Independent Living Communities in Penfield, NY

"My mom has been at Legacy at Willow Pond for almost a year now. The place is wonderful. The young men and ladies in the dinning room are amazing. They know everyone by name and greet my mom every time they see her. They always make her feel so special. Everyone who works there is the same. From management to the maintenance guys and the lovely ladies who clean her room, all the wonderful staff at the front desk and Emily who coordinates all the activities. They all make her feel like part of a large family. They always take time to talk to her or help her with anything. My sisters and I are so very pleased with our choice for my mom. Legacy Willow Pond is a place where we feel she is safe and part of a very special family. Thank you everyone at Willow Pond!!!"

"The Legacy at Village Wood is reasonable as far as pricing and what they include. They do what is called the “I’m OK” program. So even though it is independent, every morning when they wake up they have to put what looks like a little hotel peg on their door that said I’m OK, so they know that they made it through the night. They’ve got a call button that they wear around their neck, so for some reason if they were to fall or have an issue, they can push the button and someone will respond. There are some meals and some utilities that are included in the rent. They have a shuttle that makes a trip to the grocery store once a week, so if my mother-in-law doesn’t feel like she can drive her own vehicle like in the winter, then she can still get to Whitman and get to the pharmacy to get her prescription. They try to do some activities for the residents like social outings. So for the money and with what they are offering, it is still better than her being alone. The staff was really knowledgeable and friendly. They were extremely knowledgeable, and a lot of times they seem to be a little more on the ball as far as having the information before I even had to ask them. As far as floor plan size, it is definitely more apartment type even though it is still a studio. "

"I chose Linden Knoll because it had quite a few of the things I was looking for. Everybody seems very friendly. It's very clean and well lit. The floor plan is contained. It's not a lot of space, but it's cozy, and I think it's going to be all I need to be comfortable. The staff was very informative and willing to answer any questions."

"Highlands was beautiful. It would have been our first choice, but they couldn't accommodate some of the issues that my mother-in-law has. They had me talk with the nurse practitioner, which was great, and she made a point of making herself available while I was there to talk about my mother-in-law's problems. The rooms were beautiful. They had several sizes. Some of them were spacious. The facility was particularly well-appointed. There were two big dining rooms. Everybody was well-dressed and looked engaged in something. "

"I thought that the Legacy at Clover Blossom was an older facility. The people were very nice, but the independent units did not look to be nearly as well constructed as the ones at the other facility. The people were very nice, and the place was very clean, but I didn’t like the independent living model. "

"Cherry Ridge was very nice. They've redone the whole place. I was there years ago, but it's very, very nice looking. They did all the floors and walls. It's very attractive. However, we just got the feeling when we were in there that this isn't the place. The staff seemed knowledgeable, but we got the feeling we were being rushed a little. She acted like she was late for something, so we didn't like that. They've redone the whole place. It looks beautiful, and the setting is nice. The rooms also look good. The outdoor space is very attractive. There is room for people to sit out if they want to be outside. It is also set away from the road, so there's no traffic that you're looking at or anything like that."

"I have been volunteering at/ visiting St. Ann's for over a year now. I have learned about some of the terrible conditions of other nursing homes through literature and films, however, I can say that this is definitely not a nursing home of the like. For the most part, the staff seem to absolutely love what they do and love the residents living there. They do not limit their time or stay to strict to a schedule, but really care about the individual they are interacting with. The facilities are well decorated and give a very "homey" feel to the place. I think that the residents really enjoy all of the holiday/ seasonal decorations as well. The main complaint I would get from the residents, however, was that the food was not always very good. Sometimes it would be served cold and other times, it just tasted too bland. Overall though, I think that St. Ann's is working towards improving and making their residents as happy as possible. "

"I toured Valley Manor. I love the location. It's downtown, but it's close to an arts district, and it's nice for neighborhood walking. They were a little short of staff the day I visited. Now, whether that's a chronic condition or whether it just happened to be that day, I don't know, but the staff was very pleasant. I noticed that they greeted their residents by name, which is kind of unusual, but it seemed to be a very people-oriented place. The meal I had was very good and there was a nice selection on the menu. It's an apartment building with a nice garden and patio area, and beautifully landscaped. The apartments vary a lot. They allow the residents to decorate, and if they want to install things, even like a bar or an art gallery or something in their own apartments, they can do that. It's obviously at their own expense, but I was very impressed with the individuality that is permitted in each apartment."

"Very beautiful and well maintained community. Any senior would be lucky to live there! "

"Gardens Senior Apartments was subsidized and too small for what we wanted. It was handicap-accessible, which was good, but we wanted a two-bedroom which was not available. We were above the income limit because it was subsidized. The environment was what we wanted. It was country living and about six miles from where we lived. We liked the area, but it was not ideal because it was not near the hospital. The staff was very good and very accommodating. Everything was very good. They had a nice environment, gardens, and activity rooms. They were very clean, but it was not for us."

"We chose St John's Meadows because that is the one she liked the best. It was her decision because it what she wanted. She likes it there. They make a lot for her to do, and she likes the food. I really believe it is really nice. She likes that the apartment is nice too. It is a nice layout, and there is a lot for her to do so she can't get bored. I like their socialization. "

"Brickstone is a wonderful community, very high end and reasonably new. It does not provide meals so you have to go to a restaurant to get meals or you have to cook your own, so it's really made for an active living community. It has high-end and very well-appointed apartments. The staff was very nice. One thing that I saw that I appreciated was there were a lot of people out walking and smiling happily and the person I was with knew the name of everybody we saw and talked to them. It's very, very impressive. I have seen other places where people are not smiling all the time but in this place, they are, both the residents and staff. It's a very warm, comforting community. They have a variety of apartments, and they also have separate cottages. I did not see the cottages except from the outside though. They have a lot going on. There's a swimming pool, which the residents of the other St. John's facilities can go over and use. They use the swimming pool also for physical therapy as well as swimming. They have shuttle services that come in, they have buses to send residents to shopping and to the symphony and plays. They have a well-organized set of activities. Brickstone is really nice, but it's also expensive."

"My mother-in-law has been at St. Ann's Community at Chapel Oaks for a year now. It really has everything that you would need. The staff is very accommodating, very friendly, and supportive. The food is good. The apartments are nice. The facility is very clean, well kept, spacious enough, sunny, and cheerful. They have balconies, which I like. They don't have a lot of activities with COVID, but they have exercise and a book club."

Upside is truly an exclusive opportunity to live independently on your own terms. We offer luxury living options with over 2,500+ apartments in our network across the country alongside a dedicated and experienced personal concierge support system. Upside is a uniquely designed senior living alternative to help you live completely independently. The Upside team helps you find a luxury-style apartment living option and provide you with extra layers of care and assistance, whenever and however you need it. Once you're settled in your new home, we connect you to your personal concierge and expert on all things aging. The Upside concierge is available to help arrange meal and grocery deliveries, transportation services, schedule appointments, assist with technology, and so much more! Anything you need, Upside is just a quick phone call or text away.