Independent Living Communities in Chula Vista, CA

"My grandmother has actually made her decision, and right now she’s in the process of getting the doctor’s clearance; then, we’ll contact the facility to set the date. She's moving into Westmont at San Miguel Ranch. The whole facility is just gorgeous. It is set on its own property, so that is really nice. There is not a lot of traffic in the area, but it’s also centrally located to some of the other stores. On the west side, it looks like it is isolated and up on a hill with nothing around, but it actually has some shopping and dining just right across the street. The location of it is really good. It’s also really close to my grandpa, which is a factor in her deciding which facility. Also, they have a lot more customization as to whatever she wants. Like if she wants to move different furniture or if she wants something different as a meal, they’re a little more catering to her. We spent a lot of time there, all the people were really nice, and they had a lot more activities. Also, the one that I like that I don’t think my grandmother realize is it’s a non-smoking facility. There’s no smoking. My grandmother smokes, and she needs to not smoke, so being there is going to make it difficult for her to smoke because she has to go all the way out of the property; she won’t be able to do that. So I really like that it’s non-smoking because not only that she cannot smoke but she also will not be tempted to smoke by other smokers. The only thing is I would have liked to see is more outdoor community areas for just the family. They do cater to families coming in; there is reserved seating and separate dining that you can rent out. The theater is gorgeous. They do have the Wii, and I’m sure it would be more of a hazard maybe to have more outdoor activities, but I would like to see my grandmother being more active outdoors. "

"I pretty much like everything here at Monte Vista Village. It is a perfect fit for me. I love the grounds. This facility is designed after a village in Hawaii, so we have lots of trees and beautiful exotic flowers. It's a really beautiful setting. It's like living in a park. The staff is fabulous. They're very caring, polite, and very helpful. With my package, I have a housekeeper that comes and she's just fantastic. I have no complaints about this facility. They have an inside staff that can help you with your bathing and there's a charge for that. They can do your laundry for a very small charge. I think that I just landed in the best place for me. The food, of course, does not have a lot of seasoning but you can bring your own seasoning. But generally, it's very edible and I don't have any complaints about it. We get a salad and a dessert. We have six different choices of what we want to eat, and all kinds of different juices to choose from. They have bingo, movie nights, entertainment once a week, a cocktail hour in the afternoon, puzzles, bridge, and a bus or van that leaves for shopping. My apartment is absolutely beautiful. I have new flooring and a new kitchenette. The bathroom and everything else had been redone before I got here. I have air conditioning, a fan, and a heater in front of the apartment and the back. I have everything I need. I think I get more than what I pay, it is that great. There's just everything available to take advantage of. The staff that I have gotten to know have been here for 20 to 25 years, and they love working here."

"My former husband was at Atria Collwood. It was very good and very clean. The people were very nice. They tried to do their best, but they weren't licensed to do some of the stuff that was needed for my former husband. Everybody was very caring. For the person staying, the food was very good. For the person that was just visiting, it was very bland, but of course, they have to take into consideration everybody. But everything was very nice. The facilities for parking and stuff were very easy. My former husband had a sunny room, which I think is pleasant. He had a window. The bathroom was comparable to assisted living. We were able to put everything in like pictures on the wall and his Juris Doctor degree. He was an attorney. They all knew him by the first name. I wasn't there at the end when my boys moved him out, but there was a lot of stuff going on. They had a nice library. They could enlarge the print and it is very nice to have that. They had people doing bingo all the time, they had puzzles, and they can work out. The people that work there were involved with the individuals on the different items that I just mentioned. "

"St. Paul's Manor was a nice place. It had assisted living and independent living. There was an ocean view, and it was very nice. It was an older building, but it was well maintained. I went to look at the rooms, and they were nice. The staff was very accommodating. The grounds were well maintained, and it was a classy place. It was in a great location because it was close to parks and museums. "

"Grossmont Gardens is a 5-star facility. I have no qualms about that. I looked at both assisted living and independent living. It was friendly. The place was clean and nice. I met with the residents there, and they were very friendly, too. The staff was exceptional. They were very helpful. The tour was nice. The facility was exceptional, and everything was like that. They showed me one unit that I was interested in, and then they found out that that unit was not available. They had given me a lesser unit, but I didn't want that. So that was where the glitch was. It was just that somebody got there before me. The facility was excellent. I have no negative comments about the facility or anything like that."

"Solstice Senior Living at El Cajon was super nice. We really liked it. The one-bedrooms had a living room and a nice big closet, a bedroom, and a bathroom. They were really nice. They had chair yoga, exercise, dance classes, and all kinds of activities. The man who gave us the tour was outstanding. We were impressed with the whole thing, like the grounds, the rooms, the activities, and the food. If we were to make the decision to put Mom in a place like that, that's the one we would choose. It was a really nice facility. I met the activity director, and everybody seemed friendly. It seemed like a really nice situation."

"I visited a friend at Lantern Crest Senior Living. It feels very professional, and I felt that they had a good handle on things. I was in the dining room, and they looked to have lovely meals. They have activities centers and sometimes they have music. My friend's room was very nice, it was a 1-bedroom."

"Belmont Village La Jolla was a beautiful facility and the food was great. All of the amenities were great. It was just that the square footage was way too small for what we would be paying. There was some ability to do art or something like that. They also had physical fitness activities. The facility was new, well thought out, and planned. The staff who gave us the tour was very helpful and very knowledgeable about their facility. All in all, a top level of service. They would provide meals 3 times a day. We had lunch there and the food tasted great, with lots of variety."

"We chose Chateau La Jolla, and everything we've encountered so far has been great. The staff was polite and courteous, and seems to meet my father's needs. He will be in independent living and we like that he doesn't have to move to another unit or another building, and he could have a nurse or even hospice come in if he needs it. And that's one of the selling point that made us decide on it. They have a world-class chef that caters to the clients' needs as far as any food, dietary restrictions, and things like that. Also, if you have a favorite food, they're very flexible, and open in trying to meet what you or your family members want. It's a smaller and more intimate community. They have a happy hour on Thursday nights and a champagne brunch on Sundays. They have this little red button in the different rooms that you can push if you fall. You think they'd make it a big red honking thing so you wouldn't miss it, especially for elderly clients. But it's small and if you fall and can't get over to it, so that's a little concerning."

"My husband will be moving in. We toured it, and we liked the facility. The staff that showed us around was very informative and took the time to explain everything to us. The rooms were very nice and big. We didn't taste the food, but everybody seemed to like it. We spoke to several people, and they seemed to enjoy it. The dining area was clean. They have all kinds of activities. We talked to a woman that has been living there, and she likes it. She says they are very kind to her, and they are allowed to have animals. She's very pleased with the living conditions."

"Belmont Village Sabre Springs would have met my friend’s needs very well. It’s one of the best in this area. It’s a beautiful environment and seems to be very well staffed. It’s a very active community of people, but he’s quite a bit younger than the average resident. Their average age there is 85, and he’s 54, so he could not picture himself in that environment. The rooms were beautiful. Marie took us through and explained everything, including the pricing. She did an excellent job and answered all of our questions. They had different sizes and styles of rooms."

". I was very impressed with the facility, it has a resort feel. It is very new. The common areas are open and airy. The food was excellent with a wide variety of choices. The courtyard and pool are very inviting. All of the staff that I met were very friendly and helpful."

"I went to Cypress at Junipers Senior Apartments. I thought it was awesome. It's new, it's clean, and the surrounding areas are nice. The people that were there that we talked to were nice. It was great. They're brand new. The apartment is pristine and clean. It was a good size. It was very nice. A friend of mine is moving there from Hawaii, so I'm considering getting a place there."

"My mom is here. She is well taken care of. She has a beautiful apartment. She was able to drive for many years, and when she couldn't drive anymore. They had a bus that took her around just about everywhere she wanted to go. She is well-loved. My mom has a nice big one-bedroom-one-bath. She has a living room, a little dinette, and a little kitchenette with stove and refrigerator, and she loves it. The dining room is nice. The food is okay. The meals are okay. There's variety, too. The people working there are excellent. They have a lot of weekly activities. There is a gym and a theater. My mom went to Mass on Sunday. There is a bus to take them to all kinds of activities. They went to the casino, baseball games, and the track."