Continuing Care Retirement Communities Communities in Bellevue, WA

"It's being remodeled to our specs, and we're moving in soon to Park Shore. It has the greatest views around. It's upscale. It's not dominated by people who make you feel older. It's in the middle of Madison Park, which is a nice little community away from the big city, but still close. It got all the amenities you want -- banks, Starbucks, good restaurants -- in a small community. Staff is first class all around. The only problem is parking for anybody that visits you. "

"We've chosen Timber Ridge at Talus. The underground parking was large. They seemed to have lots of activities, their clientele seemed to be a little healthier than the other places we looked at. There were several restaurants. There was a reading room with all the newspapers. There was a woodworking shop, a theater, and just a lot of nice sitting areas. We had dinner and it was excellent. It looked like a five-star hotel when we looked at it. It was very clean and very well-run."

"Emerald Heights is an exceptional facility. We visit the facility once a week to visit with my grandmother. We have never found anything to complain about and find that they provide a most excellent living experience. They really help my grandmother without her feeling like she's unable to live on her own or take care of herself. We were really worried about her transition as she moved shortly after my grandfather passed. After a 52 year marriage we were unsure she'd be okay living her house behind and moving into assisted living but Emerald Heights really worked hard to make her transition as easy and comforting as possible. We feel really good knowing that grandma is getting exceptional care. "

"My husband has been in Skyline for almost 2 months now. It's a very nice place. I like the location; he has a nice outlook. They had a unit available where there was a bedroom and a living room. The units are quite large, and refrigeration is very nice -- big bathroom, big shower, and the makings of a kitchen. We like the bedroom idea very much; we had to furnish it, but it's alright. It's very expensive. They say they do laundry and they wash, but they don't iron, which I find really quite amazing. They haven't done much because I have the 24/hour care there, but their caregivers seem to be very sweet. There should have been soap and towels in the room when he moved in but we had to go and ask the nurses for it. I don't think that should be; they should have a list that they give the girls and stack up those rooms when somebody is coming in so that they're available. We don't always want to run around and find a nurse and find out what they supply. I think that should be very clear to everyone and it wasn't at Skyline. "

"I am at Merill Gardens. I like the area that it is in. The staff seems to be pretty good and they are really involved in people's lives. I don't have any complaints with what they are doing. I have three meals a day and some of I like and some of it I don't. They have a lot of activities and I enjoy helping the activity person with them. They have buses and take people around like groceries and trips around the area. "

"Horizon House was beautiful and very well-run. The staff was lovely, and the food was good. The dining area was very clean and appealing. They have water aerobics, classes of all kinds, aerobics on land, and gardening. "

"I went to Exeter House which I sort of really like, but it used to be a resident hotel in Seattle -- and probably in the 40s I am not exactly sure many years ago -- and they have nice little apartments there and I was considering that and then I thought, I can have people come in and I can stay in my own house. The apartments were really very nice and I think financially they were probably just above the other facility. You got one meal, but you had your own kitchen whereas at the other facility you have a microwave. I was very impressed. It is right across from a city hall where they have lots of speakers, and it’s right across so you could have some intellectual stimulation other than bingo so that’s another plus to it. I think it was very good; it just wasn’t for me. They did have nice apartments, and it didn’t seem quite as cramped. "

"Merrill Gardens at Renton Centre was very nice. Everything was wonderful. It was a newer site. They just opened for residency. The environment was very nice. It was like walking into a cruise boat. Everything was new and beautiful. I also saw the dining room with white linen tablecloth and people being waited on. They didn't have to get their food. There was a little salad buffet area which was definitely a step up. It was very nice in there. I have seen a lot of social people there. Right at the kitty-corner from there is the Renton Senior Center, so it is very convenient for the seniors to walk over there for activities. Everything I had seen was a plus. The location was great. The only bad thing is that they didn't have what we were looking for. They didn't have a daycare. "

"My first impression of Bayview Manor in Seattle was that it was pretty nice looking place. I had been to two previous assisted living facilities. Bayview was much nicer than one and not quite as nice as the other. Bayview had a really friendly staff and is located in a pretty nice neighborhood. I was there to visit the grandfather of one of my best friends. He is a widower that suffered a stroke a many years ago. The food actually seemed like something I would want to eat. I really liked how well the staff was able to remember so much about the people that lived there. They almost seemed like family members. I worked for a few years as a janitor, so I am a stickler for clean bathrooms, floors, and such. Bathrooms were really clean and free of odors. The eating utensils where clean and free of water marks (my mother was a germaphobe and taught us to check the utensils first). Floors appeared to be freshly mopped/vacuumed. His actual room was pretty big. It was bigger than most rooms I've rented in apartments and house in Seattle. A lot of the old people seemed to be fairly happy (as happy as you can be in an old folks home). I guess it wouldn't be a bad place to live when that day comes for me. "

"The Hearthstone assisted living center in Seattle was a welcoming environment that provided a continuum of care. The facility is located along Green Lake, which provides a number of recreational and fitness opportunities. The staff at Hearthstone seemed warm, caring, and helpful. The bottom floor provided communal areas for eating, as well as numerous scheduled activities. The cafeteria and common furniture seemed clean and up to date, the piano was in tune, and the plaques provided a community feeling. Sign in at a monitored front desk was polite, but provided security. Progressive care levels increased at higher floor levels. More independent living areas had a social atmosphere and were personalized with decorations. All the staff I encountered in the halls seemed genuine and compassionate. Based on my impressions as a visitor to this facility, it is one of the nicest assisted living centers I've seen. "

Pacific Elderly Care is an adult family home care licensed by the Washington state Department of Social and Health Services to provide care for seniors. We are dedicated to offering a comfortable, respectful, friendly, and loving family-like environment with expert quality care for five residents only. We believe in providing activities and opportunities for our residents to maintain a happy and healthy lifestyleTo learn more about this providers license and review other available state reports, please visit: Washington State Department of Social and Health Services Long-Term Care Residential Options

"My grandfather has been at The Kenney for almost 4 years now, and, while my mother is the one who takes care of him, I visit fairly frequently. The facility has independent-living, assisted-living, and a nursing/rehab center. For the first couple years, my grandfather was in assisted-living and had a beautiful room with a large window and lots of natural light. After he fell and broke his hip he was moved to the nursing/rehab center, which is in a different part of the facility with much less natural light. His roommate is one of his friends he's known for years, and there are other relatives and friends living in the facility. The staff is very friendly and provide adequate care. There are plenty of activities and entertainment that he attends. Overall, I feel like The Kenney is a good facility, and I believe my grandfather is as happy as he could be in any comparable facility. Compared to a couple other assisted-living facilities I'm familiar with, though, I feel that the nursing/rehab center is not as open or bright, and feels more like a hospital than a living area. "

"Crista Senior Living seemed reasonable and decent. The staff was helpful. The place was secured enough for the residents and the visitors. "

"Wesley Des Moines is a very beautiful campus, and the staff is very friendly and caring. The residents seemed very happy. They have lots of activities. It's all in one place. They have everything that you could possibly want. They have the standard rec room, they have a library, and they have a theater. It's very nice. I wish I could afford it because it's very expensive, too."