The Best Communities in Manatee County, FL

"My dad currently lives in Brookdale Palma Sola, and it’s very good. It’s nice, clean, and the staff is friendly. My father likes the food. They have a salon, and a small library there."

"DeSoto Palms had nice rooms, but the only one they get on Medicaid is a shared room with a shared bathroom. My mother wanted her own bathroom. Their dining room was like hotel-restaurant dining. They had the same basic activities, i.e., card playing, bingo, trips, and going out to eat. "

"My primary problem was location. There wasn't anything really wrong with it, but it just was nowhere near as convenient to me. The rooms that they have where my husband would be was a shared room. There were two people in those. It was nice, very clean, and very pleasant. It was nice but for me, it was not as wonderful as other places."

"I liked Alderman Oaks very much. It has a special appeal because my mother-in-law is someone who is active and lives in New York City now, so would need stimulation, would need places to go that are culturally significant, so being very close to and pretty much right in downtown Sarasota, it's ideal. We liked Alderman Oaks. My husband's only negative comment was that it's a little tired looking or a little worn, whether it's the rugs or the painting or whatever. He's involved in real estate, so he notices these things. I did not notice it. My mother-in-law liked it as well."

"My father was at Grand Villa of Sarasota. It was very nice, it was a great location, and it was a good price. The food was excellent. He really liked it. He had a one-bedroom apartment, and it was very nice. They had activities before COVID, but after COVID they pretty much mixed the activities. They had a few after it loosened up, but they had good activities. They took them out on a bus, they had an exercise room, they had a game room on the fifth floor, and they had a pool table."

"Our overall tour experience at Brookdale Sarasota Midtown was very good. The dining area was nice. They had tablecloths in it. Their memory care program (called Crossings Program) has services for people with memory loss, who are functioning at a higher level. It's sort of a cross between assisted living and true memory care. So, it seems like it's going to be a good fit for my dad and we are planning to move him there."

"The Fountains of Hope was very good. The only thing was the distance, which was a little too far for us to go, so we ruled out this one out. They showed us the 1-bedroom and the 2-bedroom. It was very clean and very nice. The people were very caring and very welcoming. They had a theater, a room for church, a craft room, and an activity room. Their dining area was very nice, very bright, and really clean. "

"I visited. The people there were amazing. The woman I met was good. It seems very clean, and it seemed like the rooms for my parents were probably too small though. That's the one reason I probably would not go with them. But the people were amazing, and it seemed like they had a lot of activities and things like that. The staff was great. The thing that I loved about her was, she wasn't a salesperson. I told her I was in the beginning stages of searching, and she even told me of other options that I might want to go with that don't include the place. She was trying to help me, and not trying to sell just the place to me. She was giving me other ideas of what I could get for my parents; that is very sincere. They had some outdoor spaces and they also had common areas where they had activities. There was a lot of light coming in, which was nice, like the tall ceilings and light. The thing is the people that took me around and the feel was good. But I think for my parents who are coming from a two-bedroom apartment, the rooms are too small."

"The staff at Brookdale Colonial Park was willing and seemed to be very capable of doing their jobs. They answered all of our questions really well. They were interested in why we were there and what we are looking for in a facility. The place itself was very nice. I saw the dining area, and it was beautiful. They seem to have different activities, and I saw that the residents were going on really well. "

"We liked it, but it was too busy. There were people in wheelchairs and walkers and it felt too much like an old place, but it was very nice. We liked the person who showed us around. The rooms were very nice. It was a lovely facility."

"Ive been a resident at aravilla for a little over 5 months, The staff is extremely patient, kind and alwaya willing to help anyone. "

"My husband's grandmother used to live in the memory care section of HarborChase of Sarasota. I think the staff did a great job with her, and we would sometimes take her outside. They had a TV area, they had a big card table, lots of puzzles, and there was an area where they would have their activities. She loved the food there."

"First, the staff there were so helpful with helping me decide where to place my mom. they took the time to help me make decisions on what kind of place i should be looking for. She was very adamant about not wanting to move into an "Old Folks Home" but when she visited they were so prepared for her. the food was amazing and the staff were all involved in talking and helping us feel welcomed into the community. They helped with all our worries by talking through they whole transition process and who all would be involved in my moms transition. They stated that gave better care than anyone in the industry because of the systems and processes they have in place and after them showing to me how it all worked we were convinced that this was the place for my mom! "

"I made my husband a new home at Angels Senior Living at Sarasota. He loves it. He is in assisted living, and he has a one-bedroom apartment. He does a lot of activities. He has made some new friends. He does like it. This place would be a very good option for those looking for a place for their loved ones. The staff they have there are very friendly and helpful. I've tried their food and it's very good. For activities, they have entertainers, comedians, and piano players. They have games, trivia, and bingo. They have movie nights and social hours. We are very happy there."