The Best Independent Living Communities in Schuylkill County, PA

"We had a brief tour of Renaissance Home Pinebrook. They had an area that was under construction, so they only showed us a sample room that was finished, and because of COVID we couldn't see where the actual residents were. The guy was very, very nice, and he answered all of our questions. They were amazing, and I really think that would have been a great place for her at that time. He told me about how they do pizza night once a month or twice a month there, how they had outings, but because of COVID they can't go out now. They tried to do virtual visits with family, church and stuff, and played bingo. They were great."

"My mother is currently living in Schoolyard Square. They have everything available for them there. I think they clean the room once a week, or once every two weeks. They prepare three meals a day for them. My mom has that button around her neck that she should fall, she clicks it, and someone comes running. It's all internal. They don't have to leave the building during snowstorms and stuff like that. The price was excellent. They pay a little extra for things like when they need to be taken to a doctor, or get a test. They pay a little extra for that per use. There's a laundromat right in the building that's free, along with these chemicals that they would need to do their laundry. I'm sure it's built into the price. They can have someone do their laundry for a small fee, and they have someone come in to do their hair if they like. It's really, really designed around them. There's not many fancy amenities, there's no pool. There is an exercise room that I think they're going to convert into a dining room. The staffing is great. They really are good people. They do have different things during the holidays, I guess different meals. They are allowed to socialize as freely as they want. They can come and go as they please. They're not locked in. During the COVID, it was a little different, but my mom could leave. I could go pick her up. I couldn't go in the building, but I could pick her up and take her out for lunch, or supper, or whatever I felt like doing. I think they can go down to Stoneridge in Myers town. I think they have a bus that would take them there and use the facilities down there, but I'm not sure if that's still available."

"I have moved my mom into Providence Place of Pine Grove. She is there for independent plus medicines. They provide the service of bringing medicines to her. They also offer personal care, but that costs even more. They provide three meals a day, which is really, really good food. The community is excellent. The people that work there are perfect for taking care of old people. They're just amazing. They know what they're doing. She is very happy with it. Food is excellent. As for activities, they do get-togethers and play bingo. They play cards, and they have people come in and do little concerts. Nothing big, it's just for the community. They have an exercise class. They have everything you need there. My mom's room is an efficiency. We brought an extra chair. She's got her TV and the bed is right there. She has her own bathroom. The facility is very clean, and it smells good. It's a little expensive, but you get what you pay for."

"Bloomsburg Towers was a very nice place. Their building was beautiful. They also had a recreational room where they played their games and get together. They also had a little spring outside with flowers "

"I went to Providence Place Senior Living of Drums (Hazleton). It is a very beautiful community. Every room is repainted and perfect when you move in. They have a very friendly staff there. They have various apartments that you can do. It doesn't matter what level of care you are in. They have different levels of care from one to four. You can stay in the same apartment no matter how much extensive care as you get older you may need. They have different-sized rooms and apartments. The food is more like home-cooked food, and a lot of like Italian things. The care has been excellent as far as what she needs. They have physical therapy onsite, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and a lot of activities. They have a bus. They go on trips. They can go to a store or they sometimes go to a movie or I believe they went to a play, different things like that. So they run a bus for a trip with that. They'll take people to doctor's appointments and things within a certain radius. They have an in-house doctor. They have nurses on staff. They distribute the medications if they need help with that. So, overall, they pretty much do everything anyone could need. And, they have a chapel there. My friend sometimes complains that the food is salty."

"StoneRidge - Poplar Run was probably one of my favorites. It was a very good option. We liked their care program. It was very nice in terms of amenities and aesthetics, and it felt inviting. The apartments were very nice, and they all have very nice floor plans. What I liked most about this place is all the mechanical stuff is outside the apartment. So, the maintenance could happen without having someone come into the unit. The dining area looked clean and inviting. At independent living, they have a meal plan where they could have so many meals a month. And if you add more meals to the plan, you would have to pay extra. I only met the staff who took us on a tour and she was great."

"We visited Furnace Creek Manor because we knew someone who lived there. It was like a regular apartment where you cooked your own meals. The place was very secure because no one could get in unless allowed by the residents. There was a community room where they did the activities. "

"We have chosen Country Meadows of Wyomissing for my father-in-law. The place is excellent. We were greeted by a few members of the staff who are all very nice, and we were introduced to more along the way. The place was very nice, very clean, and the staff was kind and courteous. We just hope that it's the right fit for him. The menu looked quite good, but I have not tried the food yet. The atmosphere was very homey. They allow their residents to bring in their own things. Overall, the rooms were just wonderful. They have a fitness director present a few days a week. They also have different entertainers that come from time to time. They do crafts, men's night once a month, a special club for the veterans, hiking, and all sorts of things. We are very pleased with everything about that facility."

"The Residence at Village Greens is very comfortable, very nice, and very organized. The staff is always smiling and very happy. The colors of the rooms, the hallways, and decorations, and stuff are very light, bright, and inviting. We get three meals a day, and they're excellent. Since I've been here, there has not been one meal that has not been good. It's been wonderful. It's kind of staying on vacation. I have a one-bedroom apartment, which is very spacious. I was surprised. I have a full kitchen. It has a washer and a dryer combo. It has a full refrigerator, a full stove, an oven and microwave, and a wonderful sink with a shower kind of a faucet. It has three closets besides the regular cabinets that you would get in a kitchen. You would pay an extra $20 or $25 for a storage unit that's in a separate area. The bathroom is wonderful. You can put a full-sized wheelchair through the door, and you could turn around. The shower is excellent. It's huge, and it has a seat that's very comfortable, not just one of those little tiny seats that fold down. It has a sort of handicap chair. It has a closet for your towels and other supplies that you would need, and a cabinet under the sink for beauty stuff or whatever. It's a very nice-sized bedroom. I just can't get over how nice it is. I've talked to other girls who have just a studio, and they have said it was adequate. There's been one or two that might have switched to a one-bedroom as they opened up and became available. They have a beauty salon and a nail salon here. They have a library upstairs. They have a community room where they do bingo, crafts, and things like that. They have what they call the 19th hole, like, if you missed a meal or you wanted to come in and have a snack or something after being outside, you'd come in and have a soda or bag of chips or something, and they're charged to your room. They have a beautiful lobby area. Even the upstairs common areas are very spacious, have a lot of windows, a lot of light, and are very nicely decorated and spacious. It's very clean. They clean your room once a week. If you want them to, they will make your bed, whatever needs to be done. They have many activities during the day of what you want to do. If you're the type of person who likes to participate in things, they have a good selection, if you're into doing puzzles, knitting, crocheting, playing cards, and bingo. They really have an assortment of things. They also offer maybe a trip to the local grocery stores, a trip to Bosco's, and other kinds of shopping kind of thing. Almost every week on a Friday or Saturday, they have some kind of entertainment come, singers or singing groups, choral groups, or something like that. There should be something here for everybody. It is expensive, but I think in my estimation, it's worth the money that you're paying when you think that they have to pay the wait staff or people that are serving you dinner. It isn't a buffet-style dinner. It's served to you. Your cable and TV, internet, and the little extra things that you need to have add up, so therefore your bill is a little bit higher, but I think there's nothing that I see as far as wasted money."

"I have been living in Alden Place for seven years now. It is well laid out. It has a clubhouse with indoor swimming pool, a gym, a big ballroom, pool tables, and a snack bar. They have people come in to teach yoga, Zumba, card games, pinnacle, and bridge. I am in what they call The Villa. It has three homes attached to each other. I am on an end unit, I have a two-car garage, and it is 1,400 square feet including the garage. "

"My brother-in-law just moved into The Lutheran Home at Topton. We were there last week to help him finish up. The employee that my husband dealt with was great. It is a great place, and they have elevators. They redid the whole apartment for him because somebody was living there prior. They follow all Covid requirements, and in the hallways, too. They have sitting rooms out, but masks must be worn at all times. His room looks over the field and all the deer come out. My brother is quite happy there."

"It is a big step for us to move my parents, but The Highlands is a very good place; that at least makes us feel better, but it’s bumpy from day to day. My parents spent from 58 years in our house kind of pretty much their own independence. They didn’t go into even independent living, they are in for personal care or assisted living which is a big adjustment one day could be really good, the next day could be really bad, and it was close to my brother’s place. So we thought that it would be better, and my sister-in-law knows two people that worked in that facility so that made another difference, and that is why we have decided too. We moved them out mid-September, and it’s November already now. They’ve had good things and bad things, they are both in walkers now, and they have to get a whole new set of doctors, so that another semi-headache but it’s OK. It is as good as can be expected; I have never done this before so I don’t really know what to expect. I think everybody has been very kind, and they are very attentive. It was kind of yin and yang because I know my mom didn’t want to give up so much of her independence; she has been father’s caregiver so now she is kind of like she wants help but she doesn’t. She is an RN so sort of she knows the best; and we have to kind of tell her to lay back and relax and let them do the work. The people have all been very kind, and that has been a real plus. There is so much to do, and it is really a beautiful place. I would like them to be closer to me, but I really can’t complain as it is a really nice place. I have been there three times, and every time I have been there, it’s just been very nice. "