Independent Living Communities in Palm Desert, CA

"Atria Hacienda was great. However, as a senior without assisted living, the two-bedroom-two-bath was around $9,000 a month. We had lunch there, and everything was very impressive. We met a bunch of people living there, and it was great. It was an apartment-type living. They had the same amenities as the other place. They had a nice dining room, a swimming pool, and a nice courtyard."

"Food is great. Staff is friendly."

"My friend has moved into Atria Rancho Mirage. They have a separate community upstairs with memory care, and he is doing quite well there, and he is enjoying it. I visit him five times a week. It's very close to me, and I think the longest it has taken me to get there with red lights is 11 minutes. It's very convenient. We liked that the reviews were so good for food and service. The tour was very good, too. The person who gave the tour was the director. I thought the size of room would work for him, and it's perfect. We were able to get the last room, fortunately. I'm glad that this one worked out. Gavin, who gave us the tour, is hands-on there all the time. They have very helpful staff. It's a good community for anybody to be in. The residents are very active with each other, so my friend is meeting new people, and he is socializing, which is important. Even though he has his own apartment and his own space, he has the ability to participate in activities and enjoy meals with other people. The staff members are always there when you need them. They put out the extra effort to make things work, and they do a good job. I have also joined my friend for several meals. The meals that I have sampled and experienced have all been very good. I think the only criticism that I could make is that the soup could be warmer. The food is hot, but for some reason, the soup isn't as hot as it should be. I was there one evening, and they were having their carpets cleaned in the whole facility. They do a very thorough maintenance. They clean up after the meals, too. They are very hands-on with making sure that things are done on a five-star level. Regarding activities, I saw people playing bingo, and interestingly enough, my friend got to play bingo the other day, which was great. They have music with entertainment. He went out and enjoyed the music. They have different events that go on there that you could sign up for. I signed him up for a flu shot, and so he is on a schedule for a shot. I signed him up for another fun activity that they're doing. It's not a daily activity; it's a special event. It's easy for me to have him signed up for those special activities. They're very good about involving the residents in them. They have birthday events and music events. They have a lot of different events. I would bring my little dog in. She is very popular and very welcome there, so that's all good. Compared to some of the other communities, this is all-inclusive, so down the road, if my friend has issues like needs help dressing or showering and all that, there's no extra fees, which is unusual because the other facilities all had extra fees for services. This one is all-inclusive. There's a community fee, which is usually around $3000 or the amount of the monthly rental sometimes, and they waived that fee. So, my friend didn't have to pay that fee."

"I visited The Carlotta. I toured the main building with the apartments and then found out they had cottages. I looked at them, and there were several under renovation. Kathy was the gal I spoke with, and she called to see if I wanted to see the other cottages. They were under renovation, but she had permission to take me over, and we could see them, so I went ahead. They invited me to their gathering, a luncheon-type thing, and it was wonderful. The food and service were outstanding. Everybody was nice. So, I have nothing but good things to say about them. I am just not ready right now. Everything was clean, and it smelled nice. They have a library and a swimming pool. They have a cafe, which is open throughout the day for breakfast, snacks, or lunch. And you can get tickets to go there instead of money, pay with tickets. They have a gym, and somebody who comes in once or twice a week. They have classes. They have an auditorium, so I guess some speakers come in, a game room, and a nice outside living area, too. They have a little central park within, maybe a square of homes or apartments to sit out. They're also affiliated with a medical group. There's some way that if it comes to a time that you need memory care, it's a very easy transition. It's still on the property, and there's space there. Or at the beginning of any illness or anything, they will service you in your home or apartment as long as that's not long-term. They can come and take care of you or have surgery that'll heal. You don't have to move or anything. They will be there to help bring you food and whatever you need. Their staff is more than helpful. They're just wonderful. We walked in and didn't know where to go, and we were escorted and chatted all the way. Everything is under control there, and immaculately clean. The food was outstanding. It was mostly all appetizers, but they were wonderful, and the desserts were great. They were all baked by their own staff, and a cook. So, it was really yummy, and served very nicely."

"My friend has moved into Bayshire Rancho Mirage. We found that it was the best value. It's very nice and very clean. They have a lot of activities. They have a skilled nursing facility attached to it. My friend was very sick and went from the hospital directly into skilled nursing and is still there. When he comes out of skilled nursing, they will move him to assisted living and they'll take care of him there. The staff there is lovely. Everybody there is nice. Everybody has a great sense of humor. They all go out of their way to be pleasant. You couldn't ask for nicer people. With regards to activities, they have bingo, karaoke, woodworking, crafts, musical numbers, and entertainment. They have a lot of amenities, and it's a very nice facility. It's the best value that we found. We get the most for the money there."

"It is very nice and very pleasant in Villa Portofino. Everything is good. What I didn't like is that I have to buy a unit. I didn't want to buy one, I just wanted to rent. They have a restaurant as part of the building. They have a bistro and a store. It was nice, but it's just not for me. The staff was very nice and very helpful. I have no complaints. The facility is very luxurious. The apartments were very nice and very spacious, but it is more than I want. It is very good, but it is just not my taste. "