Independent Living Communities in Columbiana, AL

"My mom moved into Town Village Vestavia Hills. We like that she could have a one-bedroom with a full kitchen, and it is handicap accessible everywhere. There's a small community for seniors and adults with lots of activities, limited transportation provided, and three meals a day if my mom chooses to eat what's provided. They have lots of activities, and it's a good value for what we're paying."

"My sister and I have seen Brookdale University Park Alabama. It was for independent living, and they had very large rooms. I like that because I think my sister would like that, too. The dimensions of the room seem bigger than some of the other places, and I like the way they were laid out. Their two-bedroom apartments are nice. They have a little separate den and almost like a little separate living room. It's very roomy, almost like a house, a little home, or a little apartment. They also have other floor plans. They have one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments. We saw where they ate. They offered to have us stay and eat lunch but we had something else to do, so we couldn't. The dining area was very nice when you first walked into the place. It just seems really friendly and nice. They also have a beauty shop, a workout room, and a little library. The whole ambiance of the place was very nice and the staff couldn't have been lovelier."

"My friend moved into Skyline Village at Red Mountain. I like the staff, very friendly. Everything is covered for a reasonable price. Even cleaning service, all meals, and cable. It fits the need that was there for my friend. She chose the smallest apartment, but it was adequate. She has her bed, a corner, a chair, and a bathroom. She has a bookcase, too. She was able to bring her furniture in. They have a covered porch area that goes out to a patio where they can sit outside. They have a special barbecue for a holiday. Her room includes a refrigerator, microwave, counter space, and sink."

"St. Martin's In the Pines was very, very nice. The staff was extremely nice and welcoming. We just visited there, and they gave us a packet. We had a friend of ours that lived there. They showed us her apartment. It was super nice. All the amenities are within the building, and Mother would have never had to get out of the building. She has elevator access or she could use the stairs, but they prefer that most of them use the elevator to prevent falling. They have activities. They have independent assisted, and nursing home care. They have a studio apartment. We had a friend that was living there, so we went in and looked at the space. However, my mom preferred a 1-bedroom. She was going from my 3-bedroom house into a studio and it bothered her a little bit. She saw how much room that this friend of ours had and it was 490 square feet. The staff was great. The person that lived there has been there for quite some time, and she told us how amazing the staff was, and she wouldn't tell us that if they were not so."

"My brother is a resident at Pleasant Villa, and couldn't be more pleased. It is exceptionally clean and just been refurbished, looks great. The owner and staff are so accommodating; they are very caring. If my brother needs to go to the doctor, etc. they are glad to take him. Excellent choice!"

"I toured Somerby at St. Vincent's One Nineteen. It's a huge place, three or four stories, which was a long walk for my mom. My mom went on the tour with us and she was exhausted. They have benches to rest, but it does have a lot of walking, which can be a good thing, but if you want to get where you're going it's a walk. We ate there and the food was excellent. They have a craft room that Mom enjoys. They have crochet, which is the craft that she likes best of all. They have a pool, a workout room, and a rehab facility."

"I stayed in rehab for 3 weeks (March 2023) after ankle/foot surgery. That meant I was wheelchair bound the whole time as I did not have enough strength to use a walker with one foot & leg because my hands & wrists are weak with arthritis. I was treated so amazingly & kind. I was responded to quickly if I had a need. The food was very good & plentiful. In fact, I was afraid I would weigh more when I got home. My room was good size. The bathroom was okay but it would have been nice to have handicap accessible there. That was the only negative. I loved my view out the window because I was in an L shape area so got to see lovely landscaping & the grass. The PT & OT was very useful, the therapists were knowledgeable & taught me so much. I enjoyed the large therapy room because we had laughing & smiling going on with the staff & residents. I felt at home & never lonely. We had a Mardi Gras party which was so much fun with great snacks, music, & games. The activities room was decked out in colorful Mardi Gras decorations. Although it’s (hopefully) a long time until I might need to have further services where it would be permanent for me, my husband & I’ve talked about the independent apartments which are in a lovely wooded area. It’s so peaceful on the grounds. I could imagine being on the porch having morning coffee. I recommend this place 100%."

"We toured the Morningside of Vestavia Hills. I liked the cordialness of the person taking us around. We stopped and met with several of the residents. It was very pleasing, and they were very professional and had great meals. It was just very eye-opening. The interesting thing that we did learn to separate from this thing is that independent living doesn't mean you can't live there if you're in a wheelchair or anything, so that was encouraging. They were just very informative, very professional, and very pleasant. We would suggest people take a good look at that. The building is older."

"Mount Royal was excellent and gorgeous, but I could not afford it with my budget. The tour was good, though. The services and the staff were great."

"I visited Regency and a few other independent living facilities in the area. The food looked delicious and the rooms are larger then most. So far this is the best location and cost for our families needs."

"We had my 74-year old sister transferred to Greenbrier from another facility that was not taking care of her and seemed to have little interest in rehabilitating her so she could return home. The facilities are very nice and the staff was always helpful, more importantly the medical staff was actually interested in helping her progress from assisted living to independent living in her own home with a great rehabilitation program. The physical and nutritional therapy helped get her back to a balanced state where she could take care of herself again. It was a great transformation from someone who was losing the will to live, to once again caring for herself and other family members. She has successfully moved back to her house, and we enjoy the company of our sister once again."

"My mother was in Fair Haven rehab and we couldn't have been happier about our experience. The check-in process, the spacious and clean accommodations, the administrative and healthcare staff, the food - all 5 star! Thank you so much for making mom feel at home, helping her recover, and providing such a high standard of care and comfort."

"I like everything about the Kirkwood by the River memory care unit. There were a lot of activities going on and a lot of happy people and residents. I saw so many friendly staff, they had a chapel inside and it was just very well organized. Even one of the owners was there, interacting with the residents. I met the chaplain and it just seemed that everyone was just super, super friendly. The staff was very hands-on with the residents, very happy in their jobs, and seem to love the residents. They're going through a renovation, adding some memory care units. The rooms were rather small and needed to be updated, and that's what they're going to do. It was very clean."

Upside is a new category of senior living. We provide flexible services at hundreds of aging-friendly, luxury rental apartment properties. Whether you are looking for day-to-day convenience, an added layer of support, or want to access a range of activities and events, Upside has you covered. Build a lifestyle on your terms, with people of all ages. Birmingham is nestled at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains at the cross-section of two major railroads. It is one of the nation’s most livable cities with a vibrant downtown, a burgeoning loft community, a world-class culinary scene and more green space per capita than any other city!