The Best Independent Living Communities in Wake County, NC

"The staff at Abbotswood at Stonehenge seemed like they care. The ones that I talked to seemed to have a passion for caring for their people. They had long-term employees and they recognized them with pictures on the walls and stuff. It was clean and it looked like they had some good activities."

"We chose Woodland Terrace for ourselves. It is away from the very busy streets, so it's very quiet. It's just 2 blocks from Trader Joe's and all those places where I buy fruits. To me, the location was great. We only have 180 residents. We have a pond with a walking trail and ducks on it. The people here are extremely friendly. I just came back from a friendship committee where I am a volunteer. There are a few things that I would personally want different. But to me, the things that were of high concern were the heated pool, the walking space, the fact that it's not too big, and the freedom we have in this community. We have breakfast. You just get bacon and eggs and other choices. By 11:30, we have lunch. If you want dinner, you pay an additional $200. We cannot eat two of these meals. It's impossible. We eat fruit in the evenings and that's good. They offer the activities that I need and they have good facilities here."

"I will be moving into Atria Oakridge. It's friendly and clean. They provide meals and they clean your apartment. The bedrooms are a little small, but they have a den, and the apartment I was looking at had a screened-in porch you could go out on and sit and enjoy the fresh air. I liked that about it. They have activities. They have video bowling, poker night, and other social events. All the staff I have met are very friendly and I met some of the residents and developed a friendship with one person. He's friendly and we talked a lot. They're the best place I looked at and I looked at several places."

"All of the physical features are great...so are the meals. However, many of the Independent Living options that my wife and I visited shared these attributes. We have lived here 13 months now. What I now realize is that what I like best is the sense of community. It is something you can not directly see as you tour various options. I think here at Atria Cary, the sense of community is nurtured by all of the engage life activities and the open seating for meals. It feels like everyone is a friend. We exchange stories and many laughs at meals. We share and develop new interest at so many activities. Another "not-directly-observable" attribute is the management team effort to listen to feedback and suggestions from residents. They schedule regular feedback meetings for each of the directors to listen to comments and report back results of earlier suggestions. So, Atria Cary is an evolving community meeting ever-changing resident needs."

"I've been here 4 months, made good friends and love the active activities. Everyone is friendly and helpful. I am really enjoying my time here. I'm close to two of my sons and see them often."

"I toured the independent living community of Jordan Oaks in Cary. So far, I liked it better than anywhere else. The people and staff seemed very nice. I met the manager there, and he was very good and very helpful in making me understand what was included and not included in the price. The location is very close to a lot of my doctors, so that is a very big plus. It was very close to town, toward Cary, and it was very easy to get from there to Fuquay-Varina. Everything seems to be quite clean. The place was very well-kept and neat. The structure was very nice. I also like that they have a library. It was small, but they had it. They have an exercise room, too. The apartments were just kind of what I was looking for. I'm looking for a 1-bedroom, and I thought the bathroom and closet spaces were very good. They had some amenities that were included in the price, which I like. Overall, I liked it very much."

"We toured the Reserve at Mills Farm. The person who showed us around was very charming and knowledgeable. We told her what we were looking for, and then she gave us a tour of the facility. She sent us home with some paperwork, information, and maybe floor plans. She did take us to a unit. The ceilings were tall. It was lovely. All their units have a patio, which we'd be very interested in for a little outdoor space. The patio is small. It's just enough for two chairs, but enough to sit there and have coffee in the morning. She showed us all around, like a game room, dining rooms, outdoor spaces, and common areas."

"We toured The Cambridge at Brier Creek. The people were lovely. We went there on a lunch invitation that we received in the mail. I liked the whole facility. Also, something that I liked is they have a parking deck. You get out of your car in a parking deck, then go into the building and take an elevator up and down to your unit. The upkeep was very nice. The food was good, and they talked to us about how they changed and updated the menu. They had certain things on the menu all the time, and the dining area is beautiful."

"I plan on staying here at The Meadows at Brier Creek. I love my 2-bedroom apartment. I love the area. I love being able to walk and I love my neighbors. I like that there's a washer and dryer in each unit. They have a community room and they have a room where they have gym equipment. They do bingo twice a week, and then they have a community lunch for each season. The lobby is decorated with nice furniture, and the sitting area is all over the whole floor."

"I went to see Brier Pointe Retirement Community and toured the place for independent living, and it was a very positive visit. I was with a friend and the person who took me through showed us everything around. We went through a model room that was furnished, and then we also went through one that was unfurnished. Quite frankly, anything I see after that will have to meet their standards because right now, they are number one for me. I have no negative thing to say about them at all. They have on-site physical therapy and a physical therapist on duty. They have a 24-hour manager and a concierge service. All of my doctors are in Chapel Hill, and when I'm no longer able to drive or feel comfortable driving, their transportation would take me there. Everything they had was a plus. They're pet-friendly, and there's no extra fee for a pet. They offer three meals a day, and they have a 24-hour chef kitchen and pantry where they have salads and sandwiches that are already prepared. It also has juices, soft drinks, and things you can just go by and pick up. I also like that they are not plated meals; it's a buffet. They have two soups a day that they change constantly. They post outside the dining area the activities for the day as well as the menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Their theater is very plush and nice, and they have movies there. They also bring in live entertainment. Today is when they're having a Kenny Rogers impersonator. Their calendar is very full. They have a large craft area that includes sewing machines and places where you could do quilting and that kind of thing. They have a separate library, too. All of their amenities were just very nice. I like that they don't use a lock and key but a keypad. The only key is from the manager. You have a choice of a bracelet or a necklace for a Life Alert system. They have a full-size washer and dryer in all the units. They have weekly housekeeping that includes changing the sheets. All of that is inclusive, and there's no tipping allowed, which I like."

"The staff are very helpful and responsive. They care about checking in with you and your loved one. The lease process was transparent and easy to navigate."

"I was very satisfied with Cambridge Village of Apex. When I'm ready to make the move they will certainly be the top contender. They had what I wanted. I was looking for a place that had an indoor pool. They had that. The apartments looked fine to me. I met and talked to a few people. The only thing that was a downfall was that the annual percentage goes up on the apartments from year to year. I understand people have to make money. I didn't want to move into some place where four or five years down the road I would have to move. I told the girl who toured me, when she followed up with a phone call, that that was the thing that I was a little bit apprehensive about. I met the marketing director and the head of activities, and I thought they did a good job. It was the marketing director's job to market the place, and she answered all my questions. The place was very clean."

"The Lodge at Wake Forest only had apartments on the third floor at that time, and I was looking for the first floor. The staff, the cleanliness, and the structure were excellent. The rooms were fine."

"I recently visited my aunt and was impressed by the warm and welcoming environment. The staff were friendly and attentive, and it was clear that the residents were happy and well cared for. I would highly recommend Atria Southpoint."