Independent Living Communities in Bradenton, FL

"We saw Inspired Living at Lakewood Ranch. It was bright and clean. The staff was friendly. However, they did not have the continuing care that we were interested in. It's mostly just assisted living. The staff who toured us around was a salesperson. She was too assertive because I told her we weren't interested but she continued to contact us. We saw some other staff members and they were very nice and friendly. The facility was very attractive, very bright, and clean. They had all the amenities. However, because it's mainly assisted living, the room sizes were small. We saw a gym. The dining room was lovely. We saw the pool. It's very lovely, but it doesn't offer what we want. It's near everything except for the hospital."

"Desoto Beach Club seems like a really clean community and I would lean toward them. There wasn't much going on since we visited during lunch time, but it seemed like everybody was interacting with each other. It seemed very nice. The dining hall seemed clean and nice."

"While in the area, we made a stop at the DeSoto Palms Assisted Living Community. Even though we didn't have an appointment, the staff was friendly and accommodating. We had been looking at options for my friend's mother. The main grounds had nice seating areas to relax by. We liked the way the main area was decorated with fresh flowers. We got to see the diverse staff and residents - which seemed to include people at various levels of ambulation. The staff pointed out that residents are regularly invited to participate in everything there is to offer - from outings to indoor games, films and reading groups. Staff seemed to be willing to accommodate any resident need. The nicely appointed rooms were all fresh and seemed newly decorated. The spacious community rooms were well kept and homey. There was a variety of types of food available - for example, meal choices ranged from a complete meal to snacks or lighter fare, for those who wanted it. Every dietary concern seemed to be well addressed. The snacks also looked very good, from fresh vegetables to fruit and hard boiled eggs. Every effort is made to ensure that all residents are taken care of nutritionally. The facility encourages family members to visit regularly and participate in some of the annual activities, such as barbeques and holiday parties. Staff appeared to make every effort to ensure that the residents were both safe and comfortable in this living environment. "

"Cypress Springs was a very nice place, and we are considering it. We had a very nice lunch. The staff was real nice, friendly, and knowledgeable. "

"Alderman Oaks Retirement Center was an assisted living facility we decided to check out on the spur of the moment while in the area. The staff was very accommodating, despite the fact that we did not have an appointment. The outer grounds of this facility were quite lovely. The staff seems to respect the independence of the residents, which is important. The tailored health care services can be adjusted as needed. All of the amenities we were told about seemed to be in place - from the caring staff to the types of social interaction. We saw residents doing a variety of things, from exercise to reading, watching films and playing games. The food we saw looked tasty and healthy. All of the residents seemed to enjoy their food and were offered a variety of good choices. They offer healthy snacks throughout the day so that the residents are well fed. The many services are offered to reflect personal needs and with an eye toward providing choices. Outings are suggested and also requested by residents and added to the list of activities. All residents are encouraged to participate in as much as they are interested in, as well as to try new experiences. The interior rooms, from the communal to the private, were all nicely decorated in a home-like way. The furniture was comfortable and the living quarters were all nicely designed for easy access for all levels of ambulation. This is a nicely designed living environment with competent and caring staff. "

"I went to Grand Villa of Sarasota. It's under remodel, and they were very apologetic for that, but I didn't have a problem with the remodel. The rooms that they showed me and the layout of the place was very nice. They showed me a studio and a one-bedroom. My dad wants a one-bedroom, but we wanted to show him the studios because we didn't know how it would compare in overall size to the one-bedroom. It is in a very nice spot, very limited area though. As far as outside area goes, they were very limited in that. Inside they had a very nice library, an exercise room, and a game room. The laundry facilities were nice. The location and the outside areas were very limited, but the inside of the building and the building itself was beautiful. The staff was very good."

"We visited Allegro. They have several different types of sufficient apartments. The staff was awesome, wonderful, and spectacular. I talked to the head of the dining services, and he was a super-duper cook. Everybody would be happy to have him. He was a real chef and a wonderful person. They have activities just like everyone does. They have everything there. "

"The Goldton at Venice was brand new. It's in the middle of what's going to be a construction site for a lot of years, but it looked like a cruise ship. It's very nice. There's a shopping center going in across the street that at this point is a vacant field, all ploughed up and ready to go. The facility itself owns a huge field next door where there's an expanding sign on it. It too will be under construction and that's annoying. It's also too far away. They were lovely people and it's a lovely place, but if it were in Englewood, it would be great. It was elegant and very nice. It had probably everything anybody would need and it's huge. Everything was huge in it. The hallways were probably 50 feet wide. Everybody there looked very happy. It's out in the country. The staff during the tour was lovely. Everything about it was lovely. It's fairly expensive, but they all are. I just don't want to live that far away and I don't want a construction site for the rest of my life. We saw an empty apartment, and it was luxurious. It was two little rooms put together and it was more than adequate. Everything about it was very nice. It didn't seem like an assisted living place at all. We saw the art room, which was a big room, all very sunny, all very nice, but it didn't have a whole lot of equipment yet. There was a table of four ladies who were chattering and seemed to be having a nice time. They're all old, but they were pretty healthy looking. Their food arrangement was very livable. There were several plans. You could either get three meals or two meals. It's an open kitchen from noon to 11:00 or something like that, where you could get anything you want at any time. It was very flexible. The whole thing was very livable, especially if you're healthy. The kitchen looked all very new and was full of visible chefs and they were all young and seemed busy. They were going great guns for lunch. There were several very nice dining facilities in varying degrees, from very casual to pretty fancy. They were all very nice and gave a lot of options. It was like living in a hotel or a cruise ship. The furniture was very nice. The place was kind of spread out. The ceilings were enormous. Everything was really big. They had a very nice pool and it's very nice outside. I was very impressed, especially with the one person that we met. Somebody greeted us and called her, and they were perfectly nice and what you'd expect."

"My dad moved into Elison Assisted Living of Bella Vita. They have a lot of nice activities. The meals are very nice as well. They have a very healthy portion and a lot of choices. My father's eating a lot right now that he never did before. So I'm hoping with some activities and some good food, his strength will come back and he'll enjoy life more. The staff is very helpful, very friendly. Everyone knows the residents by their names. They have bingo, mahjong, and pinochle. They have Friday happy hour where the residents get up and dance to the music."

"Sunstar Village is an awful place. It's small. I think they have like maybe 30 people. They can only handle up to 50, but they are about half full, and I can see why. The place is old and dingy, and they have very limited staff. I found that the security is not very good. They did offer me a private room with a nice bathroom, but everything is older. I met the owner. He was in his office, and he's a young guy. It needs a lot of help. It's pretty run-down. I saw a lot of residents in wheelchairs slumped over. I saw that in every room. I didn't find it to be very inviting or anything like that. The staff was kind of distracted, like she didn't really want to give the tour, even though I scheduled it. She obviously forgot because I showed up and she asked me why I was there. She was nice enough, but not upbeat, just kind of going through the motions. All I saw was the outside place where the smokers go. They have an activity room that doubles as a dining room. They don't have a separate wing for memory care. They mix them all up."

"Good facility, no bells and whistles, but good services and good food. Highly recommended, especially if your financial resources are pretty limited. "

"I was pleasantly surprised to find the accommodations that this facility had to offer. I envisioned most assisted-living facilities as ragged, employed with unfriendly nurses unhappy to be there. This is not the life I wanted my grandmother to live. My worries were quelled when I visited the place to find that it was in fact a very comfortable place with a serene environment. Their fitness center met standards that even I, a 23 year old male, approved of and would make use of. I've had breakfast and dinner there, both of which were acceptable meals. My grandmother described the staff as "friendly and usually there when she needed them." She is not in need of full assistance, but they helped her with things such as errands and daily tasks that she was physically unable to do. I believe they have a pool as well, though my grandmother doesn't use it, but I imagine there are many elderly folks who would enjoy it. Overall, I am very satisfied with my grandmother's living arrangements and am happy she is living a in a comfortable environment in the ladder years of her life. "

It’s a family home care with 24hr care. We also live here on the property with our residents. You have 24hr nurse care 3 meals a day plus snacks. A doctor who comes once a month and a pharmacist who’s always on call. It’s a beautiful environment and peaceful you will feel like you never left home. We go on joy rides to the beach, to the stores or even to the shopping mall. We go once a month out to dinner residents' choice. Housekeeping and laundry are all done in-house. Anything you need we are here to serve you.

"I went to Bradenton - Westminster Manor. It was very, very homey. The staff was extremely friendly, and they were very, very helpful in answering questions. I visited a one-bedroom apartment. We saw the library. We just toured the first floor, some of the rooms on the second floor, and the dining room. It was very, very clean. I would recommend it to anyone. They told us about different trips, and restaurant visits that they provide. They have a beautiful pool outside."