Century Oaks Appleton, WI

Century Oaks impressed me the most, and it was where I placed my father. It’s a brand new facility, and it just opened up in September. It feels more like a home to people because they do everything for you. It’s like a small apartment, but you had full memory care. The rooms are very large. They’re more like a studio apartment. It comes fully furnished so the individuals have a couch, a desk, night stands, and a little kitchenette area with a microwave, refrigerator, and a sink. There is also a double bed versus a little single bed versus and another sitting area where there are 2 chairs. It’s a full walk-in bathroom with a walk-in shower. There’s also a large walk-in closet with a full-sized washer and dryer in each unit, so it’s really nice. It’s sort of like a hotel. What I like particularly about the place is there’s like a little theater room where they do activities with the individuals. There’s a large screen TV in there where they play movies, and they’ll turn it on for Packer games. They serve popcorn. They do exercise. They have church. Here, it’s buffet style so my father just points to the food he wants, and they have multiple options. There’s always a fruit and a vegetable. They hit all the different food groups. They’re still changing over their staff or trying to get staff, so I don’t think that the housekeepers are that great right now. I’m complaining about the housekeeping, but the rest of it is great. It’s a beautiful facility. It’s really clean, and it doesn’t stink like old people. The halls are very wide and open. They have a beautiful deck off the back that overlooks a pond and a nice sitting area where they have wicker furniture and a gas fire pit out there.

My mother is in Century Oaks. The staff is very good and very friendly. I've been there a couple of times to visit, so they know me and my mother really well. They're assisting her with the stuff she needs. She feels really good there. It's gorgeous inside. They have a crystal chandelier, and the colors are grays and greens, which are very soothing. The room came completely furnished, so we didn't have to bring any of my mother's furniture. They have a beautiful fireplace in the middle of the room. The dining hall is great, and they have a beautiful area to sit in outside. It's not huge, so the same people work with her a lot. There are 48 rooms, which is a good thing. She has her own washing machine and dryer in her room, so none of her clothes ever leave. She has her own shower and bath, plus they have a whirlpool if she wants to do that. Her room is 600 square feet, and it's very nice. It's a little pricier than some of the other ones, though. This is all on one floor, so it's a lot easier for my mom to get around with a walker. They let us decide if this is what we wanted and toured it a couple of times, and I really appreciated that. It's a gated community, and people could come and go, but they keep an eye on them.

My mom is in Century Oaks, and our experience is pretty good. The price is in a range that is kind of average. It is not too high, and it is still providing the kind of services that we want for dementia. The location is good, and it has no waiting list. This is brand new. The staff has a really good attitude and is very nice. I really like the rooms, and that is one of the selling points. Compared to some other places, I like their rooms a lot. It is prettier, and it has a little more design and care for a studio. They have some physical things to go to, and they take trips to places in the community. They have activities on the place like social things, movies, bingo, and stuff like that. The food is really good. They try to cook with natural and organic food. They make everything fresh. I think they have two chefs, but I met one of them, and he seems to be nice and seems to like what he is doing.