The Best Independent Living Communities in Duval County, FL

"We went to Camellia at Deerwood for my ward. We liked everything about it, the staff, the availability of activities, and the socialization. The staff was very professional and engaging. They talked to the ward to see what her likes and dislikes were. They have a dining room where they come and take your order. They have waiters and you get to order from a menu, three meals a day. The rooms are nice and everything is airy. Everything is nicely carpeted, cleaned, and painted. My ward, who I took, has been adamant about not moving at all. And before we left, she said, "I like this place.""

"HarborChase of Mandarin was clean, light, airy, and spacious. They had lots of activities and amenities. The salesperson was very patient, very understanding, and answered a lot of our questions. The apartments were clean, also airy, and had lots of natural light. The kitchens were a little large. They do Bible studies, they had a book club, a men's club, a gym and workout area, a movie theater, a lounge bar, a billiard room, outdoor activities, an outdoor kitchen, two outdoor seating areas, and gardens."

"I looked at Cypress Village. That was nice. I like it but it costs a fortune to get in there. The grounds are beautiful, the apartments are nice, the services are good but too expensive. The person who accommodated me during the tour, she's very good."

"Palagio Senior Living is a brand-new building. Everything is in order. It's perfect, and it looks like it's going to be a great success. It's beautiful. The staff members were very cooperative. They answer all your questions and they have the right answers to every question. They have it all together. They have everything there. The only complaint I have is that they don't have enough handicapped parking, but the lady said that is not under their control. It is designated by the highway department. They had about 6 or 8 handicapped parking spots and they were all full. Other than the few handicapped parking spots, they have a very nice facility, and everything is just beautiful."

"Windsor Pointe of Jacksonville has a lot of events. They include people who have come in to look at the facilities and they still reach out to them, and I've been to several of their functions. It's just a beautiful place. They have everything. They have an actual movie theater. The food that the chef serves is delicious. It's top-notch. You wouldn't even have to leave its facility to go anywhere. Then they have a lot of outside excursions to museums, orchestras, and just everything you could want. For Thanksgiving, they have a "Come in and Meet the team". They do a tour and you pick up a pie that this chef made. I have their key lime pie. It was delicious. I've never had that before. I didn't think I liked that but I almost ate the whole thing. The staff is very engaging and even the people that live there, always come out and tell you how great it is."

"It has a wonderful atmosphere, a lot of activities, very caring staff, and my mom got excellent care there. She was there on respite care in their assisted living for about 45 days. The facility is beautiful and in a convenient location. The staff was excellent, everybody's very helpful, and we had no problems with them. The food was also good. They had music every week and they had a lot of games that they played. My mom didn't participate, but they had them available."

"My mom moved into Anthem Lakes. I like the service. The staff is very friendly. There's a nurse there 24 hours a day. It's just a great facility. I'm very pleased with it. The food is excellent. They have a well-balanced, three-course meal served there. They have activities going all day, every day. They have bingo, crafts, trivia, football game parties, a little happy hour on Fridays, and social events. They have events where they bus the residents twice a week off campus to the store or to physician appointments."

"Seagrass Village of Fleming Island is a very nice place. I chose that one because in the little area my father can go in and out by himself when he is able. The other place that I looked at, they had to take him out to the little area. I know he likes to be outside a lot, and it was a nice place to sit outside. They all seem very helpful there. The apartments are clean, neat, and not too big. He has his own bathroom and a nice closet area. They allowed us to bring him a mini fridge, as long as we were the ones responsible for it and taking care of it. It doesn't have a living room and all that. It's just basically a bedroom with a bathroom in it. They seem to have a lot of activities. It's nice and clean and decorated. He's in the hospital for three weeks out of the month, but still he has to pay the full amount, and I know part of what he pays is for assisted living."

"The Atwater at Nocatee did not know that we were coming for a tour, and they're kind of expensive. The place was nice. The staff was accommodating. She said there were four other locations near them. They were friendly. They even gave us that information."

"Canterfield of Clay County was very nice. The staff that we talked with was great. However, I was a little bit disappointed in the room that they showed us, and it might have been because that would be all that my mother could afford at this time without getting additional help. To me, it was set up more like a motel room. It was unfurnished. They didn't have any beds in there or anything. It was just one room with a little kitchenette, a little sink, a microwave, and a mini refrigerator. The bathroom was very well equipped for assisted living if somebody needed help like they have an emergency pull button there, and so I thought the bathroom was very nicely done. The experience was great. They have gone into detail on what they provide. The facilities are great. They have a library on each floor and you're welcome to go to the library any time. They have a movie day, they have a hairdresser that comes in and does their hair, and they have nice amenities and things like that. The people were friendly. She showed us menus. If they didn't want to come down to eat in their dining room, they could order something, and it would be delivered to them up there. They have places where you can do puzzles or read a book. It seems like they enjoy it."

"The Towers of Jacksonville was wonderful. I like that they have transportation. The grounds were kept up. I saw a little studio apartment and a one-bedroom apartment. It overlooked the river and had its own kitchen. It had washer and dryer units in the building. Everybody seemed happy. That's where I wanted to live, but I just couldn't stay there because, at the time, I made too much money. The intake person seemed very nice. They have a computer room, and different activities, like bingo and things like that."

" I have been a resident here for 7 years, 221 apts, also part time desk worker as we are a gated community, with many care givers in and out daily, nurses, Dr's, a mobile Vet also, many visitors, we have an excellent staff, very caring people, in my opinion the best way for seniors to live in Fl. very inexpensive, on busline, we also have our own private bus for trips, gated parking lots, thank you Rink Tillett "

"Riverside Presbyterian Apartments was just very nice and warm. People called you back and returned phone calls. It seemed very joyful. Everybody took care of each other. There are a lot of things going on."

Upside is a new category of senior living. We provide flexible services at hundreds of aging-friendly, luxury rental apartment properties. Whether you are looking for day-to-day convenience, an added layer of support, or want to access a range of activities and events, Upside has you covered. Build a lifestyle on your terms, with people of all ages. Move to Jacksonville! Jacksonville is the ideal Florida destination to explore the outdoors, enjoy active eco-adventures and be surrounded by nature!