Independent Living Communities in Manchester, NH

"Summer Place was what we needed for Mom because of the meals, companionship, trips, social activities, and the option for some health care should she need it. The room was adequate, comfy, and clean, and it's going to fit her well. There were a lot of activities for the residents."

"Heatherwood Gracious Retirement Living was beautiful and spotless. When I was walking past the people eating, everybody seemed so happy. They were like, "Are you coming to stay with us?" It was like they were a big family. They have transportation and they had their bus driver come pick me up. She reminded me of a spirited soul that was just put on this earth to make people happy. She was wonderful. I only have 1% sight in one eye and I'm going to lose my sight in my other eye, so then I'm going to need assistance. They said, "Health-wise, as things get worse, you just tell us and then we figure out how to help you better at a different level." They were very good. When I called back the next day, the girl I had talked to left, so I talked to the husband of the woman who runs the place and he was more than willing to spend as much time on the phone to answer anything that I wanted answers. They're very kind and compassionate. If somebody got up to ask a question, they weren't like, "Wait a minute, I'm talking." They put the person first, which was very nice. The grounds were fine. The back could've gone back further, but they said that was because there were walking trails in that area for the residents. The only ones I looked at were studios. I'm going to go back and look at a one-bedroom because I have two cats. Even if it's a little bit more money, I need a one-bedroom."

"The Meetinghouse at RiverFront had a nice apartment. They also had studios (the single rooms) that were very nice, and the bathroom was more into the room. Just touring it, everybody was so friendly, even the clients were so friendly not even knowing why I was there to say hello. I liked the setup. It seemed very well kept. Everybody was very sociable. The one big thing I liked about the room is that it had big windows. There was a lot of light that came in, which in winter is a problem for me. These windows let a lot of light during the day. And there, I can have some help come in as I needed if I want. They don't have assisted living but several companies will go there that provide help for people. I ate lunch there and it was very nice. I know they have activities, but I didn't look at the list. I only met one staff. She was very accommodating."

"My mom and I had toured Briston Manor West and I was very impressed. Though they had only one meal a day and they said it was lunch, some ate their main meal for lunch and ate the soup and salad for dinner. So, all they had to worry about was breakfast. They also had muffins and coffee once a week. I liked that the whole facility was in one level. They had apartment style in the building and they had these little cabins outside. You could have your own little house with a nice size patio at the back. The house and the apartment had the same price. However, in the apartment you would get heat and hot water, while in the house you had to pay your own. They had so many activities and so many great things there for the price. They had a bus that could take them to groceries, shopping and doctor's appointment, which was included in the rent. They had chair exercises, entertainment and movies. If you had your car, they had somebody to clean up your car during winter. It was a little higher class facility and it's in a safe area so it was a nice place to walk. It was unbelievably great. The only reason why we weren't able to choose it was because my mom wanted to be in her home state. "

"Regency Heights had very nice rooms. They were very nicely laid out. They have a heated garage that you can drive into and they have elevators getting up on the floors. It was very, very clean with very professional people in there. It was very festive. They were having a Halloween party, and it was a very nice setting. They had activities that were offered and their activity rooms were very well used. They also have an outside barbecue. The staff was very nice and very friendly."

"We toured Riverwoods Manchester a few times, and the people were very friendly. It was a really nice-sized facility. There were a good number of activities. One of the things we liked about it is that the independent living was connected to the assisted living, memory care, and the full nursing care. If one of my parents had to go to another level of care, the other one could visit all the time or they could move together. They had a nice variety of units with different sizes and prices. They have a full gym, classes like tap dancing, chair yoga, chair Taichi, lectures, and movies. They did not have a swimming pool though (which was something that I was interested in), but they had all of those other things. They also have some nice communal spaces where they set out a continental breakfast and free coffee every morning to encourage people to come out and socialize. They had some nice outdoor patio spaces, and they looked nice."

"I'm in a new residence called Connect55+ Bedford, an independent living community. I have a two-bedroom apartment with two bathrooms. One bathroom has a walk-in shower, and the other has a bathtub. I have a very good-sized apartment, which is a little over a thousand square feet. I have no problems with the upkeep, but they could use a little more staff in their janitorial service. They are looking for help right now, though. The staff is also very friendly so I have no negative comments about them. There are quite a few activities here and there are a lot of opportunities to go out with a crowd at your own expense. They do tons of activities, from gymnastics, chair yoga, and a couple of different games that I volunteer in. The whole thing was a big deal for me because I knew no one in this place when I moved in, but everybody was very pleasant and helpful. There are no meals served here, but we do have an occasional thing like the one night a month that they bring Chinese food in. If you choose to partake, you pay for that. One afternoon a month, the women also go out for lunch in groups to various places. They're not very far away, but they go to different restaurants and you can choose to go or not to go. The biggest negative to me is that they do not have enough garages to accommodate everybody, so I'm on a waiting list for a garage. That's my only negative, though. Luckily, I'm on the first floor, which I like because I do not have to enter the building through the main entrance when I come and go. I can pull right up to my door, empty my car of anything I've purchased, then drive a little way down and park my car in any spot available."

"I love the fact that Merrimack Meadows have townhouse apartments. I love the quietness here and that it is walkable. You can walk through this whole complex or even outside of it. If somebody is looking for a place where they can stay inside the complex and still have exercise, you've got it here. They have an exercise room, so you can always use that, a nice heated pool in the winter, and just being comfortable in the summer. The people are friendly, too."

"I toured The Baldwin. They don't have much available at this point, but I got the last unit in the level I wanted. Even though I already put in my deposit, I went for a tour to see more of the community and get more feedback. The Baldwin was amazing. I could not believe just how wonderful everything was. It was beyond my wildest dreams. I have never seen better staff anywhere. I dealt with several staff members there, and they all were just beyond what I expected. We were in their coffee shop-type section of the place. I had a lobster roll there and it's one of the best lobster rolls I've ever had. It's good-sized and loaded with lobsters. The building was spotless and beautiful. It's brand new. They opened just a few months ago. It's clean. I never expected to find a place like this."

"Connect55+ Londonderry is a very beautiful setting with gorgeous rooms. The rooms have lots of room in them. Their two-bedroom places are excellent. They are completely furnished with a refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, good kitchen area, large bedroom, and a good sized den. They have several activities every day of the week that they do for the people that live there. We went in one of the rooms and we couldn't hear anything from any of the other rooms or down the hallways. It was a very, very quiet place. It was very nice. We went into the activity room, which was very large, and they were doing bingo there. No one knew us, but all the people in there were saying hi to us. They were very friendly. The cleanliness was excellent. There was no trash anywhere. The carpets were freshly cleaned and the room was undergoing maintenance. That's because they're fixing it up so it has a walk-in shower. It's absolutely beautiful and the staff was excellent."

"I'm in White Rock Senior Living Community - Bow NH. It's fine. I've been here almost ten years, and they're great people. We have a good management team right now, and they're very good. The maintenance guy is new, he's great, and everybody loves him."

"Ledgewood Bay at Milford is a nice facility. The staff has been very good. Mom has a nice apartment. It has two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a living room kitchenette area. It's got nice big windows, so there's a lot of light. The food is very good. The dining area and its staff are very nice. There's a lot of windows and a lot of light in the dining area. They have a beauty shop, physical therapy on-site, and a van for taking residents on outings. They have a pretty full calendar of activities. The staff has been very attentive. It's expensive, but there's a lot more space in terms of the size of the apartments."

"My parents are in Pleasant View Retirement. They have been there for five years now. They've had a great experience there, the staff is wonderful, and they enjoy the additional amenities of the place. They have a recreation that is always trying to keep them engaged and interested in extracurricular types of activities, getting the residents to be more social, and so they enjoy that. The managing director is very caring and does a good job of ensuring that the residents are safe and happy. She's very helpful to the family who's supporting the residents there. It's an apartment and an older building, the building has been around for over 100 years, there's a lot of history to it, it was reasonably well kept. They have a library, an exercise room, an outdoor pool, they have a sunroom, they have a billiards room, and they have a function room when family come and visit. They had a classical piano player come in and entertain them, they had an artist who came in and provided a group art lesson, and I think it was three events and he took them to step one, step two, and step three, and finished painting as a group. They have line dancing, different exercise things for the residents. They have a resident's choir, and they're next door to a facility that has more skilled nursing help if people need to progress."

"I liked Connect55+ Concord. It had a lot of options and a lot of activities to do. It was very clean and the staff was very nice and very helpful. Cost-wise and where it's located were the reasons why I was most interested in it. I liked it."