The Best Independent Living Communities in Catawba County, NC

"My mom lives in an apartment at Woodland, based on my income so I pay a low rent. I pay a lady to help take care of her. The apartment has a small kitchen, a living room, a bathroom and a bedroom. It's an energy-efficient apartment. She gets meals-on-wheels 5 times, 5 days a week. She may cook a little as long as the lady that takes care of her is there to assist her. The residents also have a once a month potluck dinner. Everybody brings a dish and goes to that. They also have an exercise room and they play bingo and the like. They have a daily devotion every once or 2 days a week. I'm really pleased with Woodland Manor. This was the most affordable one that I looked into in North Carolina. "

"I decided to go with Siloam Residence for my husband. It was bigger, more open, and brighter, and they offered things that the other two didn't. Like, he'll continue with his therapy there, and they have a pharmacist that comes in. They seem to be very attuned to dementia patients. The home environment is smaller and better for dementia patients. I feel like he'll get very good care there, and he has a private room. They want me to decorate it to make him feel like he's at home before he gets there. They seem to be very caring and friendly. I really like the lady that I talked to, Hannah. It was a nice-sized facility, much bigger than the two houses that I toured. Everybody had their own room. It was still limited to six people, so it was nice. They were asking me what he likes to eat. I'm not expecting food to be an issue. They even said that I could put a small refrigerator in his room, which I'm planning on doing, so he can get drinks or whatever."

"My uncle decided to stay at Carolina Care Retirement Cottages in North Carolina. The lady that worked with us was just absolutely wonderful. She's the director. It was a very nice and very well-cared community. We were just very impressed. The physical appearance was excellent. Everything was really well-maintained. The landscaping was wonderful. It's a very friendly neighborhood for walking your dog. It's just a very nice little community. We got there after they had lunch, and it was a buffet-style lunch. My uncle got two plates to take home. He said the food was very, very good. They have their own chef. The staff explained that they go on little trips, and they have things in the clubhouse. They play bingo and have different activities. His apartment is very nice, and very friendly for the elderly. The kitchen is very well-equipped. It has nice appliances, carpeting, clean, and hardwood floors. The living area is very, very acceptable."

"My husband's parents previously lived at Bailey's Glen in Cornelius. The residents at Bailey's Glen are very active and it's a smaller community of retirees. The smaller size of the community provides more attention by staff and employees. Also, some of the residents are in their mid to late 50's, and have plenty of energy. Bailey's Glen accepts residents beginning at age 55, which is unusual for a retirement community since most begin accepting residents at 65+. Living quarters are either apartments (some have patios) or cottages. The community itself has lots of land "“ over 100 acres. Homes and apartments are nicely designed with sufficient space, rooms and appliances. Food is tasty with good variety on the menus. After much consideration, my in-laws decided to move to a retirement community in Charlotte itself, not Cornelius. This happened after my sister-in-law was relocated to downtown Charlotte for a new job. My in-laws are now living closer to their children and grandkids. We can happily recommend Bailey's Glen. It was a positive experience during the time my in-laws stayed there. "

"I like TerraBella Lake Norman, because it's a large facility. They have a large number of caretakers, it's clean, modern, and it's close to home. My wife is in the memory care, and they're very caring. They're right on top of everything and they keep you well informed. It's expensive, but when comparing it to other facilities around, they're right in the middle. So they're very competitive. One of the good things about them is they have a lot of activities to keep their residents busy. In the memory care unit there are simple activities, but there are a lot of them, and it keeps them occupied, and everybody seems to get along. The amenities are limited since the people are kind of locked into a smaller space, but the overall facility is everything you would need, and they deal with all levels of care. So, it's good."

"My mother-in-law was a resident of STL for several years, most of that time in the Alzheimer's unit. She died recently, but her time at STL was marked by wonderful care given by a warm, supportive, and professional staff. The facility is closely associated with the First Presbyterian Church of Stanley, which is adjacent to the property, and the real and loving sense of mission is very apparent. We got to know many staff members, all of whom could not have been more caring or more capable. During her last days, they made it possible for her family to gather and be with her. We also appreciated the professionalism of the STL's administrative staff -- they were always organized and courteous. Though not the newest or the fanciest place, the facility is well-maintained and extremely clean. The only smell I ever noticed was during mealtimes. The rooms are large and bright, and the common areas are inviting. The transportation vehicles are well-maintained and up-to-date. We were kept informed of every change in my mother-in-law's routine, every Band-Aid, when her socks were too tight, which exercises she liked, etc. etc. The staff knew her as a person, and cared about her. My husband dropped in frequently throughout the week to feed her dinner, or just to visit, and was warmly welcomed every time. During her last days, the staff helped us make difficult decisions, and provided unbelievable support in both small and large ways. In short, this is the way elder care is supposed to be and I highly, highly recommend the Stanley Total Living Center. "

"I have chosen River Rock at Dallas because it is a brand-new construction. And they have everything I need like a walk-in shower, a garage, wooden floors, and a patio. It's also one level. The rooms are very nice sized. There's a very nice community area. The landscape is nice."

"I visited The Glens, and I put my application in there. Everybody that I met was very nice. It was bright and cheery. It was in a wonderful location and in a very nice neighborhood. It was close to shopping. There were villas and duplexes which were spacious. This was very satisfactory because it was pleasing and they would take care of all of your maintenance for you. "

"The Pines provide three meals a day and they have some sort of meal plan for the seniors. It's a progressive community, they offer everything down to full nursing facilities. The person that gave us the tour seemed rushed. It was really nice and the rooms were twice as big as the other place we visited. The only thing we didn't like about it was that you have to pay for an expensive buy-in. They showed us a studio apartment which was very nice and roomy, and a one-bedroom which I loved."