Merrill Gardens at Santa Maria Santa Maria, CA

We toured Merrill Gardens at Santa Maria. The tour was good. They provide meals at any time. So it's not set times to eat. There are apartments from one bedroom to two bedrooms. They have independent living and they also have caregiving, like assisted living. To live there would take two retirement plans and have nothing left over. That's for independent living, you go to assisted living, and that's even more. The staff was very nice. She gave a good tour, answered all our questions, sat down with us, then went through all the costs. She didn't hide anything. They have a calendar of activities. They have bingo. They have get-togethers, and they have a piano in the main lobby. They have different functions. The building is big. They also have separate buildings for people who want to live independently, like little houses in the same facility.

Merrill Gardens at Santa Maria was offering a special, so the price was very enticing. The dining room area seemed very nice, and the food selection seemed good, but it just didn't have a very vibrant feeling. The people that we saw there didn't seem particularly happy. We had kind of a rough time together with the staff who gave the tour. We got off on the wrong foot. The rooms were nice, they all kind of looked alike, but it was a very functional living space. I liked the price, but I didn't like that it felt like your typical nursing home. We didn't come away feeling that it was a place that had much going on. It just didn't seem as vibrant as the others. The maintenance and upkeep seemed fine, I didn't notice any problems. They had a cozy dining room area. Their beverage area, that they normally have open, was closed because of COVID, and the feeling I got was that because of COVID, a lot of things that they normally do had been shut down and they weren't going anywhere. They weren't having any type of activities, and a lot of the things that they might normally do weren't happening anymore.

Pros: Great people. Excellent facility. Surprisingly good food. Cons: None The twilight of life is often not an easy time. In late April 2018, my wife and I moved from Silicon Valley which we called home for more than 35 years to Nipomo, about 210 miles to the south. My mother relocated from Pennsylvania to San Jose in February 2015 and took up residence in a nice retirement facility (part of the Brookdale group). When we moved, there was little choice for her but to go with us. The Central Coast of California between San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria is a remarkably happy place. The weather is tough to beat. Vineyards cover many of the hills. The Pacific Ocean is never far away. People seem to be content…whether fellow shoppers in the stores, neighbors or drivers(!). Still, finding the appropriate place for an aging parent is not a simple task. If moving is one of life’s toughest jobs for a person in good health and sound mind, it’s a treacherous task for a 90 year old with many ailments, both real and imagined. A few minutes after arriving at Merrill Gardens, my wife and I turned to each other and said “this is it”. My mother moved there 3 weeks after we settled into our new home. Any transition is hard, especially for an elderly person who established a life in one city and didn’t really want to try it again in another. She only lived 5 weeks in Merrill Gardens before succumbing to a variety of medical issues, but the staff and people in that residence made our lives as sweet as possible, both before and after her passing. - Location: Convenient. Merrill Gardens is in the northern part of Santa Maria, about 3 minutes east of Highway 101 off the Donovan Road exit. - Exterior: Very attractive. There are 2 large 3 story buildings…one built in the early 2000s and the other around 2010 (I believe)…plus a circle of cottages to the north and east. Attention has obviously been given to the landscaping which gives the complex a residential appeal. You might say it’s the nicest part of the neighborhood. - Interior (of the newer building where my mother lived): Bright and cheerful. The receptionist and concierge are just inside the entrance with a “great room” to the left. It’s warm, colorful and cozy. The initial feeling you get is “they take care of things at this place”. The dining room remains open from early morning to late evening since Merrill Gardens has a policy of “anytime dining”. It’s large and airy with tables spaced far enough apart to permit privacy yet allow conversation among friends. The hallways are more spacious and inviting than at similar facilities. There are several rooms for meetings and movies, the largest library I’ve seen in such places and a very active pool table nearby. - Apartments: Generous. My mother had a one bedroom unit on the 2nd floor with about 600 square feet plus a balcony of 100 square feet. When she arrived, there had only been one occupant since the facility opened. It was cleaned and painted with a bigger kitchen than she had in San Jose…including a large refrigerator, microwave and stove. Maybe not all the amenities of a real home (such as a lack of good storage), but not too shabby either. - Dining: Really good. My mother was a picky eater, but definitely enjoyed her meals at Merrill Gardens. While we were sometimes dragged to dinner in San Jose, we went willingly here. The food was tasty and the servers friendly and patient. - Senior Staff: The best. We can’t say enough good things about the Chief Executive, Audie. and Community Managers Kim. and Gary G., but I’ll try. Kind, accommodating, informative and willing to listen to a family’s tales of woe. It was like having friends on the inside. The receptionists were always helpful, especially Barbara during there week. - Caretakers and Other Staff: More of the best. Kind, supportive and patient. They’re not the most highly paid, but their jobs are tough. - Other Residents: Very friendly. It’s as if the happy atmosphere of the Central Coast extended to the residents. Older age did not deter these people from smiling. - Cost: Reasonable. We paid $3,250/month for the one bedroom apartment which was roughly the same as in San Jose, but for a nicer facility. However, it can get expensive if you need ancillary services, including management of medicines and specialized care. NOTE: The initial “community fee” of $4,000 covers the facility’s move-in costs. If your family member leaves within the first 4 months, you’ll get a pro-rated amount back. Mr. Sherberg was very helpful in getting us the best possible refund. - Value: Excellent. The best money spent in quite a while. I hesitated writing this review for a few months after my mother’s death because I wanted to make sure the long process ended as well as it began. It did. There are no “ifs, ands or buts” to the 5 stars awarded to Merrill Gardens in Santa Maria.

My mother is at Merrill Gardens at Santa Maria. They have excellent food, and she could go down anytime and they would fix her a meal. We've eaten there a couple of times, and the food is delicious. They have a lot of activities. It's super clean. I've used the public restrooms many times and they're very clean. They have lots of staff. They're very family oriented, so it's not about the money, it's more about the people, and we really appreciate that aspect of it. We're very impressed. It's not inexpensive but it's also not ultra expensive. The staff per senior ratio is pretty high. We like that, too. Her room is very large with a walk-in closet plus a regular closet. She has a very large bathroom with a curbless shower with multiple shower heads plus storage in her bathroom for linens. She has a little kitchenette in her studio apartment with a sink and a built-in microwave, a full-sized refrigerator, and built-in kitchen storage cabinets. It's a very nice room with a big window that opens up. I'm happy with them. While we were there moving her in, a lot of people stopped in her room, like the housekeeping staff and the care staff. She wears the little button around her neck in case she falls. The people were super nice. The service staff in the dining hall is very nice, too. They offer something every single day like wine and cheese and yesterday they had a giant Easter egg party. My sister and my husband participated in that. The facility is very big, and it also has memory care.