Independent Living Communities in White Bear Lake, 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."

"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."

"The Ecumen Parmly (Margaret S Parmly) is actually a very wonderful place, very clean, friendly, and nice. They do have assisted living, and we are trying to get my mother in there. She went in there Thursday last week, and the people working there were very friendly. It is very clean and very beautiful. It’s a large facility, but each section has its own wing. They have entertainers that come in, and they have TVs. The atmosphere was very good. The room is not that bad; they have like six people in there and each has plenty of room. She has her own bathroom, TV, a chair, and a table. She gets assistance getting to the wheelchair and then to the bathroom. They come very quickly when she pushes the button, and then the person that comes in would do wound care. They are very good, and they listen to her. "

"Augustana Chapel View was very nice and very clean. The meals were well prepared and seemed like they had a lot to offer. The staff was very nice. The gentleman that I met with was very nice, very receptive, and very willing to help. The rooms were all double rooms. Some people were sitting in the central area where they were having a news program and different readings. They had activities, an exercise room, occupational and physical therapy, and speech therapy. "

"My visit to Ridgepointe was excellent, but we couldn’t get a tour on the weekend. It was a beautiful place. There were people just sitting together, talking in the lobby, and enjoying themselves. They have a grand piano for people who come in and play. There’s a lot of walking to the cafeteria, and if you want to have food brought to your room, you need to pay extra. The location was excellent, and it had underground parking. The staff was so friendly and so excellent. The woman at the reception desk was very nice. I love the rooms: they have a full kitchen, large living room, and bedroom, but they didn’t have a full bathtub. "

"I toured Villas at Pleasant Avenue II. Just for my convenience and everything, I would have rearranged it just a little bit differently. The staff who assisted with the tour was fine. She was very informative. It all seemed clean, well put together, and taken care of. They had a library and a gym."

"We had my mom ready to go into Cornerstone Assisted Living, but we'd have to put her into memory care there. Having seen other memory cares, it's probably the best one but that's a drastic change, and it's not an environment I would want to put my mother in at this point. It's a very nice community, and the assisted living was beautiful. We toured the assisted area where they have a dining area, a solarium and activities. It was very nice. My mom would have to be sent down into the lower level, which they lock up unless family comes. It's a newer community, but the memory care rooms were pretty small, which my mother doesn't like. They also wouldn't allow pets, and that was a big deal for her too, and that was probably the last straw for her. From what I understand, it's normal for any memory care community."

"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."

"I moved to Bay Harbor of River Falls. It's wonderful. All the people that live there are very nice, and they have wonderful activities every day. I enjoy it very much. The food is excellent. Yesterday, we had music in the afternoon and bingo. The dining area, they're remodeling it right now, and it's very clean and very nice. I like my room very much. They send somebody in once a week for 15 minutes to do the floors, the sink, and the bathroom."

"This facility was open and inviting from the moment we walked through the front doors. We were impressed with the fact that employees new the residents names. The other thing that was nice were the a'la carte assistance program options. The food also is amazing. "

"I toured Elim Shores. I like the price of the unit. And it was located by a lake, so that was another plus for me. It also had the capability of having assisted living, and you would stay in your own unit, and not move, so it has services where you live. Also, they would take a program in Minnesota called elderly waiver. They have three meals a day. You have the option of buying a meal plan. You didn't have to buy all three meals. You could pay as you go or buy a reduced ticket group. I like the availability of meals and I like the availability of assisted living and elderly waivers. As life changes for me, I will probably need all of those. They have underground garage parking, which is ideal in Minnesota. There's a beauty shop, and of course, crafts and church services, so all of that was appealing. They have units that view the lake. If financially you could afford them, then you could live there. I had a taste of their barbecue, and it was okay. They have a dock, so those who would like to fish that would be available. They were planning to buy a pontoon, so there would be rides in the water. I think they have a bus and take people out in outings."

"My Mother was in Memory Care for 4 years before she passed. Alzheimer's can change a person and the staff were already ready to help, distract and ensure her comfort and safety. I genuinely felt that there were staff there that really cared about her as a person. "Minnesota Nice" is not a myth!"

"My mom didn't care for The Waters of White Bear Lake. They did not have any transportation for the people. You had to coordinate that on your own. That was a huge, huge thing for my mom, especially in the winter. I thought it was nice, but my mom felt like everyone was looking down at her. The people there have a little more in their pocketbook than my mother, so I think she let that intimidate her. It was very classy. They have a chandelier. The lady that showed us around was very nice. We went to their restaurant, and the food was really good. However, the people weren't as friendly, so that turned my mom off. The room looked nice. They probably had it staged like a nice model home, and I liked it. I'm 60 years old, and I wouldn't mind living there if I had no one else and if I was all alone. It had high-end cabinets."