Independent Living Communities in Decatur, AL

"My father-in-law was in Brookdale Cedar Springs. Everything was really nice and pretty. They did great and the staff was very friendly and very sweet. I have no complaints at all about them. The food was very delicious. He just complained that they didn't give him enough, but they always gave him more. They provided different mind games and other social things. However, he was in the hospital for six days, and we gave them 30-day notice that he would not be coming back. They were helpful with that except that the marketer said that as soon as we all can get his things out, we need to have this room available. We were paying for 30 days to be able to get him resettled, so we had the right to have his stuff in that room for 30 days. The executive director was very helpful and the marketer was very nice and helpful to begin with, but she was a little bit too zealous in her job. Except for the mold and mildew, they kept it clean. It's overpriced. The rent would be fine if it included the add-ons. Charging $555 a month just to give someone their medications is ridiculous."

"My tour experience at City Center Village was very good. The staff who showed me around, I believe her name was Nina, was very sweet; she was a very nice lady. I went to the common areas and the courtyards. The rooms were a little small, and there were no balconies. That would probably be a huge negative if we were still looking. The location was perfect for me because I live nearby, so that would have been great. They had a long-term facility there and they had a cafeteria. There was also a gathering area where they play cards, bingo, and stuff like that. So that was nice. There was a library, and the outdoor courtyard areas were very nice. I saw the dining area; it was very nice and it looked like a restaurant. The staff who gave me the tour was really sweet."

"The Goldton at Athens was very nice. It's not that old. The facility was really beautiful. The problem there was it was not a good location for me and the dog. There was no exit out of the apartment directly into the yard. I had to take him out in the hall and out to the exit door. There wasn't very much yard space. The staff member during the tour was excellent, very friendly, and very encouraging. She knew I had lost my husband, and she is certainly the right person for the job. The dining area was beautiful. The room was basically like the other assisted living places. It had a living room kitchen combination and a bedroom. My number one concern was there was no outside exit in the apartment. I couldn't go open a door and be outside with my dog. There were people working puzzles, and a lot of them just sitting around visiting with one another. There was an elevator if you weren't on the first floor. It was right after lunch, and I think almost everybody must go take a nap or something. It definitely would have been my number one choice if it had been the right accommodation for me and my dog."

"We have now moved into Monark Grove Madison. We have certainly been happy so far after a month. It's fairly new. It's very nice, and they have a lot of amenities and a lot of things going on. We have cleaning once a week. We have a well-furnished apartment with a washer and dryer, a refrigerator, an ice maker, a microwave, and a full kitchen, so that's all good. The people working there are very good. The one thing I wish we did have was handicapped parking. There's no handicapped parking on this end of the building where we are. My wife and I both use walkers, so we have to park farther up and have a longer walk. So that's the only drawback. Once in a while, the food is not so good. Occasionally, what they have on the menu is not what they serve. We haven't participated in the activities yet. We've still got a lot of boxes to unpack and a lot of pictures to hang. We've got a lot of stuff to do, but I know they have a full gym, a game room, a library, a pool, and a tennis court."

"When we first moved my father-in-law to Pioneer Senior Living at Upland Park it was a brand-new facility. They're very friendly and very helpful in placing him there, because we were trying to find something pretty quickly and they were able to accommodate us. They were also very helpful with any concerns that we might have there. My father-in-law likes the activities and the family environment it has with the other residents. So, he likes it a lot there. His apartment is like a one-bedroom apartment with a kitchenette. He has his own laundry room. The bathroom is pretty large where he can get his wheelchair in and out. It's a nice, cozy area. He also has a balcony to go outside. There is a putt-putt golf course, so he just stood out there and watched the other residents play it if they liked. They have different floor plans. They have a small studio and a large studio. They have a one bedroom with a dining area and then they have a two bedroom with the dining area, a full kitchen, and everything. They have demo days where they go into the demo room and have chefs prepare different meals for them. They also have bingo, and a sports bar and grill where they can go in and watch football games with the TVs around the room, as well as play pool. They have a library and a golf stimulated room where you can do your swings and see your stuff on the projector. There are days where they have different types of activities, like listening to music or having people come in and play for them. They take them out for shopping or to go to different events that they have, like the veterans parade or different car shows that they take them out to. They have a beauty shop/barber shop. They also have a spa and a gym for them. This place is well kept up. It's a very nice facility to be in."

"A friend of mine was happy at Redstone Village with the care and the attention that she is getting. The facility has a beautiful view and it's very clean and neat. She thinks that the place is wonderful and she's making lots of friends. They play bridge almost every day and they have a lot of going on. They have church there and she is very happy. "