The Best Independent Living Communities in Worcester County, MA

"I visited several assisted living facilities and was most impressed by Farm Pond's consistent attention to detail and their responsiveness to my numerous questions that the staff entertained even before I settled my father in here. The center had different levels of care based on patient needs. It was always clean and never smelled of urine. And when I visited unannounced, could not catch the staff mistreating or ignoring any patients. For my fathers condition, the day was well-structured to include nutritious meals, stretching, mild to moderate exercise, crafts that included motor skills as well as sequencing activities, games, music, and daily bus trips. They allowed small pets and welcomed visitors at any time day or night. The bedrooms were spacious and the layout for the Alzheimer patients was mirrored so that they never felt they "went the wrong way." They also communicated frequently with me on my Dad's day to day outlook and condition. My overall impression of this facility was positive and I would recommend it highly. "

"I have gone to the Residence at Valley Farm, and it was very nice. It is a little more expensive from my point of view. The food was good. It seemed like everybody was doing very well. Once, I saw a show where they had a group over there. Right now I am totally independent and I don’t have a cane or a walker, but it seemed to me that they had more of these kinds of people around there. I’ve been on a tour; it was very nice, and the person doing it was very nice. And then, I was there for dinner once, and that was very good. They have some kind of hospitality time where they have drinks, and when I was there, they were lined up getting themselves over there quickly because they get really excited about this one. They do this like at 3 o’ clock in the afternoon. "

"They have assisted living and a new memory impairment unit. I toured it recently and know some of the staff there. It's fairly isolated--well outside of Boston in what's called Metro West--and it can be tough to get there without a car. The facility is very attractive. It was built out of an old mansion in a woodsy, picturesque area. Most of the rooms are private, but they do have a few large shared rooms. The direct care staff is very high quality--very New England. The dementia unit was just opened a few months ago, and they brought in a skilled program director to run it. The food is similarly excellent, and they cater to individual tastes. Activities are also good--varied and designed to cater to the educated resident population. "

"Since moving into Cedarbrook Village, my mom is doing so much better than when she was living alone. The caring, attentive staff and warm community have made all the difference. She's thriving with the social interaction and enjoys the many wonderful activities offered. The place is beautiful and very well maintained. It truly feels like she has a new lease on life, and we couldn’t be more grateful."

"We toured The Residence at Natick South. It has a very beautiful, elegant, and very formal setting. It required furnishing for even a short-term rehab stay. They did not provide a television. They had a white linen dinner every night, a well-appointed exercise room, and very friendly staff."

"I went to see Anthology of Millis. The atmosphere there was not as good as it could be. I know it was a nice place. It was a new place. The layout was OK. Some of the rooms may have been a bit smaller than the others. I'm not positive about that, but what bothered me most about it was the atmosphere there. The staff was nice. The gal who gave us the tour was nice, but it was just the place that had a different vibe."

"The staff at The Commons in Lincoln was very pleasant and friendly. Their activities were a lot more challenging and diverse than other facilities, and they had a lot of things that I would be interested in. The community was fully developed, but there were some areas where you can walk."

"Currently I believe Magnolia Heights is a wonderful blend between independent living and assisted living. It is more affordable than most places without comprising in anyway. The atmosphere is welcoming and comforting. The rooms are all of different size and priced accordingly. The building is fairly new, kept very clean and well maintained. Mom has been there for three years and we have visited her there often. There has been a turnover in management. Some terrific and a few not great. Currently the managers, and assistant managers, who live onsite are fantastic, energenic, caring people who appear to be very well suited for their positions. ALWAYS helpful, sincere and compassionate toward all residents. I wish all seniors could have such a great place to retire to. There are many activities available. The meals provided are of great quality and variety, served in a very lovely grand dining area that encourages socialization. If you speak with the residents there you will not likely hear complaints. We have had many wonderful family gatherings there, including Mom's 90th birthday party. I'm grateful we found this place for her to live. "

"Maplewood at Weston was in the process of completely redoing the interior. They had both one and two-bedroom apartments. The two-bedroom was in a small size, but it was livable. They had a wonderful calendar of events. They had a very sort of intellectual approach to their calendar. I wasn’t just like playing bingo. They had really good speakers and musicians. The staff was very good in answering questions. When I left there, they gave me a lemon and poppy seed cake. I liked it there. "

"I was impressed with the quality of the facility at the Residences. The guy who worked with the lighting made it very cheerful, and they were in the process of increasing the size of the facility by 30 percent. The apartment was about 500 to 600 sq. ft. The staff was very satisfactory. There were a lot of activities and a garden to maintain while getting ready for summer. They had a restaurant in the facility, and the food was better than most restaurants. "

Imagine having more time to do the things that make you happy: catching up on the best-seller list, getting out to the theater with friends, learning a new language or just relaxing with the people you enjoy. Imagine life without the worries and stresses of maintaining a home. Imagine you being you again. This will be the life that awaits you at LCB Senior Livings The Residence at Bedford, our newest Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care community, located in the heart of Bedford, Massachusetts! LCB brings more than 25 years of excellence to this stunning location, along with our strong reputation for quality, along with a breadth of amenities, expert care, and a premium on service and hospitality. We are currently under construction, and scheduled to open in early 2024?reserve your perfect new home today!To learn more about this providers license and review other available state reports, please visit: Massachusetts Division of Health Care Facility Licensure and Certification

"We toured Kennedy Meadows Gracious Retirement Living. It was very nice. They have a library, a theater, and a dining room. It's a very nice place, and the people I talked to and the people managing it were very nice. It was very neat, well taken care of, and managed well. Managers are doing a good job. The staff were very comfortable, welcoming, and very good. The food was good, and if we wanted anything special, they would try to come up with it. So they were accommodating."

"I have gone to Briarwood Continuing Care Retirement Community. I haven't officially moved in yet, but I have a commitment. One of the things that I was totally impressed with is that it's a nonprofit organization. Secondly, they have residents on the board of directors. All board of directors are all volunteers; there's no financial compensation for any of their services. I've been to a couple of their luncheons. All the people that I've met were all extremely friendly and very happy with their choice. I am moving in independently into a two-bedroom cottage with a garage. I had four meals there. Two in their dining room and two in their cafe. The food that I had at the luncheons varied. There was a couple of three choices. The first meal I had was haddock meals, which was delicious. The second meal I had was a fish kabab that was done very well with all the sides. In their cafe, I had soups and their salads. Presentation was excellent, as well as the quality. They have a very state of the art gym. They have a dynamite personal trainer. They have a very large pool. They have a lot of activities. They also bring in independent activities for cultural events. They have a very nice pavilion and have cookouts, holiday celebrations, and so on. The staff was definitely a five-star staff. In the dining room, they're all young people waiting on people. They're all smiling, very accommodating, and outstanding. The quality of food was as good as I'd cooked myself. The place was extremely clean and impeccable. It has five acres of wooded property. The cottages are settled in, so it's like a little neighborhood. You have trees in the yard. You have grass all around, and you have flowers. To me, it's a transfer from home to home."

"I visited Colony Retirement. It has a very good reputation. The place is very peaceful, clean, and very homey. There is no high rise. There are nice trees there and it's landscaped but not like a hotel. The units are spread out. The people are friendly. People come here and they stay long-term. "