(Provided by Gilbert Guide's on-site reviewer)

Riverdale's trademark tree-lined streets, residential hillsides and green parks compose the attractive backdrop to Schervier Nursing Care Center. The distinguished red brick frame still possesses the name of its earlier incarnation as Schervier Hospital. The décor is surprisingly cozy and warm for such a large facility. The lobby features elegant brass light fixtures, a stunning stained glass window, framed wall art and a grandfather clock. The secured Alzheimer's unit, affectionately named "Maintaining Personhood," is outfitted similarly. Upcoming renovations in this unit will include muted lighting, along with a day spa, garden room and fountain. Residents' shared rooms are especially lovely, with their brass lamps and antique-style furniture. A partition in the middle of the room adds an element of privacy. All rooms feature views of the Bronx, the Hudson River or Schervier's groomed campus. The common areas are spacious, perhaps due to the original hospital design. Each floor, including the Alzheimer's unit, boasts a dining area at one end, an activity room in the middle and a nursing station at the opposite end. Maintaining Personhood residents are assigned to different areas within the unit based on their level of functioning. Residents are served by a waitstaff in the attractive dining room. Schervier also features a quaint coffee shop and gift store, but the onsite church is the facility's true jewel: its soaring cathedral ceilings and stone and wood architecture create a stunning place of worship. The outdoor area is a mass of well-groomed landscapes sprinkled with seating areas and garden paths. The recently added butterfly garden is an incredible setting of fragrant blossoms and plants specifically chosen to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Summer barbecues are held on the patio. Residents ranged from active to frail but all were eager participants in the community. The staff members were personable and warm in their interactions with residents. Both groups seemed to be having fun, engaging in playful banter and entertaining one another. The Alzheimer's program really shines, with its thoughtful focus on memory exercises and stimulation—from music and pet therapy to creative arts, activities are tailored to enhance residents' cognitive functioning.