The Village at Hayes Valley

I visited AgeSong at Laguna Grove. The rooms were small, and I thought it was a place I could live but didn't think that my husband could. I was really impressed with the staff there. I thought they were connecting well with the people they were taking care of and paying attention. I felt that there were enough staff members. They had urban amenities, which I would appreciate but my husband wouldn't. I liked the idea that it was Downtown and you could walk out the door and be in the middle of things, but I was looking for something for my husband, so it wouldn't be appropriate for him. He would not have been able to go out and take advantage of the location, but it was a nice cityscape. I looked at the dining area, which was very pleasant.

AgeSong had two different buildings -- one was newer and one was a little older. The facilities were clean, but the accommodations were smaller. It was beautiful. They had a lovely rooftop area where everyone can sit and look at the view of the city. They also had a piano up there where they had people that come and play music. It was lovely.

AgeSong has two communities on Octavia, near the Opera House, across the street from each other. This is an assisted living facility with all dementia care, and residents usually go in at the beginning stage. Both buildings are beautiful: new, architecturally designed, and very nice. It's the sort of place where you see flowers everywhere. The rooms are average size, with nice appointments--very pleasing to both residents and guests. It's a good location--near bus lines in a mixed use neighborhood. I've usually been able to find non-metered parking on the street, since people are coming and going all the time. The staff is very good, caring, knowledgeable, and skilled with dementia care. They're sometimes not as responsive as I'd like to see, but otherwise they're terrific. I'd give the food an A+. They have an excellent chef, and there's lots of variety. One of the nice things about AgeSong is that they bring in psych students who are getting PhDs to do internships. And the students contribute a lot to the activities program. There are so many activities--dancing, music, art, outings of all kinds--that the residents sometimes have a hard times choosing what to do. The only negative: I sometimes see residents with an unkempt appearance: uncombed hair, a stain on clothes. It's a small thing, given that there's so much good engagement between the staff and residents. But it's just a little bothersome. All in all, I'd rate them a 4.5 if I could. But forced to choose between a 4 and 5, I have to go with a 4.

I used to work at a small hospital, and part of my job was to refer patients to assisted living. I've referred people there--and also visited it and have gone to seminars there. They offer straight assisted living--no memory care. It's in a great location: centrally located in Hayes Valley, with easy access to public transportation. A bus stops right in front of AgeSong. And it's close to restaurants and shops. It also has great views. The top floor is used for multiple events--birthday celebrations, special events, and the views are spectacular. It's an older building, about six floors, but well kept up. Rooms are both private and shared--different sizes, different prices. It reminds me of a high-rise apartment complex. But there's no yard, no grass. The staff is fantastic, and there are more than enough to care for everyone--an excellent ratio of staff to residents. They also have licensed interns, who are able to give a little extra attention to the residents. They're all friendly, warm, welcoming. Management is good, too. They're the original owners, and they have an excellent reputation. The food is good--well balanced meals, good choices. And there are plenty of daily activities, ranging from Bingo games to arts and crafts.