Independent Living Communities in Santa Cruz, CA

"My Mom has been in Gault Street for 7 years now and it's just 2 blocks away from our home. She's doing really great and I must say well taken care of. The facility is nice, very relaxing and peaceful environment. A great place to stay. But we are currently searching for a home care service instead, like having a private nurse for her so she can just stay home with us. "

"At Dominican Oaks, I like the fact that you have your own apartment. They have a one-bedroom apartment with a balcony, or you can get a two-bedroom apartment if you're rich. I like the fact that they have all these things that you can do. I have a friend that lives there. She is working with a group from the University of California; they meet there, the retirement home gives them a nice room and brings them refreshments, and I thought oh, that is so nice. The people from the entire community in Santa Cruz are welcome to come to the Dominican Oaks, use the same rooms, and whatever else they got. They always have beautiful refreshments for a group. They do this for anybody who walks in. Every Friday, they have a speaker come in, and also entertainment comes in from outside the retirement community. They're not isolated, and that's the thing that I like. The restaurant is run just like a commercial restaurant. They have a menu, and you have three choices. You can have breakfast from like 7 a.m. to 10 or 11 a.m. They take you to plays that are in town, shopping, and anything that you want to do. You can bring your own car, or you can use their transportation. Also they have gardens, so if you want a garden plot, you can have garden plot and grow what you want. They have lots and lots of entertainment; the calendar is just stuffed with stuff. By the way, Dominican Oaks has a full kitchen in their apartments. Their rate is over $5000 a month, but everything is included. I have had a lot of interactions with the staff, and they are wonderful. "

Westmont of Santa Cruz, located at 5630 Soquel Drive in Soquel, California, is a senior living community offering Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care services. Situated on a 3.73-acre property, the community features 82 suites designed to accommodate a total of 91 residents. Residents at Westmont of Santa Cruz enjoy a variety of amenities and services that enhance their daily living experience. The community boasts an on-site beauty and barber shop, providing convenient grooming services. Transportation services are available for residents' outings and appointments. Beautifully landscaped gardens and patios offer serene outdoor spaces, complemented by ample resident and guest parking. Comprehensive housekeeping and laundry services ensure a comfortable and maintenance-free lifestyle. Engaging activities such as music sessions, games, book clubs, yoga classes, gardening, arts and crafts, and offsite excursions cater to diverse interests. Dining options include in-room kitchenettes, a communal dining room with shared meals, room service, guest dining accommodations, and specialized diets to meet individual nutritional needs. Westmont of Santa Cruz is staffed by a team of dedicated professionals committed to providing personalized care in a safe and supportive environment. The community's proximity to local attractions enriches residents' lives, with nearby destinations such as Bargetto Winery, Soquel Vineyards, and Anna Jean Cummings Park offering opportunities for leisure and exploration.

"Valley Heights is all good because it provides everything my dad needs. The apartments were adequate. They have a chef, which is better than a cook, and the food is good, but there's a little bit more that can be done. "

"We visited The Terraces, and it’s a very pleasant, clean place. The units were small for one have to pay on a monthly basis. It’s a story, and it had a feel of like a nice hotel with plants in between the building. They have an outdoor swimming pool and a small gym, and the equipment looked good."

"Morrone Gardens is a wonderful facility. The manager of the complex is very kind and informative, alleviating a great deal of our stress when my wife and I were looking for a place for my ailing father to live. She has helped my father with paperwork and taken care of his inquiries promptly. The exterior of the complex is very clean while the interior is decent. The hallways are somewhat stained with use but this doesn't really affect my opinion on the place. When my father moved in, his apartment was entirely renovated, looked immaculate and smelled clean. Later I found out that a chain smoker lived there before my father (which is illegal at the facility); this is a testament to how good of a job they clean for their new residents. Morrone Gardens is also located at a dead end street so unwanted foot traffic is kept to a minimum. The building is completely wheelchair accessible, has a working elevator and automatic security doors. Access for wheelchair vehicles, Meals-on-Wheels, taxis, and Outreach is all around the building. My only complaint is a lack of parking for visitors; other than for people interested in renting, there are only two spots for visitors to park. When they are taken, one must park on the street. "

"We chose Village Green for my mother because it is closest to my house. The staff was very nice, and helpful. I wish their rooms were a little bigger, but they were very nice, clean, pretty fixtures like granite and stuff. The room that is for my mom has a fountain outdoors and lots of greenery, lots of windows. They were watching a movie in the movie room when we went through. "

"Sunny View was a nice place and a nice setting. It's not a high-rise structure. They had nice outside courtyards. They had courts for playing games like bocce ball. It's a continuing care place, and the buy-in cost is more reasonable than the other place. The apartments were nice and reasonably sized. The staff was friendly and helpful."

"I visited Valley Village Retirement Community. It was the most affordable one. I think it's $1900 for a little apartment with three meals a day and one weekly housekeeping. They have a little clinic where you can go every day and have them help you take your medicine and take your blood pressure, just kind of like the basics. They have a bus that'll take you to your doctor up to ten miles away. They also have activities, entertainment, and a washer and dryer in the building. It covers all the utilities, and it's a 55 and over community. So, the people there are a little bit younger. It seems pretty vibrant in there. The building's a little older, but they make up for it with everything else they do. For the price, it was the best value out of everything that I saw. It was nice, clean, and everything. It was like a village. Some houses are part of it, and then there's the apartment building part of it. The construction is probably mid-century. So, it's not like a brand-new facility, but it's very well-maintained and clean. Everybody there seemed happy, engaged, and a little bit younger. With some of them, it just seemed like a bunch of 19-year-olds sitting in chairs and these people seemed to be moving around doing things."

"Forest Hill Manor has independent, assisted, and nursing, and I looked at the independent for myself and assisted for a friend of mine. It's very good. I liked everything about it. The only thing that I don't like is Pacific Grove has a lot of fog. The person during the tour was very pleasant. The food was good and the dining area was very nice. They redid it, it's large, and it's very inviting. I've gone there for lunch and tea and I'm invited again for a tea. The staff was nice. They went out of their way and they're very pleasant."

"The Villages was only independent living. It was very nice. It had golf courses, tennis courts, swimming pools. It was large and well laid out. It was a gated community. I thought the staff and food were average. "

"It is Christian oriented (Catholic) but does not discriminate. It is located in a quiet park setting near a stand of redwoods and beautiful flowers and is well removed from traffic, auto or pedestrian. Daily Mass is celebrated every morning in a beautiful chapel. Nurses are on call on a 24 hour basis and a fine hospital is less than a mile away. The staff is excellent -- very caring and professional. An attractive, well staffed dining room serves three delicious meals, seven days a week. Special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries are observed and there is ample parking for family and friends. Daily programs include bingo, quiz programs, talks by experts in a variety of fields. Free transportation is furnished for medical or dental appointments and weekly shopping trips. Music programs are held on an almost daily basis featuring instrument, soloists and singers. In summary, while not cheap, it is an excellent facility, and will only be more beautiful when the remodeling work is finished. "

"Merrill Gardens at Monterey is a newer facility. The rooms are just quite small and I think it was more expensive. So, even though it had a newer facility, the financing of it was going to be a little bit higher. They offer a lot of amenities. It was quite nice."

"I chose Belovida at Newbury Park for myself. The room size was what I liked. I can put most of the furniture that I have, and the price is between $1000 to $1500 a month. I like the manager. He was very good, very nice, friendly, and very informative. You're completely on your own there, and that's what I wanted. They have quite a few things. They have laundry, a gym, and a theater, and they have get-togethers for movies and bingo. They have a patio area where you can have your own private parties, and they have a computer room also. It's very clean, pretty well-kept, and pretty secure."