Continuing Care Retirement Communities Communities in Los Alamitos, CA

"I looked at Merrill Gardens. I liked that it was new and clean. The nurse and the girl who helped us were very attentive and tried to help us get my stepdad into the place. They had social events and amenities like a workout room and activities for him to do. "

"I visited Town & Country Manor. My visit was very positive. It's a very well-maintained community and the staff was good. It was one of my choices, but I changed my mind because the location is in a busy area of Santa Ana. They have lots of amenities and I was very pleased. I saw their dining area as well, as well as a 1-bedroom, 1-bath, which was adequate. Their amenities were upscale. I also met the staff when they were doing physical therapy, yoga and things like that. They were very warm and accommodating."

"I visited The Tower on 19th's senior apartments. It is 18 stories, but every time I've gone in there, it's very clean and very quiet. I never heard a lot of noise, and I didn't see a lot of people. The senior community and the people that you meet there seem to be friendly. It's not an assisted living facility, and you have to be independent to be there. They have laundry in the building, and whatever floor you're on, they have a trash chute that goes down to the basement. They have a library and a place where they have a piano. The staff members are pretty good and very helpful. They tried to help me as much as they could. The apartments have kitchens in them, so they don't have food provided at the place."

"I toured the independent living community of Regents Point in Irvine. The food is stellar there. They're concerned with the elders' sodium intake, so they don't have much seasoning, but you can certainly add seasoning to it. I was raised with great cuisine because my mom was a fantastic chef, and I was impressed with their food. I thought they really have the menu down with major vegetarian options there, so the place was amazing. I don't think it's organic, though, and I wish these places were a hundred percent organic, but this is the only issue I have. It's just a beautiful place, and the independent living is set up so well with little villas, so you have your own space and your own townhouse. It is beautifully set up and run, so I highly recommend the place. Anybody would be super impressed with that place. They have a library, movie nights, and I think a fitness center too. It's pristine. They have a variety of sizes of bedrooms. They have studios, one-bedrooms, and two-bedroom apartments."

"A friend of mine, Jack, is currently at Del Amo Gardens. One of the things that I am really grateful for is that Jack likes certain food and they are willing to feed it to him every day. The place is very clean and well maintained. Their residents always look clean. They have a lot of elderly who need help, and it looks like they have enough staff who are helpful and call to tell me what he needs."

"The Canterbury was a property that we had first visited last year when the need to find some place wasn't as pressing, and we were very impressed with it. The views were great. It was very nice and very clean. However, we did not like their meal plans. Their base rate included one meal a day, but all the apartments came with a full-functioning kitchen, too. My mom likes that idea, but my dad, myself, my sister, and my husband do not like the idea of my mom cooking because her mobility has diminished remarkably in the last few months. She can't cook and would need somebody there to help her. The Canterbury is more like senior living. There are some seniors that don't need any assistance and there are people that do need assistance. I think they have a small hospital ward. If someone has gone to the hospital and isn't quite ready to go back living on their own, they can stay in their rehab hospital section. So it's like full service. The staff was very informative and thorough."

"Atherton Baptist Home is an excellent facility. It was the number one place I looked up for my aunt because I knew it very well. I used to be a volunteer there more than 20 years ago. The care, the upkeep, and the staff are so right at the top. It is pretty pricey there though. You got people like Judge Ito, from the OJ trial, and Alice Cooper the rockstar's dad staying there. The problem I had was, to be in their assisted living, you have to already be a resident of their independent living. The last tour I really only went and picked up a brochure, so I didn't really get a full actual tour, but I have seen the independent living homes, from a small homes to apartment-type settings. I have also been in their assisted living facility area as well in the past. Sometimes people are in their own rooms, sometimes people are sharing a room as well. They're very clean and they're a good place. The staff is very professional, caring, respectful, and very good people. I checked the dining area and it was very nice, clean, and spacious. It was pretty good."

"I went to Prospect Manor. I like the place. It was nice and clean. They had a little activity video for the people who will be living there. So, I like that. The lady was very nice, but I didn't care for the menu that they had. The staff was nice and helpful. It'll be a nice place if you want somebody to be in an assisted living place. The atmosphere was very nice. The rooms are nice and spacious. It was good."

"I went to the Masonic Home at Covina. It's a private place. I'm a freemason, so I would be able to have access for myself or my mom because I know that if your son is a mason, your parents could be residents there too. It's very good to me. I would consider it for myself if I needed to go to a place. The staff is excellent, very professional, helpful, and informative. It's a very nice facility. I know they were, at that time, looking at building a memory care. They have a swimming pool, they have a gym, they have a dining hall, and I believe they even have a library. They even have a little store, like a 7-Eleven type convenience store. I only got to see the independent living part and they looked very nice, very roomy, they even had a kitchenette as well."

"My half-brother lived in Westminster Gardens. They have all different levels. You buy like a little condo all the way up to nursing care. It’s a bigger layout. Many of the same type of programs were available. The food is very similar to what you might have at home. It’s a lot more expensive. "

"I visited Royal Oaks. It was a lovely place, but it was not a place I wanted to be, because I would be on an upper level in a multi-story building, and I have a dog. The apartments were absolutely beautiful. They're up against the mountains, there were many trees, everything looked lush and green, and it was all very appealing. I met a few people, but they were very pleasant, very nice, and very accommodating."

"I visited a friend who was at the assisted living facility of Villa Gardens in Pasadena. I had lunch several times there, and I thought their food was excellent. Not only do they have a nice menu, but they have a salad bar, too. It's more than a salad bar as it also has a variety of food. The dining area was also very nice. My friend's room was very nice. It had a bedroom, a kitchen, and a bathroom. The people and staff at the dining area and the reception desk were also fine. My only objection there is that, compared to the size of the building, there were not many outdoor spaces. They did have a swimming pool. I also know that they have excellent entertainment with people coming in."

"Excellent service; well-explained at the front end and very professionally handled by each and every staff member here. "

"I visited the Covington over the weekend, and was so impressed! I'm looking for a place for my parents who currently living independently, but are showing signs of needing some assistance. I loved the way Covington cared for their clients. It was small, intimate and warm. People knew each other and everyone was so friendly! The gardens were particularly beautiful - perfect for meditation or setting up an easel for some painting. I love the CCRC plan, and are seriously considering investing in my parents' future care and happiness. "