Independent Living Communities in Forest Hills, NY

"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."

"I loved Atria Park of Lynbrook, but it was too expensive. It would be on the top of my list, if I was able to afford it. The person that gave me the tour was excellent. She sat down, talked to me, and listened to me. The most wonderful thing about that facility is when you go to their rooms. They have things outside of the resident's room. There was a little cabinet right outside their room with certain things that were sentimental to them. It helps them kind of remember where their rooms are. I really love that idea. All the residents were very happy. Everyone was clean. You could feel the energy in the room. The staff looked happy. It was a very nice atmosphere."

"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."

"Atria is pet-friendly for service dogs. The rooms are very nice, the food is very good, and their dining area is very attractive. It’s in a very nice location, right next to the Parkway. There are a lot of medical facilities in the area as well, so it’s very convenient. "

"Riverwalk is the Hebrew Home's Independent Living Facility. On balance, it is probably one of the best values in the Bronx/Westchester area. The staff is excellent, especially Katy and Regina who run the place. The rooms are ok, it is an older converted apt bldg so don't expect a modern look/feel (although the apts are all renovated as needed). The windows are old/heavy and the heating system is not easily controllable or modern. The food is good, not bad ... not excellent either ... and it's Kosher. There is a definite slant towards Jewish heritage, culture, and ethnicity. In my Mom's case, this is one thing that was very important to her. There are daily activities, transportation to local shopping and doctors (only in the immediate area), and two meals daily included. However, in my mind ... the best feature of the facility is the staff. If you are looking for a facility where the staff becomes like family to you, where the staff knows not only the tenant's name, but your name also ... if you are looking for a homey place where everyone from the maintenance staff to the security guards are extremely friendly, kind and treat you like family ... than this is the place for your loved one. So prioritize your needs, and decide what is important to you. If having a homey, friendly environment where you are treated like family is important, consider Riverwalk."

"Lohman Village at The Wartburg Adult Care Community was very nice. I like their independent living facility and they are not very pricey. The staff was all very friendly, the amenities were nice, and their common dining room was also nice. This is where both the assisted living residents and the independent living residents go to. I would recommend this facility to others. "

"We picked this facility. It’s for my sister-in-law. She has not moved in yet. We’re waiting this week to sign the papers. It’s close to me. They have everything that you can possibly want. The only prooblem is they don’t have is a swimming pool. I’d seen the menus which are unbelievable. They provide breakfast and/or lunch or dinner. It’s excellent."

"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."

"I toured The Esplanade at Palisades. The area is serene. It's beautiful with nature and everything. The prices are quite high. It's pretty much new. There's no cooking inside the room. They serve meals for you. I don't necessarily like that, but sometimes the food is not up to one's standards. You can have overnight guests like the other place. They are pet friendly also. Overall, it's a very new place, very nice, very much for a senior. Looking at the area I think they're pretty physically. But it's great for people who want this. No shops in the area, but she did say that they have car service within a 15-mile radius of any area that you want to go to, and after that, you're on your own. Shevon showed me everything. She explained everything. She did not try to hide any kind of information. And she explained, you know, certain things that they are working on. So her honesty and integrity give her a five, and her personality was very welcoming. She showed me the menu. It was nice, but it looked very sparse, there wasn't much variety. Also, it had very limited space for clothes."

"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."

"Divine Serenity Assisted Living looked like it was a residence that they converted to individual rooms. The time I was there, as far as I know, the residents were either on a trip or going to the doctor, so there were no residents there. The lady showed me the area where they would be doing work in the building. She also showed me a room. She answered all my questions. She told me how they take care of the residents. They have a nurse that comes in and a doctor. If the resident has to take medicine they take care of that too."

"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."

"We toured Thrive at Montvale. We liked the amenities, and we liked the fact that it was very new and very fresh. It was very nice. The staff was great, and we enjoyed the tour. We liked their meal plan and the size of the facility. It was not too big and not too small. We liked the fact that they could move from independent to assisted living if they needed to. The staff was very knowledgeable and friendly, and they wanted to get to know my parents, which was good. The cleanliness was great. We liked the courtyard quite a bit. They had a garden room and a giant LEGO area for families to play in, and they had water features, but the units were a little bit on the small side. The atmosphere was vibrant, and we liked the setup, the layout, and the spaces."

"We liked everything about Villas of Holmdel. We picked out a two-bedroom apartment, played with the long-term care policy for almost a year, and then they finally said, "No way." This place felt very homey and wasn't huge. The residents looked about our age. The food was excellent, and we had lunch there. We loved the two-bedroom apartment, and I felt we would have been comfortable living there. The lady who gave the tour held that apartment for us. She stayed in constant contact with my son and worked with us. I gave her a deposit. She tried so hard to get us there. The dining area was very nice. They had a nice movie theater, a grandchildren's night, an ice cream bar, a spa, a beauty parlor, an exercise room, and outdoor seating."