The Best Independent Living Communities in Marion County, FL

"My husband and I brought my 95 year old mother from Ohio to Florida. She wanted to continue to live in independent living. This is such a great place. Lauren was so nice and helpful in showing us around and explaining what they had to offer that my mother, myself and my husband agreed on the spot. Steeplechase was where she would move because she felt safe and loved the surroundings. Over the last year, my mother has made wonderful friends, attended different events at Steeplechase and traveled to different venues, including the Hard Rock. The dining experience that they offer…breakfast, lunch and dinner is top notch. We also loved Winnie, who cleans my mother’s apartment once a week. My husband and I love this place so much that we will consider moving here when we get ready. "

"They make it a point of getting to know you and your loved one and their needs. Although our dad was in for a very brief period we knew we had chosen the right place. We were able to sample the food and explore the entire facility. Food was good and the staff were never without a friendly greeting. Thank you to everyone for caring for our dad. Much appreciation."

"We were given a handful of places to tour, and Freedom Pointe at The Villages was the first one we looked at. Every other one we looked at after that didn't even compare, and every place we went just made it look better. The cleanliness, the friendliness of the staff, the facility, and just everything. My parents moved to their assisted living facility. It's my first experience with assisted living, and the odd part for me, my parents are absolutely fine with it, is that while it's technically a 1-bedroom but the bedroom wall is not completely closed off. That's a little different for me, but my parents don't have a problem with it. They seem to like it and maybe that's how others are, too. The staff comes by often to get their trash taken out daily and do their laundry. They're also very attentive, all the different staff. I have tried their food and my parents love it. They really went above and beyond, and all the staff seemed happy to be there."

"Pebble Springs is brand new. It's been open just a little over a year. I love my apartment and I love that I've met so many friends. The people are very active here. The staff is excellent. It wasn't at the beginning, but they changed managers and the new managers are really on top of everything. They're doing an excellent job. They have so many things. It has a gym with all the equipment, a library that's full, and a large outdoor swimming pool. The activities are great. I chose it because of the beauty of the building. There are ten-foot ceilings on the first floor. I have a dog and they built a dog park for us. There are just so many pluses."

"I like American House Wildwood. I like that it is close to me. I felt good about the facility and the director, the person that I toured with. She showed me a studio, and then she showed me the model for a one-bedroom, which was nice. It had a big kitchenette that had a stove and all that stuff in there. They have appliances, which I like, because then if I want to come over and cook for my mom, I can. Other places only have little kitchenettes with no stove or anything. The staff member gave me a little bag that had all this information in it. She also gave me the dessert, and it was so good. The other thing I liked about them is that they had a full-service restaurant there. The building was good. I could tell everybody was happy because all the little old people were walking up to me and talking to me and talking to the person that I was touring with. There was also a lady that I thought could be really good friends with my mother."

"I thought Sumter Senior Living was very nice. The only thing I can say is that I thought the food was not great. They kept their residents entertained, and they had a lot for them to do. The layout was good. There was not an outdoor smoking area, but they did allow pets, which was very nice. The staff was very, very nice, too. However, I felt like the dining situation was a little confusing. It was kind of disorganized."

"My parents are here. The staff is very attentive. All of their departments are very complete. They have doctors, professional nurses, and attendants. The building and grounds are spectacular. It has a swimming pool, putting green, three restaurant types, a 250-seat theater, Symphony Orchestra that practices there Friday evenings occasionally, many different venues, libraries, game rooms, and a large gymnasium. They have a full-time chef for three meals a day. The rooms that we acquired were large, spacious, and included a full kitchen. It's an assisted living facility. They're escorted to meals by a wheelchair. I've had three encounters there with food and it was all very nice. They have numerous activities."

"I will move into Lake Port Square. I like that all the units have a little patio that's glassed in and are like separate rooms. This unit is gorgeous. It has a quartz countertop, lots of cabinet space, and a lot of storage space in all its units. I ate lunch there, and the food was very good. I like Cindy, the salesperson. She's a very nice person and accommodating, and the fact that they send a person out here with the floor plan of your unit to decide what to take will help tremendously in the move. You can bring two pets under 20 pounds. The full-time nurse is there Monday through Friday from eight to four. I met some of the staff, and everybody seemed friendly. The rooms are very large, and that is what I like most about them."

"Joe decided he wanted to go to Magnolia Walk. He's very independent and can take care of himself. He has a friend from Calton Arms who is also moving to Magnolia Walk. The only thing I worry about is Joe can't cook. He eats frozen dinners. My husband and I will keep in touch with Joe to make sure he's doing well. Also, Magnolia Walk is a senior citizen community. My husband said it's a very nice place. "

"The rehabilitation Dept. is A+++ The Trainers are top notch, they are caring, patient, and work with you at any level you need. They took me from a wheelchair and unable to do anything for myself, to a normal life. I can now cook a meal, walk from one end of my home to the other. I cannot thank them enough. Super job to the gang!!! Love you all."

"I love On Top Of The World Communities. I've been here for 14 years and I love it. I have no problems. Our amenity fees have gone up, but when I looked at everything else, everything has gone up. So, you just have to make adjustments to things. This is the best place for me to be. We have an abundance of amenities. It's fabulous. They have several pools, golf, and all kinds of activities. Everything you can imagine, we have it here. We have all kinds of clubs and the neighborhood is just absolutely beautiful. Having a villa, my amenities include lawn maintenance. They paint my villa every 7 years and a new roof every 15 years. Of course, I pay for the new roof because they don't include that, but they install it. They take care of all of that. Everybody here loves all the entertainment that we have and all of the possibilities that we have. Sometimes there are some fees for different things, but most of it is included in the amenities."

"I'm in Pine Run Estates in Ocala. I needed somewhere to live, and it came up so I moved in April. It's very quiet and nice with no one to worry you and no dogs calling when people walk by. It's independent living, and the staff here is great. I cook my own food. They have a lot of activities here like swimming and tennis. They have a gym and salon. It's close to everything and stores."

"Our overall experience with TimberRidge Center for Rehabilitation & Healing has been a good one. Mom hasn't had any problems or anything like that. She seems to be adapting well there. She's made some friends and I think it is a great place. Everybody seems to be caring and watching over my mom. It's very clean. The staff is very attentive. They help her with her activities and stuff like that. So, overall, her care has been great. My mom's room is as good as a semi-private room. She's got enough room to maneuver around and everything. She's got plenty of closet space and plenty of drawers. I've hung up pictures and decorations for her in her area to make it more home-like for her, and they allowed you to do that. In my experience with her being there, she's been very well taken care of. She doesn't have any problem with the food. She seems to love everything that she gets. She doesn't eat a lot, but she has been eating."

"Del Webb Spruce Creek is an active 55+ community. It's very well-maintained, they have lots of activities, people are very friendly, and I love it. I'm very happy here. It's all independent living so we have to take care of our own houses and our own yards. The staff here really care about the residents. They have different kinds of clubs based on whatever your interests are, like a golf club, cooking club, and veterans club. They have activities like bocce ball and baseball. I like it because it's close to The Villages and Ocala. We're right in the middle. So, if I like the city, I can go to Ocala, and I can also take advantage of The Villages if I don't like the crowd."