropriate for the level of care my mom needed, which was one of the reasons we initially chose it. But overall, I often left feeling like my mom was alone in her room with very little social interaction. Many times when I visited, the halls were empty and it was difficult to even find staff. It felt like the Assisted Living was an afterthought and all of the focus was on the nursing home and rehab side of the building. I know how hard these decisions are for families, and I share this simply so others will know what questions to ask and what to look for when making such an important choice for their loved one.

New Albany Health and Rehabilitation Center is an outstanding facility for both rehabilitation and long-term care. If you’re exploring options for a loved one, this is a place worth visiting. Stop in and speak with the Admissions Director, Meredith, to learn more about the services, compassionate care, and support they provide to residents and families every day.

New Albany cares greatly about all their residents but especially the veteran population that chooses them! The activity staff, admissions/marketing, and dietary team go above and beyond to make sure they are honored on the respective holidays and beyond.

The staff at New Albany Health & Rehabilitation Center was professional and went above and beyond in taking care of my Dad. I will always be grateful to Linda, Bridgette, Lizzy and the entire staff for the great care they gave my Dad and the respectful manner in which they treated him. The facility is well maintained and cared for. The admin staff is knowledgeable and helpful. Big thanks to Ericka and Emily for their help navigating me through the financial side of caring for a loved one. I would like to say thanks again to everyone at New Albany Rehab and highly recommend their services to others.