The Best Continuing Care Retirement Communities Communities in Columbia County, OR

"Avamere at Hillsboro was very lovely and quiet, but it was just too far away. It was a very nice place. I only met one person there. There were no other staff members that I can recall that I met. It seemed very empty. The only person I met walked me around and she told me about the place, and we walked outside to the garden and patio. She was a very lovely lady and she was helpful. The building was modern and clean. The landscaping, the yard, and everything was nice. They had a library and a salon. The library was good. They had a TV room and they were all clean and well-furnished."

"Holladay Park Plaza was my sister-in-law's second choice. It's an urban environment. They have a parking garage, but the parking is quite limited. She really wanted to go there several years ago and then they didn't do that, and now her situation has changed enough that she just wasn't interested in the urban aspect. Someone who likes more urban type living would really enjoy that. The staff was very personable. We didn't interact with as many staff there, just the marketing person mainly. Interestingly, they didn't have very much air-conditioning going, and it was a hot day, so that was not good, and the marketing person's office was hot. She does not get air-conditioning and I would have to say she is doing five plus work putting up with that condition. I don't know why they don't provide air-conditioning in that room, maybe it's just because it's never been needed before, but it was way too hot to be making a good impression. They have great views though, and they're a little bigger than some of the other places. They have pretty much the same amenities that everyone offers. They have a gym. They have quite a lot of resident participation."

"My new apartment is actually 25% bigger than the ample downtown condo I'd previously lived in. Everything new and update. There are services offered here for many things I never found a 'handiperson' for in my own condo; cleaning of my balcony especially after fall forest-fire particulates, someone to hang art and drapes now that I'm getting more ladder reluctant, an IT person to connect my cable, wifi box, and printer. The exercise and aquafit classes are frequent, not crowded and appropriate for what helps me and my arthritic joints. Also you can swim on your own schedule when classes aren't in session. The staff and residents are quite friendly. I enjoy a science group, online course, and an Inquiring Minds discussion group currently reading the Federalist papers. But there are less challenging social activities too, like a public jigsaw puzzles, billiards/pool, table tennis, movie night, music night, up to date library, and Saturday morning guest lecture. As my mate is fading with dementia, there's a social worker and understanding residents, fellow residents. Van rides to supermarkets, group walks, rides to medical appointments. I haven't been able to think of anything missing yet after 2 months, and many things I never expected."

"We toured Mirabella Portland, it has a range of care. So you can get independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, and memory care. It's pretty much top of the line from what I could tell, it's a very good place. But it also costs half a million dollars to get in, so there's a difference with other places. You can do anything you want to your apartment, the building's in very good shape. The people are more sophisticated and more educated, and it's just a different kind of atmosphere. The person who gave the tour was wonderful. The food is not the best but it's good. They have amenities like a therapeutic pool, they have a beauty salon, they have all kinds of activities like movies, they take people on busses to symphonies and shopping trips to the grocery store. There are just lots of choices."