The Best Independent Living Communities in Bergen County, NJ

"I toured The Willows Home. It's lovely. I talked to a couple of residents, and they're very happy there. The nurse said that they have three meals a day, entertainment, and a beautiful common room. The bedrooms were very nice. The entire place is clean, but it's not what we're looking for right now. The dining area was lovely. They have a beautiful dining table, and everyone has a place at the table. She showed me the well-stocked kitchen. They have three hot meals a day, plus snacks are available to the residents. The staff was very gracious and very understanding. She showed me around, a very nice lady. The facility was very clean and had a very pleasant smell. The bathrooms were clean. The toilets were clean. I have nothing bad to say about it. It was a very nice place. They're somewhere I would consider if they had the accessibility that my father needs right now."

"My mom is in Wartburg. She went there for rehab, and they have an assisted living program right there, so we transferred her from rehab right to assisted living. To me, the place is excellent. They have excellent care there. She had excellent care in the rehab center. They have excellent ratings. She is in senior housing now. The staff is wonderful. I haven't had a problem. They're very pleasant and very easy to talk to. They take care of my mother, which is the main thing. She has a studio apartment and she's very happy. Her room is excellent. It's clean. They come in constantly to do housekeeping. They're very excellent. Basically, they remodeled the place and it's beautiful. The grounds are beautiful. She is getting very good care there. The food is good. There's three meals a day. If you don't like what they're serving you, you can get plenty of substitutes. Whatever you want, the chef makes it for you. Right now, because of the COVID, they only have a music program, trivia, and Jeopardy. They don't have too many activities. They can't have anybody from the outside come in. The music program is nice. They have somebody coming in twice a week to do music. It was also the most reasonable place that we checked out."

"Coterie Hudson Yards is very nice, but it's very expensive. I went on a tour of their assisted living and the rooms are beautiful, the staff is very friendly, and the food is wonderful. It's almost like a restaurant-type atmosphere where you can order drinks with all types of food and entertainment. You have the piano player going while you're eating. The people are polite and professional. I also had a meal with them. They have a wonderful menu and a chef right on the premises. Their rooms are not shared, but they also accommodate couples. They take the residents on tours down to Manhattan and go to different places and different restaurants. It's a wonderful place."

"It was great. It was the first place I went to see, but it was not assisted living -- only independent living. They were really fantastic, and the people were very friendly. They had everything, including a pool. The rooms were nice but not that big."

COME HOME TO WATERSTONE. Life at Waterstone of Westchester takes the idea of home to an entirely new level. In this premier independent living community, you’ll thrive in curated elegance in a beautifully appointed apartment with designer finishes and enjoy connecting with friends in our stunning common areas. LIVE THE LIFE YOU LOVE Continue living your dream life, here, at Waterstone of Westchester. Fill your days with favorite pastimes, delicious, healthy meals, stimulating exercises and educational programs. Enjoy spending time in your beautifully designed apartment, alone or with friends. Because everything here is designed for you to feel right at home. AMENITIES Each detail at Waterstone of Westchester was thoughtfully designed with you in mind. Enjoy: Bright apartments filled with impressive amenities such as walk-in closets, designer kitchens, and bathrooms with walk-in showers Indoor heated pool and fitness room staffed by experienced personal trainers On-site restaurant led by highly talented chefsv Pet-friendly accommodations Dedicated, heated underground parking Outdoor terrace Cultural, social and recreational programs Concierge to arrange scheduled transportation and more EXQUISITE DINING Dining here is comparable to the finest restaurants, as we attend to every detail. Our top chefs prepare delicious meals with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Each dish is prepared to your liking, served by a dedicated dining team that knows your individual needs. All while seated in a beautifully appointed dining space that makes you excited to see what’s on the menu, every single day, at any time. HEALTHY LIVING At Waterstone of Westchester, your health is the main focus. Stay active on your terms, whether it’s a walk around the block, a swim in the pool or trying a new yoga class. Our personal trainers are available to help you achieve your fitness goals. INDEPENDENT LIVING Even if you’re living independently, you may require extra help from time to time. We’re happy to provide support for your needs, any time you need it. SUPPORTIVE CARE SERVICES As your care needs change, our partnership with VNS Westchester is easily accessed through their on-site office, where they can provide in-apartment care services for you.

"The person I visited at The Knolls really likes the place. It has a very big Olympic-sized swimming pool, and she is a swimmer, so she really loves that. She can drive her car and everything, so she is kind of on her own, and she likes that of course. She has a two-bedroom that has a really nice kitchen, and she can cook her own food if she wants. She has a washer and dryer in the bathroom, and there's one room that is set up like an office with a desk, and she can use that. I saw the dining room, but no one was eating in it. I didn't meet any staff, but my friend showed us the place herself. The facility is not brand new, but it's not really old either, so it's nice."

"The first thing that I didn't like at Castle Senior Living at Forest Hills that was a turn-off is that as soon as you walked in you saw many people with walkers and wheelchairs. I understand that it is assisted living for seniors, but not everybody wants that in their face as soon as they walk in. I saw the apartments at their independent living and assisted living, and I liked them. The only thing that I didn't like was when I walked in and I knew right away that my aunt wouldn't like that. The staff member who gave the tour was very helpful, especially when I'm new to this assisted living home. One thing that I remember is that when we got on the floors they were cleaning, so you got that cleaning smell, which is like an institutional smell."

"During my visit at Atria Forest Hills, everybody looked very content and happy. They would be administrating my husband's medicine and redirecting him, which is good. It looks like my husband would be comfortable there. The place was comfortable, and nobody seemed to be stressed. The tour was great. Everybody seemed to be on point about what we would like done. They fulfilled our needs as far as answering questions and showing us around. They were very well organized. They have a refrigerator. They have towels and linens. It's very clean. Three meals a day are included. There's a nice restaurant with a nice menu. Everybody was pleasant. They have a clean dining area. The staff who gave the tour was very knowledgeable."

"Gladhaven Club is a small community. There are only about 12 to 15 people there. It's located in an old house so it's very homey. I feel like it's a nice community to be moving into. My tour experience was very good. The rooms vary in size, but they're all quite nice and they are very nicely furnished. If you prefer, you can bring your own furniture too. It appeared to be very well kept. The dining area is communal dining. I didn't have any food, but they said it was all home cooking. I'm hoping it's going to be good. They don't have activities like they do in some places. They have parties occasionally, but they don't have regular activities."

"I was impressed with Mira Vie at West Milford. The person who showed me around was very pleasant. They took me to the two-bedroom because they felt like that would be what I wanted. It was a nice facility. The common area was wonderful. It was great. It's well maintained."

"The Springvale Inn was gorgeous but it's way too big. I stood at one end of the hallway and I said, 'my mom can't do it.' They said that they have to get themselves to the dining area on their own power, but my mom needs more assistance than that one does. The Springvale Inn was very clean and organized and the rooms were spacious. That part was nice. The only part I didn't like is that the halls were extremely long. It was beautiful, but it was too big for my mom. I only met two people and they're extremely nice and really helpful. I only saw one room and it was being redone. It's gorgeous. They had a salon and a beautiful courtyard. They had a bingo hall, a big dining area, and a smaller dining area where you could hold family things. It was very clean. "

"I visited Mira Vie at Fanwood. It's nicely decorated, very clean, and very peaceful. It is a rather elegant situation, and I was told that it used to be a hotel, so I'm not surprised that it looks like that. They have two buildings, one for assisted living and the other for independent living. I took a closer look at assisted living. The rooms they showed me were kept well. They were small, just a room with a bed, so it was not a big accommodation. The staff was very well prepared. They knew what they had and knew what to tell me. They did well, and I liked what they told me and what I saw."

"My parents are residents of Waterstone at High Ridge. It is extremely well-maintained and extremely clean. There are good activities. The staff is very caring. It has a great sense of a social community, which a lot of them don't. So, there are always people out in the facility, visible, and they talk. It's a social place. It's independent, so the staff is doing tasks, but they're not assisting them with any activities of daily living other than providing food. The staff is all fantastic. They're friendly, courteous, and wonderful. Their food is good. It's gone up and down over the years. Sometimes it's good and sometimes okay, but compared to other places I've seen, it's very good. They have music multiple times a week. Once a month, they have an art show and a little art gallery. They have multiple social events in the pub. They have multiple daily activities every week, every day. My mother complains that it's too much of a game plan, but they do have a variety of activities. Vinnie, the activities director, is amazing. He is the sweetest, nicest, most wonderful person. He is just a darling, and he's very dedicated. They give us good value."

"I toured the New Nautilus Hotel. When I looked around the room it was so great, the balcony, but the only thing I wish they had working was the pool because they have a pool, but there's no water in it. That was the only thing missing, but the atmosphere and the rooms were nice. Everything was nice about the place. It's right in front of the beach. The staff was very friendly, the front desk personnel, and the security."