The Best Independent Living Communities in Monmouth County, NJ

"I had a positive impression of Heritage of Clara Barton. They had very helpful and friendly staff. The facility itself was nice, and the common areas were well-utilized. The food service seemed high quality, and the residents themselves seemed friendly. The rooms seemed like a good workable and adequate space for a single person. "

"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."

"I liked the New Nautilus Hotel. It was clean. They had a lot of activities right on the beach, and there were ocean views. They're very knowledgeable and very friendly. The apartment I saw had a little tiny space for a little refrigerator, counter, a bed, and a dresser. It was clean, nice, and efficient. It was large and had a lot of closet space. I saw a lot of people with the aides. Some people were walking around without any assistance. Some people had walkers. Some were in wheelchairs."

"I toured Brightview Eatontown a year ago. They were very helpful and very informative. I thought there was too much alcohol being served. There were snacks around. Maybe that was supposed to be helpful, but if you were diabetic, that would be a problem. A lot of people can't self-limit themselves. I thought the residents' rooms were very small, and that may be because they want people to be encouraged to leave their rooms. I just thought there was not enough room. I would feel claustrophobic. The place is very clean. They have a patio, but they don't have a pool to my knowledge. The patio was spacious. People were out there, and they were having an event."

"The Chelsea at Shrewsbury was very pretty, and they had a visitor who has four paws. They have therapy dogs come in and visit with the residents. I thought that was wonderful. It was very hotel-like looking. The staff was friendly enough, I thought the reception was kind of overwhelmed. My mom would probably tell you that she found them to be rude because they were kind of cross and they were busy. I think it might have been in between shift changes or something, but they were too busy to help us. We had to sit and wait for a little bit before we saw the person, we had an appointment with. Their dining area is pretty. I didn't even smell food, so we were there during an off-food time. They had a movie room, and it was very nice. They had another activity room, it was big. They were playing bingo at the time, and that was very full, a lot of people were doing the bingo. They had a little library nook on the second floor. Everything was beautiful, it was gorgeous. You felt like you were going into a boutique hotel. In terms of cleanliness, it was immaculate. They gave me cookies"

"Heritage Village at Ocean is very scenic. When you come down the street leading to here, which is called Hidden Meadows Drive, both sides have trees and shrubs, no houses, no buildings. It's really nice and secluded. The apartments are very nice, and it's very quiet. I got a one-bedroom, and it's big. I got my own washer and dryer inside the apartment. I'm on the third floor, and they've got elevators. Everything is closed with this pandemic. They had a clubhouse and things to do, but you can't use them right now. I like it because it's very clean, very quiet, and the rent is in the area I want to spend. I've only seen a couple of people working here. There's no food service."

"The tour that we had at Seabrook was very interesting. It looks very nice, but it’s enormous and a beautifully run place. You have to walk through about seven interconnected buildings, from one to the other. They have a little jeep that runs around the property every 15 minutes, so you could take that. They had a dining room; we were in the one of the clubhouses, and the dining room is in the other clubhouse, so you have to take the bus to get to the other clubhouse where they have the dining room. We did see their informal dining room; they have a buffet setup and more informal meals. "

"The atmosphere at The Artium is a home like environment. When you walk through the halls, there are bookcases, couches, pictures and friendly faces. The staff is patient, helpful, and they really listen to the residents. There is a program set up that requires the staff to conduct interviews with their residents to find out facts about not only illnesses they may be suffering with but memories from their lives, goals they'd like to achieve, things they like to talk about, and family members that routinely visit. These interviews are placed in their charts for nurses and staff to utilize when treating patients. They get to know their residents and visitors on a personal level which I feel not only makes their stay a pleasant one, but a healthy one. They have a chef that creates a variety of meals, a lovely dining room with a view of the river, and events that residents can attend in order to socialize. They have created a community within the facility and go above and beyond to make residents feel welcome. I have never had an issue going to visit and I have never heard a complaint from her. It's touching to see that they've put so much work into getting to know her and helping her reach her goal. She is becoming forgetful and her goal is to remember her daughter, one of my close friends, which the staff is aware of. They engage her in conversation about her daughter and always present her upon visiting. It's often difficult putting your mother in an assisted living home but I think they made this transition easy for both parties and I would highly recommend this facility. "

"The experience with The Renaissance was wonderful. It was a clean and beautiful community and the people were very friendly. The staff was very helpful and was available to answer any questions that I had. They have all different types of activities like bingo, day trips, and a club house. It was a nice facility. The staff was very professional and pleasant."

"I'm staying in Gregory School Apartments. It's a 55+ senior apartment and it's a nice place. The layout is perfect and I'm in a 1-bedroom. You pay, depending on your income. The place is perfect and everything is clean. I'm in their independent living and the other ones are for seniors that need more help. They all go by what you make. The staff is excellent. If you have any problem at all, they'll be right there for you with no hesitation. They have a couple of people who manage and take care of the place during the day and they have security at night. It's a very nice place and very secure. I cook my own meals. They have an exercise room on the other side but it's not in my building. There are benches outside and the landscape is beautiful. You can walk whenever you want."

"My Dad has lived at Arbor Terrace for 2 years. He has enjoyed his independence while making new friends. With his meals and housekeeping provided, he has plenty of time for activities. I have peace of mind knowing he is well taken care of. "

"Comstock Court does the best they can here, but this building is infested with roaches, rats, and everything else and it's just too overwhelming. There's a call bell when you need help. I pulled it one night when I fell on the side of the bed and I was on the floor for 3 hours. Thank God my daughter came over to see me. She was the one who helped me up. There's a backyard where you can barbecue or whatnot and a room that you could entertain in your company if you'd like. There are people that come into the pantry to bring food that is sometimes unworthy of them, but they also bring good stuff from the food bank. I got a one-bedroom and it's OK. I'm on the second floor and I get a nice view of the backyard of my neighbors. They are friendly neighbors."

"I went to visit Bayshore Village. I told them the reason I was moving was because it was supposed to be going by your income, and that's what they told me. I asked them three times and they said it was your income. I waited two years. When they called me two years later, the woman told me they had a small rent increase. They never notified me. So basically, I stayed on the list for two years for nothing. I wasted my time on that list. They were not truthful with me. You're not even allowed to look at the apartment before you get it. The building was beautiful. It was maintained very well. It's a plain apartment building. There's no activity."

"My mom moved into Portland Pointe, and it is an excellent place. The employees and the people all seem nice. It's a very good value for the money. They have a full schedule of activities. It's just a nice living place for travel opportunities, as it's close to a lot of places to walk to."