Independent Living Communities in Excelsior, MN

"We chose Covenant Living of Golden Valley. We liked how happy everyone was, the involvement of people in the community, and the interactions that people had with each other. The residents were just interactive, happy, and welcoming. It just depends which room you get. Some have laundry, some don't, and it depends on the size of the room. But one thing about them, there's a buy-in option, but you can redecorate your room how you want it before you move in."

"Havenwood of Maple Grove had more variety of rooms with about a $300 to $400 reduction in price than the other place. It's the best thing for the price so far. The staff provided me with the information I needed, and followed up a week later to ensure I had everything I needed. The dining area looked fine. It's in a nice area of town. It's not really close to commercial stuff. They got the food plan and exercise, and they got all the services I need."

"The rooms are older and small. The care is moderately good. The biggest complaint is that we purchased new comfortable clothing for him and within a week all but one item we purchased “disappeared” never to be seen again. They also “lost” a sweatshirt that was very dear to him. It is obvious that they randomly distribute clothing to other patients as we often arrived and he was wearing items that were not his own. I would be very wary of this place."

"I liked Havenwood of Richfield really well. I just didn't like it being on the other side of the river from me. The rooms were quite spacious, but the kitchens were probably a third of what the apartment was. For a one-bedroom apartment, it is kind of ridiculous to have the kitchen be so huge when they're providing two meals a day. I just felt that they could have had more living space. The living room/dining area was tiny. There was no living space. It's all kitchen. Everything was clean, neat, and well-organized. The staff was very friendly. Their social activities director's dad lived there. I think that's a pretty awesome statement that the staff would want or have their family members living there."

"Havenwood of Burnsville was great. They showed me everything and I was impressed with the place. It's just there wasn't a lot of closet space and there was no dining room in the unit. You'd have to eat in the kitchen. I met Drew and he was great. He showed us everything, was very nice, very helpful, and very personable. He showed me a sheet that had all the activities that they did during the whole month. They have shows going on, a cocktail hour, and a room that you can use if you have a family event. I liked the picnic area, too. That looked nice."

"I really liked Wellstead, I was really impressed, and even going into the wing where they had severe cases of dementia and Alzheimer’s, people seemed happy. They all seemed active. The staff was really friendly, and I was amazed how they interacted with all the people that lived there. I know there’s a small library and a place for root beer, ice cream, and soda. They were cooking and playing cards. "

"I toured the Ecumen Seasons at Apple Valley yesterday. It was a very beautiful campus, with nice finishings. Some of the units had very small apartment-sized refrigerators and two-burner hot tops, and I didn't care for those units. They do have nicer units. I did very much like for my father to stay in independent living, but take ala carte services like laundry or meals. Their availability for those kinds of things was greater than the other place, and they're more reasonably priced. The woman I toured with was very nice, but not quite as knowledgeable, and I didn't feel like she offered as much information. The woman at the front desk was pretty curt and almost rude. I was pretty disappointed. They had a full range of services, a salon, a gift shop, and a gym. They had a lot of activities."

"Havenwood of Buffalo was a nice place. It's positioned where one could see the lake in some of the apartments. The facility was beautiful. The visual inside was all new. The staff was excellent and they had all kinds of activities. The location was probably the biggest thing. It's in the city, so it's convenient to the grocery stores and everything."

"Ecumen Seasons at Maplewood is very nice. They have everything my parents wanted, but they just didn't go. The facility was very nice. The staff explained everything and showed us around. We saw one room. It was very nice, but it was too small for them; that's why we didn't continue on. The dining room was very nice. They offered different packages, which was very nice as well. "

"My grandmother moved into Shorewood Landing, and I've had no complaints. Her room is spacious, clean, and bright, and the food is very good. The staff is very friendly, and they have a memory care program, even though she's in assisted living."

"I am a resident of Powers Ridge. It's a really beautiful place. My apartment is nice because it's facing a park, a baseball field, and a playground. It's a nice view. I get the sun all day long. The people there are very friendly. We play cards and we play cribbage, and that's very nice to be able to do that. It's a two bedroom, two bath. The bedroom is handicap accessible, and both bathrooms and the living room are big. The kitchen is big and it's got a lot of storage space. The staff, she's there most of the time. There's a lot of times when she's not there, but she's very friendly to deal with, and she's got a lot of parties for us, in the summer and in the winter, and Christmas, so she's very generous. We have a full kitchen downstairs in the community room and a TV. We have a garden outside and we have brand new grills outside, and we have a fire pit outside. It's lovely. They don't do anything on the weekends. The weekends are boring and that's because everybody has to do with their families or a lot of people are, so we don't play any kind of games or anything."

"SummerWood of Chanhassen is a wonderful place. I would certainly recommend it. It's beautiful, it's clean, and it's comfortable. All the people are just very, very nice. I love it here. They're friendly, and it's just a lovely place. The staff is very nice and responsive, so I'm happy with them. I make my own food except for breakfast. It's a continental breakfast, and it's very nice. They have bingo, they have a chapel, they have exercise classes, they've got a card room, a puzzle room, and a library. It's very, very well equipped. I think it's a good deal for me."

"I looked at Presbyterian Homes at Lake Minnetonka Shores. It's a large campus, but it covers all types of care. They're excellent in all that they do, and the staff was great. They had a lot of activities. They have memory care, assisted living, and senior living."

"The grounds are beautiful with walking paths. Garden for residents to plant their own space too. Staff is very accommodating and provides meaningful activities. Fitness equipment in both buildings. We like the other friendly residents too. "