Independent Living Communities in Salem, VA

"Elm Park Estates is strictly independent living. It's a very, very nice facility. The rooms are of good size. The two bedrooms are really nice. The one bedroom is a little bit small. We did have a meal there when we had the tour and I was very pleased with the meal we had. The folks that we toured with were very, very gracious and actually have invited us back. Even if they are independent living, they try to aide their people in place. Once you get to the point where you really, really need a lot of care, they are going to work with you to try to make sure that you can stay there as long as possible. This is number 1 on my list if mom is truly just independent living. "

"The most impressed I have been, is that everybody knew my name right away. Staff is courteous, and efficient. I've been around the staff enough that I can tell what their mood is. I have a suggestion for Activities. Maybe add Shuffleboard, or electronic bowling or some sort of Arcade game."

"I visited Richfield Retirement Community. The staff seemed friendly and helpful. I thought their apartments were roomy enough for me, since I was on a wheelchair. They also took the residents shopping and on outings but I did not think they had transportation for my condition. "

"I liked Richfield Living-Salem Campus. The staff was very friendly. It was very clean and secure. It's a nice place. They have a place where memory care residents can go outside and get some fresh air if they need it (of course with people monitoring them). It was beautiful. They have staff available at all times to make sure everybody's okay. They have a day room where they have activities. They also play games, and have different people come in and play music for them and they dance."

"Brandon Oaks has a great reputation. It is beautiful, but it is out of my price range. They're extremely friendly. I had lunch there and it was great. They have a library. They have everything. They have a pool and a tennis court. You name it, they have it. There's a hospital right down the road, and there's a big shopping center and a restaurant there. You name it, it's there. With regards to upkeep, it's spotless. It's very well maintained."

"We have known Friendship Manor for years because we've kind of grown up in this community since the 60's. It's a massive facility now all over the valley. The people that we talked to were excellent. They answered all our questions regarding Medicaid, the facility, and services. I can't say anything bad about the staff. The staff interacted with residents. The lady who took us around was very informative. However, the whole facility is basically a hospital floor. Residents are only allowed to have a hospital bed. They cannot bring in any chairs or recliners or anything from their home. They were well taken care of, that was obvious. It was clean, but the actual facility offered nothing as far as homeyness or being welcoming. It literally was a hospital floor that they left exactly the same and put a memory care residence in. The staff who toured us was very accommodating. She worked with our schedule, and she was extremely knowledgeable. She knew what mom would need and what they could offer. She was very helpful with Medicaid, with any of the processes there, and guided us as if we were going to need that to help supplement her being able to pay for this. Honestly, it was $8,400. We were just flabbergasted. It would have been very sad because there was nothing there: no flowers and no garden. They had a 4th-floor balcony as their outdoor area that was completely concrete, nothing inviting or welcoming at all with it. I was just very disappointed with what we saw there. We would never have considered it for her. I felt like the care level was very good though. The staff interacted with the residents. I didn't see anyone sitting alone like what you think of people doing in a nursing home in memory care. You'd kind of think of them being pushed aside. The residents in Friendship were all in various areas where they could be monitored by staff. I don't feel like there was any problem with actual care. I think they were very well taken care of."