Independent Living Communities in Lawrence, KS

"Presbyterian Manor was probably a typical nursing home, but I did not give it the highest rating for several reasons. I have not had much experience with nursing homes, but I noticed that a good portion of the residents seemed very sad, depressed, confused, or angry. There did not seem to be very much effort in getting the residents active or to participate in activities. It did not look like there was a good area for residents to go outside if they wished/were able. The staff was friendly, however, and the place was kept clean. "

"Drury Place is the facility our family chose for my Dad when he became unable to live alone. We met with the director, Sandy, and the package she presented during our initial visit has been exactly what has been provided. My Dad has his own apartment and is able to cook if he wants to, but he also chooses to eat three meals per day with the community. His utilities are included in his apartment rate making the cost reasonable for those on a budget. In addition, the community cleans apartments once per week and launder towels/sheets. They will launder residents personal laundry for an additional cost. There is transportation provided to shopping and doctors appointments. Local pharmacies provide medication boxes for residents. They also plan a variety of activities, movies, tours, etc. to keep residents active. They play cards and bingo regularly. My Dad has a good time and has never had any complaints. I gave the community four stars only because the facilities are dated. With a few updates, this would definitely be a five star community. "

"We're living at Brandon Woods at Alvamar. What I like best about this facility is that our apartment has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The staff has been very cooperative and very good. We like them. They have different choices for the rooms. They have from 1-bedroom to 2-bedroom apartments with two bathrooms available. They have more choices than a lot of places have. It's a 3-story building. The food is acceptable. You have the choice of eating in the dining room or if you have difficulty getting around, they bring the food to your apartment. They have a lot of activities. They have an activity department and they have a lot more activities than we want to get involved with."

"Wyndham Place was a newer facility. It was very clean and the apartments were very nice. The staff was nice. She gave us a lot of information. She made a point to show us their main activity room and I think they did a lot of things there. They also got a good outdoor walking path and also, extra storage facilities. We saw a group of ladies during our visit and they were just laughing and telling stories. They were very friendly. My mom liked it because they seemed like really nice people. "

"I chose to live at Pebblebrooke Villas. It was livable and very affordable for me. I had my own kitchen, garage and the equivalent of two bedrooms. I did not have any worries like they kept the snow off everything. They had a very nice clubhouse and a lot of activities. The people seemed to be pretty nice all around. "

"This is a lovely facility with truly wonderful people and a wonderful atmosphere. It is, by far, the most friendly, warm, and welcoming facility among the nearly thirty I have visited. I was met at the door by one of the owners, who personally took me through several resident activities in progress to meet with the director of marketing. He spent a great deal of time with me, showing me several different floorplans in both the Assisted Living, the Independent Living, and even the Skilled Nursing sections of the property. My guide was extremely warm and genuine, and really seemed to love his job and the residents. As I mentioned, there were several resident activities going on when I arrived. Nearly a dozen residents had gathered in the common room for "Fireside Chats" led by a volunteer from town. Several others were playing a Wii game in another area, and still more were playing cards. I saw a small army of staff members, each of whom had a big, genuine grin and several were leading residents by the hand or playing games with them. I was truly impressed by the atmosphere in this facility, which is probably a result of their focus on resident-centred care. In addition to the great atmosphere, The facility was very open, bright, and clean. Its current decor is a bit dated, but my guide showed me a section that had been remodelled, and even the one in which workers were tearing up the floor and replacing fixtures during my visit. Furthermore, the setting and location and idyllic. The facility is located in a smaller town in rural Kansas, but the town has a vibrant feel, and is extremely well-maintained and manicured throughout. The facility itself is surrounded on a couple of sides by agricultural land (soybean fields, I think). It has a very large lawn which surrounds a small pond and has a path with shade trees and a few benches. In addition to the front green space, there are several smaller flower gardens tucked away throughout the property. Overall, this is a beautiful facility, well-run, and my favourite so far. "

"I have been in Cedar Lake Village on numerous occasions and it is a very well maintained facility with great food and a staff that cares a great deal for the residents. The four people that I have known there are very pleased with the care. I have also heard a number of similar comments for others who have had loved ones there."

"I have selected McCrite Plaza. It is very good. The residents are very friendly. The amenities are more than adequate. The staff is very cooperative. The food is adequate. There are shopping trips, we play bingo, exercise, and go on trips out to eat sometimes. The chapel is on the premises. There is enough to keep a person busy."

"This is a very well run community. We took a tour with Jennifer and she was amazing. Spoke on the phone with Emily and she made us feel welcome even over the phone. We toured all the amenities and they are first class. Everything was very clean, the complex was very inviting, and it had a very pleasant smell. We crossed paths with several residents and everyone we encountered was extremely friendly. We were very impressed with Jennifer, she knew every residents name and she just has a gentle caring spirit. We immediately filled out paperwork and got on the waitlist. We know this is the place we want to spend our later years and we are hopeful that we get a call ASAP. We are ready to move in now. We Love this place, we will be calling this “Home” We would have rated a 10 but it only goes to 5."

"We visited Providence Homes Plus, and I liked it. The problem with this particular home was the doors were not wide enough for my mom's wheelchair. They were in the process of extending and adding two more rooms, and they are going to make the doors wider. I like the fact that it was a smaller setting and the ratio of staff to residents there. They only deal with memory care. They don't really have a separation, so it's all together because it's an actual home transformed for caregiving. You bring your own furniture in, and that's the same with the other places I toured. There was a closet in the room that was available. They had one bathroom to share among the three or four rooms that they have. There are probably eight people in there. Since they are adding two rooms, they are also adding a bathroom in that section. I didn't get to eat, but they were cooking when I was there. It smelled great. They had some activities that they do. They had a couple of different sitting areas, a dining room, and a kitchen. They had a backyard, and it was set up for them to go out to sit when the weather is nice. The person who gave me the tour was really good, very understanding, and was trying to understand what the situation was."

"Aberdeen Village is extremely nice and clean. The staff is excellent and very good. When my father-in-law was there, and the food was excellent. Everything about the place was top-notch. They have library spaces and meeting areas. The rooms are very nice. My father-in-law was in a single room, which was well-kept. It's a newer facility so it's in very good shape."

Located on the Kanza Campus, our Connect55+ Topeka community anchors this park-like setting. Residents at Connect55+ Topeka enjoy the beautiful greenery and views of the magnificent Kansas State Capitol building dome from their apartments. Maintenance-free living gives you more time to explore all of the high-quality amenities, fun activities, and engaging social events that Connect55+ has to offer!

"I like The Gardens at Creekside. I like the monthly rate, I like that they have a lot of things going on that people could do together, and I love the building. I love the whole area. It was just a little farther out than what I really wanted to go. If I was going to have a second choice, that would be my second choice. The staff who gave the tour was very friendly and very open."

"I visited Arbor Court. It was not a medical facility, and my husband had dementia, so when he got worse, we would have to move to some other place. They did not serve breakfast. It was a nice, open facility with a library and three stories with a common area on each with plush chairs and tables. You could sit around and visit with other people. "