The Best Continuing Care Retirement Communities Communities in Baltimore City County, MD

"My mother moved to Blakehurst from another retirement community in Towson in March of 2013. She passed away in May of this year. She lived independently in an apartment for all but the last 2 months or so of her life when, due to some health issues, she moved to assisted living at Blakehurst. My mom had the usual concerns moving to a new place but her fears disappeared almost immediately because of the kindness and attention of the incredibly talented and committed staff. I will not attempt to name everyone because I am sure I will miss someone. The entire group is focused on making sure that the residents are treated with the utmost respect and make every effort to accommodate the specific needs and desires of the residents. I was impressed with many things so I will just mention a couple. First, when my mother first moved to Blakehurst, she was very concerned about making new friends. The staff at Blakehurst made a special effort to make her feel welcome and not only learned about her but introduced her to several other residents who they thought would have some things in common with her and like her. She became fast friends with a number of people and told my wife and me many times how happy she was at Blakehurst what a great move it was and how much she enjoyed her friends. Second, I cannot say enough good things about the assisted living management and staff. The last month of my mothers life was hard with hospital visits etc. I had no idea what this type of care included and required. What was really amazing to see and experience is the compassion, empathy and love (yes i know it's an unusual word to use to review a retirement community!) that came through the caregivers. It's one thing to do the work but something very different to do it because you want to make someones life better. I am forever grateful to this team of dedicated professionals who provided such comfort and support to my mother. In conclusion, Blakehurst is not a huge community which lends itself to much personal attention. The entire staff works so hard to know each and every resident I would recommend this community to anyone not only because it is a beautiful place but most importantly, because of the people employed there. They are the best!!! "

"Oak Crest's rooms are very good and large. The food was satisfactory. They offered just about everything. It's a very large community, but it's probably a little larger than I would like. "

"I was immediately impressed with North Oaks Retirement Community. They offer many options for residents from almost independent to constant supervision. The community provides a number of "apartments" where couples can live that offer the conveniences of apartment living with the full care of North Oaks and amenities attached. The grounds were clean and staff was friendly. The community has private dining facilities where residents can invite their families to have a large meal with cooking done by the dining staff. When my grandmother had a stroke she was moved into the area where residents are under almost constant supervision by nurses and staff. I was impressed by the level of care available to my family members. Her rehabilitation was progressing very well until the time of her death. My grandfather who still lives there has found comfort in the number of other residents with which he has become friends. He enjoys the activities and trips available to residents and has even met a girlfriend of sorts. Overall I am impressed with North Oaks and I am glad my grandfather has found a community that suits his needs. "

"I chose Mercy Ridge Retirement Community for many reasons, one of which it was highly recommended and I was also close to my sister-in-law. They have good food. The staff is nice to everyone, they accommodated you in any way they can, prompt and very courteous. I would recommend this retirement community to other people. "

"Glen Meadows seemed to be a very appealing place. The staff seemed very friendly and positive. "

"My mom moved into Maryland Masonic Homes. The rooms were very nice, very well-kept up, very pretty, and there’s a lot of room in them. The staff is extremely caring, constantly calling, checking, and letting me know what’s going on. Everything there is just outstanding. They offer everything from little clubs to meetings, to selling things, to ceramic. They have music every other day for the residents to listen to. The food is excellent, it’s like going to a restaurant. I would recommend it to anybody and everybody."

"Broadmead invited me to visit them, and my visit there was fine. The staff was excellent. The food was very good. I looked at one- and two-bedrooms, and they were quite spacious. They had a lot of activities. They had gardening, woodworking, trips, book clubs, and all kinds of things. I wish I could move in there now. I would recommend them to others, but the problem was being able to afford it. "

"Vantage House has independent living, assisted living, and a nursing home facility. My mom will have a bracelet on at all times, so if there's an emergency, the staff will be able to assist her immediately. The facility also has an in-house doctor and nurses as well as an in-house audiologist for hearing loss and hearing aids. My mom is going into the independent living section, so right now, she'll only have dinner served to her. She will make her own breakfast and lunch, but the residents do have three meals. "

"Fairhaven was wonderful, but it was just too small for my husband and I, and we needed a 2-bedroom apartment. There was nothing wrong with the place, it was just not for us."

"Brooke Grove was recommended by someone who had her husband there. I am very satisfied with this facility for my husband, and I certainly don’t want to take any chances. It's a family-oriented place, and you feel that you are not in an institution. The rooms are quite large. They are rated highly, and so I think they are pretty good. "

"Ginger Cove’s staff is very good. They have great activities and a lot of choices. "

"I visited someone in Riderwood nursing home and it was pretty much like a hospital room. It was in a different building separate from the assisted living. It was clean and didn't have any odor associated with a nursing home. It was nicely decorated and carpeted in the front and hallway. It was a lock down unit. "

"Carroll Lutheran Village had a pretty, country setting with trees and farmland. It feels very homey; that's why we liked it. We're already familiar with the community because we have relatives and friends living there. Everybody's very friendly, and they've made a lot of improvements in the past 10 years, so it feels comfortable. Once you buy in, they take care of you for the rest of your life, even if you run out of money. A friend took us to a good lunch in their little café there. They had a pool with water aerobics, swimming, and so on. They give you a meal allowance and you can eat at either one of the different places, or go over and take your lunch back to your place to eat."

"Last week, we toured Zimmerman Place at SpiritTrust Lutheran. My brother likes it. The only problem is that there is no shade. That bothers him a lot because he likes to walk or sit outside in the shade and just relax. There is a place to sit out on the front, but it's a small place. The people who toured me around were fine. We were talking with both the director and a new guy that just started, and they both seemed very good and very knowledgeable as to what they were doing. The room was small. The upkeep was very good. I did not see very many staff, just the other lady who was making the beds and cleaning the rooms. We walked past her, and she was busy doing that. We've seen people who were living there, and everybody seemed to be busy. They have a deck out on the back. They don't think anybody gets out there. It's a beautiful space for the people to sit, but they can't go out there. It runs around the full length of the back of the place, and it's a nice place. The parking space was good, too."