Independent Living Communities in Portland, ME

"When we visited The Park Danforth, we toured the apartments. Their staff was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Their dining facilities and both the studios and the one-bedroom were nicely sized. The amount of care they get there is fantastic. They have a little button to check in every morning, and the facilities were really clean. You could tell that things were just well taken care of there. It was fantastic. Everyone there was just really responsive and very friendly. Everything was just so clean. No matter where we walked, the people said hello even though they didn't know who we were. It was just great, it was nice. We also toured the kitchen, the dining room, the menu, and everything else. We walked through while they were just finishing preparing lunch, and they smelled delicious. I would have sat down and eaten. There was no food tasting, but it looked really good. We do have friends who are there, and they said their parents love it there. It was extremely clean, and very well kept. The elevator was nice and clean, and the doors were washed in it. They have a little workout facility for the residents. They have a little movie theater where they show movies several times a night. They have a little cafe. So, if you didn't want the kitchen food, you could go down to the cafe and order different things. They provide transportation to doctor's appointments and to supermarkets and things like that. There wasn't too much that they didn't provide, which was nice."

"I thought The Atrium at The Cedars was very well managed and I liked the business model, which is you put a very large amount of money down, and then the monthly cost is a little bit less, but we were looking for independent living. I liked it but my mom's just not ready to make a move and it is hard to come up with a big chunk of money. I liked the dining room, the indoor pool, the staff, and the apartments. We were just looking at a one-bedroom, so it's just one bathroom, one bedroom, living room, and a kitchen, and they said they would paint it any color you want. They make a lot of changes before anyone moved in to personalize it and I thought that was nice. We were given some free sandwiches and they were good, and the menu just looked good. The activities seemed great. There was a water coloring activity taking place, they do a lot of Bridge, and they have current events where people can meet and talk. I liked it. I want to live there myself."

"I moved to Betsy Ross House. I'm very happy. It was the right place for me to move to. Everyone here is very friendly. The facility itself is very clean and well-kept, and there are so many activities. I don't know which to do first. The only drawback is the apartments are small. I moved in from a two-bedroom apartment with a lot of room. When you come into the apartment, which I'm using as my computer room and office and all of that, you can't hang anything on that wall. They have a movie night. The people go down and watch the movies. They also have bingo games, poker games, and cornhole, so there are a lot of things that you can do. Everybody has a good time doing it and participating. I did not take the meal plan because I have a full kitchen. I wish I had a dishwasher which I need. I have a stove and an oven and I put in a microwave. It's livable. It's nice. They're currently constructing an addition to the Betsy Ross House. I don't know how many units are going to be in that, but it's a fairly good size. The staff was very responsive, in the winter, I gave them a duplicate set of my car keys because if we have a big snowstorm, they do go and plow the parking lot, and also clean off all the cars, so that's a big benefit. The manager is good. She listens to you. She's very good."

"The Cape Elizabeth Home is smaller. There are only six or seven people there, so it' more personalized. The building is in very good condition. They have an excellent chef that does meal preparation during the day and they have additional staff that does the evening meals. They have very qualified and very friendly staff. The atmosphere there is great. My mom is in a 2-room suite and she seemed happier when she moved there. I would recommend this facility to others. "

"Ocean View at Falmouth is private pay so it wouldn't even be a consideration for us. They have very pleasant and knowledgeable staff, I was able to talk to the director of nursing, and caring was the impression that I got. It was a very pleasant and beautiful facility, new, and modern. So it was all very good. They also have variety in rooms. There weren't many activities that I've observed at the time. It's a very nice and very modern facility."

"Avita of Stroudwater was a very nice facility but had a high cost based on Maine rates. The person who gave me the tour was wonderful and showed me everything, which was all good. It was a very modern and nicely updated facility. "

"Piper Shores was beautiful and very big with the ocean view. It has 1300 residents, and that didn’t bother us at all; in fact, we liked that. It had beautiful and bright rooms. "

"My mother preferred the Inn at Atlantic's independent housing, where you could have a house, but you're going to buy it. In addition, it has assisted living, and if you need rehabilitation, it was connected to the facility, so you just move in there. It also had a nursing home facility. You avoid having to go through multiple changes as you progress to the other care, and that was the other big plus. They were doing a wine and cheese social, had a musician come in three days a week, and had a salt water pool where they do aquacise. They looked forward to what was happening. "

"Thornton Oaks is an assisted living facility in Brunswick, Maine. My grandma has lived there for two years now and seems to really enjoy her time there. The office staff is nice and recognizes me when I go to visit with my family. The nurses are great and activities director is nice as well. The dining room is close to 5 star dining with steak, chicken, and seafood dishes being served regularly. They have lunch and breakfast there on Sundays as well. The dining room staff can make deliveries as well. My grandmas apartment in nice on the inside. It's roomy but accommodating for one person. She is on the first floor but they have elevators so if she was on a second floor and couldn't go up the stairs, it wouldn't be a problem. During the holidays they decorate the place and have certain events throughout the year come to Thornton Oaks. My grandma frequently talks about performers she's seen or people she has met. They have games and movies regularly too. My grandma also gets service around town by way of a bus to the grocery stores and theater performances. The facility seems to be very clean and the landscaping is taken care of. I enjoy going and meeting her friends she's made there as well. The other residents are all very nice people. "

"Coastal Landing is great. My father loves it. They have cribbage, art classes, and exercise classes. The staff has been excellent. They offer two meals a day, and cable is included. They have a barber shop and a movie theater. They can give you resources if your loved one needs any help with their medication, and they can deliver meals."

"The rooms here at Sunnybrook Village are really nice. The staff is nice. It is clean and doesn't seem like a hospital. The residents have more privacy. The care is a little bit on a higher scale. I didn't see an activity program, but I did observe that the residents are more independent. They are doing their own thing. A lot of them have their own vehicles. I think the residents here truly have more dignity. "

"Although this facility is in need of some updating (decorating wise); it is the best facility I have ever seen as far as care goes. The elderly are treated with the utmost respect and dignity. The nursing staff are always completely professional and the care is unsurpassed. The woodsy/pond setting is right out of a Ralph Waldo Emerson poem. I would be pround to have any one of my family members as a residet here. I would stay here myself! "