The Stratford Carmel, IN

I would give The Stratford a very pleasant review. The marketing person was very friendly and not pushy. I was looking for something separate. I did not want to be in an apartment style dwelling because I had a dog, and I wanted a front and a back door. This had a front door, a back door, and a garage which suited me fine. They had heated parking for those who stayed in a large apartment building. I liked the fact that I could be in a cottage, and it was a lovely cottage. It was 1,100 square feet. I thought it was rather pricy, but it was not a buy-in. So, I figured at the end of the year, 2 or 5 figures that was too much of a strain on my finances, but right now, it’s going to be fine.

Stratford was lovely and had different restaurants and spacious apartments. It was immaculately clean and provided shuttle service. I liked the food.

The Stratford was really nice. I did go there and, in fact about a year ago, I was there frequently when our pastor's wife was dying, and we were all taking turns at church staying with her. It was just a very nice facility, and the place I was visiting had very good meals, the service was very nice, and everybody said "Hi" and was pleasant, but I don't think this is some place my parents would want to live especially my dad. I would arrive and sometimes sit with them while they finish their meal, and the meals were very good. I didn't eat with them, but he was commenting on how very good they were. His wife was in the process of end stage Alzheimer's, and they prepared a special puree -- not so much puree, but more of like really soupy -- so that she could eat it. After the meal, they would clear it away just like they were being served by a waitress, and then they would say, "Would you care for a dessert, and do you want coffee with that?" And they would tell him his choices for dessert. Well, by then they knew him very well and his favorite pie, so they didn't ask if he wanted dessert. They just knew that he would like to have a piece of pie and would just ask him what kind of pie he wants, and they always brought him a cup of coffee. It was very nice, and they had a piano in the dining room area. There was kind of a dining room lounge that was right next to the dining room. They knew that she played the piano, and she couldn't remember anything else, but they set her up with the piano and she would play it, and all the residents would come and sit around, visit in the couches, and clap when she played a song. The nurses were very nice, and they would put her to bed, et cetera, then I would just sit quietly and read to her, and she would go to sleep. They were very open to the church members being part of not so much the care, but integrated into their social needs and support. A place like this is a place that my parents wouldn't be able to afford.

I have Clients, Family and Friends who reside in independent living apartments as well as apartments in Assisted Living and memory care Units within the Stratford. My observations are that the Stratford staff members are the most caring, knowledgeable, and dedicated healthcare professional in Metropolitan Indianapolis. Carmel is very lucky to have a retirement community within its boundaries of this caliber. The Village of West Clay is able to provide luxury residential options to a very diverse demographic population within its lovely neighborhoods. The Stratford residents are not isolated in an "old folks home" environment. The residents are welcomed to be part of the active lifestyle that the Village provides.

Stratford is very nice, but it's not within our reach. The rooms are spacious, and they have quite a few activities like exercises. We were invited to come back for a meal.

They kind of pigeon holed my mother. The Stratford would not show us their independent part of their facility. They insisted that because she had a stroke, she would be in an assisted living only. The woman was very nice, but she was a bit pretentious because she kept telling me what my mother would like. They only had one apartment choice. The facility itself was beautiful and immaculate. We didn't meet any of the staff. We walked out of it, and my husband said that there is no way. The woman did follow up with a visit. From a location standpoint, it was in the middle of a very busy neighborhood. From where I live, it would be too far. She didn't show us any menu, but she told us that it was restaurant quality. The dining room is lovely. There is an invisible wall between the independent living people and the assisted living. They don't intermix at all. I felt like we walked into another planet because it didn't really seem to be very friendly.