The Best Continuing Care Retirement Communities Communities in Marin County, CA

"I have known several people who have lived at The Sequoias San Francisco. My cousins live there now, and in both cases, they've been very happy there. I had lunch with them while I was there, and the setting was good. The only reason I wouldn't go further with it is that it's in San Francisco, and I'm more interested now in the East Bay. The food was quite good, particularly because it had a range of dietary choices. I tried to be a vegetarian, and there were lots of good options. The staff members seemed quite friendly, but I didn't have very much interaction with them. The common areas were quite nice. The dining room had an indoor and outdoor terrace to it. The apartments were nice, but there was a lack of good kitchen facilities. There was barely a kitchen, and that was the biggest drawback, because I wouldn't want to eat all my meals in the dining hall."

"I was less impressed with the ambiance at Merrill Gardens at Rockridge. The memory care area was good. The entry was kind of utilitarian. The people were very nice. Everything was nice. There was something about it that just didn't feel as good to me having come off of maybe seeing the other place. The tour experience was fine though. The staff who toured me was good. They have garden spaces that are always available to the people and are both safe and nicely laid out where they could spend time that is specific to the memory care area."

"My sister-in-law is a resident of Piedmont Gardens CCRC. It's a very nice people and a nice community. It's in a place where there are a lot of restaurants. I can push her in the wheelchair now, but we used to be able to walk to restaurants and shopping. It's a lovely community. The food is good. Her room right now it's very small. She started in an apartment, but now it is just one room. The facility is beautiful."

"I toured St. Paul's Towers. The apartments are a good size. They have a good kitchen. I haven't had too much contact with the staff, but I have a friend who lives there who has. I've tried the food several times, and it's really good. They have a lot of variety. It's well done. The dining room and everything are very warm and hospitable. The common areas are not as good as some of the others. There are some options, but it's an old facility, so it's kind of smaller when it comes to common areas."

"My experience at Lake Park Senior Living was great. Everything was great. However, I was looking for a facility that was based on my grandmother's income. It's a beautiful facility. I wish we could afford it, but we can't. The lady that gave me the tour was wonderful. She showed me all around. She was very informative. I appreciate it. I saw the menu, and it's a wonderful menu. They have a library, a painting room, and an exercise room. It was a wonderful place."

"The staff at Grand Lake Gardens who gave us the interview was extremely helpful. We felt very comfortable in that interview. She also took us around and showed us a couple of rooms, a 1-bedroom, and a 2-bedroom. I liked the setup of their dining room. You could order the menu of the day or you could order what you want from the menu. All the residents that I came across were quite friendly. My overall sense was that the residents were happy and comfortable there. I particularly liked the idea that they have acreage outside with a lot of foliage, shrubs, flowers, and trees. There's an area that's set aside with planter boxes where the residents can grow their own plants. We had lunch there and the food was quite acceptable. Even if the food wasn't that great, the people serving made it very pleasant."

"I thought Merrill Gardens at Lafayette was very welcoming and very nice. It seemed like it would be also a fit. However, there was limited availability for space, and the only thing they had available was a shared unit. Nevertheless, I would recommend it. It felt good. The tour was quite good. There was nothing negative about it. The shared apartment was a large room, and each side had a window. It also had kind of a ceiling-high divider that divided most of the room into two sections. Each had its own bathroom. It was adequate. It would be fine. However, it seemed to me a little problematic for my mother, especially since she tends to get up in the middle of the night and wander, and it could be disturbing to the person in the other room unless they were a heavy sleeper because the room is open to each other. They had private rooms; they just didn't have any available."

"My parents have moved into Viamonte at Walnut Creek. It is a very nice facility. It's new and very well done. They are also expensive, but nice. They're brand new, modern, and stylish. They have nice amenities. The location is good. The staff is nice. It's a very nice, upscale place. They have activities. I think they are minimal, but they do have activities."