Merrill Gardens

We toured this community when we were looking into care options for our loved one. This was a much smaller community than the others we looked at, the residents here seemed to be a bit higher on the care needs spectrum. I don't think it would have been a great fit for our loved ones, but it seemed like a relaxed, quiet environment that might work well for someone looking for that.

We recently chose to move to The Legacy at Georgetown. It's very clean, and they have a nice calm atmosphere. The food was really good too. It's a great community.

At Barkley Place, the staff is wonderful. They are really great people, very caring. They take the time to work problems through, and I've never seen anyone get angry. The food is very good, and the facility is kept clean. The activity level, however, is very low. They don't have enough space to offer much.

Maureen Hanagan is so efficient, friendly, and encouraging. She's the perfect choice for the initial visit to Sunshine Villa. We actually preferred Aegis in Aptos to Sunshine Villa, but cost prevented us from moving there. I think, though, that the level of care vs caring about money is higher at Sunshine Villa. Sunshine just seemed a little bit down-trodden. However, we're excited to have the opportunity to live there. The organization of their kitchen staff is impressive too.

I eat here twice a month and the food is good. It's like a restaurant with a salad bar with a menu, and you can order whatever you want, they have lots of choices. They have breakfast, and they serve lunch and dinner from 11-7, so you can eat when you want. We go and play cards with the card club, and they give us a room. I just wouldn't want to live there. A lot of the people need a lot of assistance, and it's a lot like a hospital, they only have on gathering room, and it's where they have their entertainment. There are a lot of people slumped over sleeping. They don't have an outdoor garden or area. They have very little parking. It's on a busy street so there isn't somewhere to go for a nice view. My friends are happy there, but it's just not where I would want to be.

Village Place Retirement is ok. My dad seems happy there. I've been disappointed by them concerning something that was promised, but I was misinformed. The care is ok. The facility is clean. It doesn't ever smell when I walk in. Overall this facility is pretty good.

Good but not as nice as Summit and Belmont now; maybe in time, too new now.

Mother has only been at the Courtyards for 1 week. She seems content but is still in the stage of only wanting to come home. I am impressed with the special time they are giving her during this transition. Shortly after arriving, the recreational director brought her into the beading class, getting her mind off our departure. This made it easier for her and us. Her room is spacious and will look even better when we move in her recliner and bistro table. There is plenty of room for familiar and personal items. The facility is beautiful, the staff were quick to aid in setting up her room. I want to thank Eric from engineering for his friendly assistance plus Mom thinks he's cute!! Ashley and Kristi from sales have answered every question and set us at ease. I recommend this facility highly.

It's a nice place, they are pretty friendly, and I think they take pretty good care. It's one price for the shared room and then it's extra for the levels of care. They add things on the price for each thing. The memory care could use a little more activities. The food is carted in, it's okay, no major complaints. I think if they are going to charge me a couple of hundred dollars more for care, I would like to see more. We chose it because it's nice, and there aren't a lot of places here that offer the care we needed.

Staff was very personable and friendly. A new component called Independent Plus helps folks stay in their apartments with support from 7 A.M. to 7 P.M. Facilities were very clean and tastefully decorated. Lots of walking on sidewalks outside. The assisted living section was clean and no offensive odors were present. Most rooms were doubles. A detractor was a B rating from the health department for the kitchen. Lots of activities both on and off site. I was impressed. Additionally, it seemed to be a good value for the money. In the independent section, clients pay for phone and TV service, but electricity and water is included.

They need really check out what you’re being told you’re being offered. It’s extremely expensive and the owners don’t have much flexibility in helping new residents. It’s very clean though and the staff is great.

Took a tour of this facility and thought it was nicer than most. The rooms were newer and a bit larger than you would expect. Liked the full size refrigerator and stove.

My mother is usually very independent, but this community has been great for her needs. She does not always need the care services, but whenever she does need extra care the staff are always very accommodating. They seem to have just the right amount of activities for her, considering her age and ability to participate. There is always a friendly face around, whether from the staff or the residents. The food is great as well. The maintenance staff respond quickly to any issues we bring up, and they've been great about helping us make changes to make the space her own. The value for the money is great. Great place!

The food is actually pretty good, I have had mostly trouble with communication with the administrative staff. When we got there no one had told the nurse or the administrator we were coming and the call button wasn't programmed, even though we were there earlier that day giving them thousands of dollars. This seems to be a continuous pattern. The nursing staff and the help seems great, it's just the administrative staff's communication. When choosing between our top two it turns out that they had the nicer facility, and the better price which is why we chose them.

They’ve all been good except for one. My loved one doesn’t really participate in activities. When first was looking at it – I was impressed by how friendly and open the person who showed me around was and how the other people seemed to be willing to talk to me. The staff whenever we’ve had a problem they’re very willing to help find a solution, and for the most part very open to our concerns. I’m not impressed, but my loved one seems to like it. It’s a lovely setting and the courtyard is very nice, where people can sit and enjoy the sun.

Merrill Gardens at Santa Maria CA is a great place. Everything is clean, and the staff are happy friendly people! They answer questions with care and empathize with family when issues arrive. Large apartments makes transition from larger homes easier! The manager is trained in the hospitality field and has improved quality of food and overall atmosphere of the community!

It's a fantastic place, I think it's a good fit. There have been some issues with the drug regement, in the beginning. The communication around that issue was not good at all. The communication definitely needs to be improved. They started adding a lot of add on charges. I get calls all the time when things come up. The food is about a 3 the chef is a little below average. It's pretty generic and not very tasty, some stuff has been cold. It looks like a good menu and the facilities are fantastic. The facility is new clean and in great shape and the staff was friendly, and the staff and residents all knew eachothers names. This became our standard sort of our litmus test.

This is very much a first impression. My mother has been at Merrill Gardens University for less than a week.

Nice new construction, but rooms were very small. I was there on a Sunday, so it was pretty quiet, and not a lot of staff. New construction. I didn't like that only a certain amount of meals per month were provided; I felt that the add-ons could get pricey. It was clean, and would have been a great back-up.

The value is good, you get what you pay for. The food is fine, there's plenty of options available. They've done a great job. It's the best place for our situation. We're lucky to have found them. They take good care of the residents, and they are safe and looked after. I would recommend it to anyone in my situation.