Moraga Retreat Care on Woodford - Moraga, California

lori tomimatsu

We had a wonderful experience with Ana and her team. They provided excellent care for our Mom and were so very helpful during her transition from assisted living to their community. She was always well cared for in a clean and loving environment. Ana was extremely helpful in navigating the medical and hospice care options as well. Her and the team made the transition seamless for us in a highly stressful time. Her warm and caring demeanor was amazing. I would highly recommend their home to anyone that is looking for high quality care for their loved one.

Carol Welsh

The proper and detailed care you'd provide -- but better

Let me start by saying that my profession had me working with caregivers for ten years, supporting them through the rehabilitation of their loved ones with brain injuries. I, too, was a caregiver for a loved one with two, severe brain injuries. As he aged, dementia, secondary to the injuries, set in. So no easy case to manage. To state it politely...

I had been caring for him for over two decades but it was time for him to be placed where his needs could be better addressed as he was about to be wheelchair-bound. A year living in a conventional, assisted living facility was a disaster (the place eventually went out of business), which was similar to the experience my mother had about a decade earlier in another facility.

I worked with David Cohen of Exceptional Senior Placements (ESP) to find Moraga Retreat on Woodford Drive, in Moraga. We had finally found a *real home* for my loved one!

It was a struggle for my loved one as he wanted his independence and wanted to go back to his home. Both things were not possible because of the damage to his brain and his increasing fragility. This is what Moraga Retreat owner Ana Blaj and her dedicated staff were tasked with overcoming, in addition to dealing with all of the medical and physical challenges he presented.

Ana and her staff patiently and painstakingly softened his resistance, worked diligently to enhance his comfort in every way he asked and needed, and addressed his food preferences. It was heroic! No exaggeration. My loved one liked living there, knew he was cared for as well as possible and bonded with Ana, Donna, Wayne and the other caregivers like family. It was mutual affection, more than I ever thought possible.

Oh sure, I was in the middle of things too much thinking I knew better about his care. Ana is an expert, certified care manager and she is locked down on the details and managing the staff and the home. It turned out no one knew better what to do for my loved one than *they did.* Period. After so much time devoted to my loved one's care, *I* could finally stand down and let people I trusted take care of him. What a relief for both of us.

Moraga Retreat gave both of us our lives back. There are no words to thank them for five years of unwavering service as much as they deserve. I strongly suggest if you need help caring for your loved one, make an appointment to visit Ana and the staff at Moraga Retreat. I don't know what I would have done if I'd never met her. It was grace. 🙂

Hedy Veverka

Anna is one of the warmest, most caring people I’ve ever met. Her knowledge and dedication to caring for the elderly really shine through. My mom is pretty particular, and I honestly didn’t think she’d let anyone else care for her, but she absolutely loved Anna and her team. I always felt like I was leaving my mom with family, which made it so much easier to relax when I had to be away. We’re so lucky to have met her, and I can’t recommend her enough

Lisa

I cannot thank Ana Blaj and her absolutely wonderful caregivers for the care they gave my father at the end of his life. Ana is in the perfect profession for her. She is loving, cable, practical, skilled, and so warm and inviting to all. I came to Ana knowing that the end of my father's live was rapidly approaching. She took on a difficult case with my dad, who was terminal with Leukemia when he arrived to her care home. She helped us navigate everything, from working with hospice to keeping him calm and pain free at the end. She was there when he died, and her warm hug meant the world to me. I wish my Dad had been able to move to the home sooner, because I could see what a lovely and happy place it is for the residents. It truly looks and smells like a home--with the smell of delicious home cooking each day and comfortable furniture and decorations. The residents were friendly and often could be found spending time together in the living room. The caretakers were so lovely to me and my family, as we visited my Dad each day. The fact that the home was near our house in Moraga gave me such a sense of peace. My husband and I looked at 3 other care homes, and none of them touched the level of Moraga Retreat. I am so thankful that my Dad was able to spend his last days with the loving and cheerful people at Ana's board and care.