The Best Independent Living Communities in Mercer County, NJ

"I've toured Bella Terra by Monarch, and I like that the layout of most of the apartments was very nice, especially the big ones. The food menu looked good, and everything else was positive when we went. They're under construction and doing renovation so it was kinda an eyesore. The activities were adequate, and they had a pool table, and my husband liked that part. There was also a beauty salon and a barbershop. The staff who gave the tour was excellent, informative, and intelligent. They're upgrading the whole facility, especially the entrance, and some of the rooms had construction boxes and stuff like that that didn't sit well with us."

"We're on a waiting list for the Heritage of Clara Barton. Everything looks nice. The room was small. It had a little kitchenette. They look like they had a small library, a small meeting area, and a laundry room. The staff was great, friendly. They seem to be very nice. They have a couple of benches and like a downtown area."

"When it came to receive extra care for my mother, I would have done anything to keep her out of a retirement home. Since my father had passed away, I had become the decision maker of her future. We looked around at different places in Philadelphia, but I wanted her to be somewhere that she would feel at home. Then I found the Philadelphia Protestant Home. The people were so nice as soon as we walked in and we felt very welcomed. We looked at different packages and picked the one that best suited our needs, and medicare covered just about all of it. Our favorite feature was that she didn't receive a little room, she received a miniature home. She had everything she needed, even her own bathroom. I was afraid of how she would react to the food, since I have heard of bad experiences with the cooking in places like this, but even I enjoyed the food! My mother has her own meal plan where she could eat three meals a day and snacks like muffins in between. She even made her own group of friends with the other residents at the Protestant home and they did numerous activities to keep everybody involved. My mother passed away in November of 2010, but I know that she enjoyed the last few months of her life. She was surrounded by her new friends, whom she referred to as her family. I was able to visit her whenever I wanted and they kept us very involved in her daily schedules and medical problems. I am glad my mother had the experience that she did at the Protestant Home, because it changed the way that I think about retirement homes. I would definitely recommend them to anybody. "

"Mira Vie at Warren is too far for us, but it was an excellent place. I didn't like that they had separate buildings, so in order to eat, you had to go to another building. I didn't really meet many other staff, but the salesperson was very nice, helpful, and friendly. She was very good. The place seemed very clean. They have a special dining room area where they invite the families. We walked through the dining hall and that looked very clean. The staff showed me one of the rooms which was available at the time. I saw the other living space where a lot of seniors were playing cards and stuff, and that seemed clean and nice. They had a coffee corner there that was nice. I think it's a pretty new facility. But I don't like the location. It is up a hill and far away from where we are. In the wintertime, I do not want to go up a hill."

"Hudson Estates Gracious Retirement Living was nice. I got literature and stuff. They only have like one- and two-bedroom. They said that once they get it cleaned up, that place will go. All of the amenities and all of the offerings that they have sound and look great. We got to speak to one of the people that lived there, and they said it was a wonderful place to be. I think it would be good for my father to be amongst the people with all the activities that they offer. It was a couple who assisted me and they were very great in answering questions and asking me if I had additional questions, which I didn't at the time. They gave me a nice packet to take and they also offered, since my dad did not go with me, us to come back and have lunch with them so we could taste the food because she swears by their meal plan. They did give me a giveaway, and it had a mug and a muffin. They had a garden and a wonderful dining room. They had several laundry facilities on each floor. They have a fitness center, a movie theater, and games places. They have a conference room type thing that they offer to the people that live there. They can have up to ten people have dinner in there and they serve you."

"Springfield Senior Living is a good facility. It was very close to the neighborhood. What I didn't like was their snack bar because it's all old snacks in there. I toured their assisted living. Their coordinator was very professional, but when I came into the facility, the young lady at the desk just wasn't professional. Maybe she needs some training. Their cafeteria was not open, and the building wasn't modernized. They are still eating in their rooms. They are already isolated to a point, so that's a concern of mine. I didn't see any dirt, but it was just a basic facility. It wasn't pleasing. My thing is curbside appeal is everything; it just wasn't up to my standards. The location is good though because it's in the neighborhood, so it's convenient. It's also near a hospital."

You Will Feel Right At Home! Convenient location...Beautiful 1 & 2 bedroom apartments, Our property is conveniently located near shopping, medical facilities, and transportation. Property grounds feature beautiful landscaping. Units included washer/dryer, w/ carpet, dishwasher, frost-free refrigerator, stove top and oven, mini-blinds, air conditioning, walk in closets and much more. Heritage Village at Lawrence is a newly constructed rental community for people 55 years and over with low and modest incomes. Tired of the rising property taxes and cost of homeownership? Want to have more leisure time and no house upkeep? How about living closer to grandchildren, family and friends? Independent living in a quality-designed new rental complex at a fraction of the market-rate unit price is possible. Whether you are downsizing or changing your lifestyle, come visit Heritage Village at Lawrence. You will feel right at home. Convenient location…Brand New Construction…Beautiful 1 & 2 bedroom apartments, Our property is conveniently located near shopping, medical facilities, and transportation. Property grounds feature beautiful landscaping. Units included washer/dryer, w/ carpet, dishwasher, frost-free refrigerator, stove top and oven, mini-blinds, air conditioning, walk in closets and much more. At Heritage Village, you can live life as you choose, free from the responsibility of maintaining a home. It's time to relax and enjoy your leisure time and the things you've always loved doing. You don't have to venture far from your doorsteps to experience all there is to do at Heritage Village at Lawrence. Right on site, you'll find a host of recreational, educational and social activities. Exercise in the fitness center. Host a party in the multipurpose activities/meeting room, equipped with a catering kitchen. Or just unwind in the elegant lounge area or on the sundeck. The on-site maintenance superintendent and community manager are there when you need them to assure convenience and safety. Transportation is also available to take you to the places you want to go, so having to drive is not a priority.

"We liked Birchwood at Hopewell the most. They're right off of 295 and they're on Denow Road, so there's a lot of shopping, restaurants, and hair salons down that road. The amenities that they offer within the facility are also really nice. The rooms are pretty spacious. It's a very nice and clean place. The lady who gave us a tour was very good. She answered all our questions, took us all around and showed us where the laundry rooms were, and explained everything to us. She was very thorough. They have elevators so if you're on the second floor, it would be easy for you to get to the apartment. Then every floor has its little lounge/waiting/sitting area. They also have game rooms, and movie nights, and they all have their own little balconies, even if they're on the first floor. So, it was beautiful."

"My friend moved in. She's in their independent living and has a nice apartment. It has a bedroom, a nicely sized living room, a full kitchen, and a very nice bathroom. She could also take her dog with her. She felt that she liked the area it was in because it's close to family and close to us, her friends. It's a very nice four-story building, and the grounds are walkable and very nice. When you go inside, you have to sign in and sign out, which I like. There's also someone always there at the desk. The hallways are nice and bright. The dining room was very large. I didn't go into the dining room to eat, but I had lunch with my friend there. There is sort of a deli place there where you just order what you want, and they make it right there. They also had waitress service, and the food was delicious. They have lots of activities like chair yoga and cardio drumming. They have two movie theaters and a hair salon. They have everything there that my friend could take advantage of if she chose to, and she's been doing different activities during the day. They even travel. If you want to go, they take you to different places. For instance, they went to Point Pleasant Beach to the boardwalk. They have a lot of different interesting things that they do for the residents. My friend is adjusting and doing things at her own tempo. She's also very happy that she was able to bring her dog with her. I would say that the staff and the residents all seem very pleasant. When I was there, there was a lot of activity going on. There was a group playing cards and doing puzzles. On every floor where there was activity, there were quite a few people involved. They have everything you need that they could offer to you, and I thought that was nice. I like everything about the facility."

"Montage is brand new, and it’s got everything she needs. She has a nice, small, one-bedroom apartment. It has a kitchen, and a nice bathroom. She’s met a lot of friends since she moved there. They have 2 spots for activities. They have a community center with gym stuff, and they have Bingo on certain days, ladies night out, and shopping "

"I did have a visit at Princeton Windrows, and I liked it than some of the others I saw. It's very nicely decorated. The people are very nice. They offer just about anything the residents want with regards to their activities. The apartments are very nice; they vary in size from a studio to a 2 bedroom apartment. Their food is good too. The staff was very nice as well. "

"Meadow Lakes was a lovely community. They're very friendly, open, and have a very nice arrangement. The lady who gave us the tour was very nice, careful, and concerned. The apartments were quite comfortable. They were pretty good in size and they seemed to be in good shape. They had a very nice dining room, too. They have an auditorium where they do their programs, and they also have a pool."

"HeatherGate at Oxford Valley was wonderful. Everything was upgraded and the apartments were up to date. They also had activities and some events going on. There's a swimming pool, a fitness center, a picnic area, and you can have family gatherings outside. It was just nice. The staff was vibrant, open, and the lady was willing to give us a tour and she also welcomed us, my mom and I, to come back. Everything that I wanted was there and the upkeep was extraordinary. The only thing was that the price was so steep."

"FOR OUR FAMILY AND DAD IT'S PERFECT!.WARM , COZY, FRIENDLY. EXACTLY WHAT WERE LOOKING FOR. ...... "