The Best Senior Living Communities in Chestnut Hill, MA

"Sophia Snow Place is all inclusive, so Mom has assistance with anything she needs. She has meal choices, 3 times a day plus the pastry cart in the morning, help with showering and meds, does yoga and has wonderful caregivers, she loves them all. They are consistent and helpful and pleasant and she feels very secure. The facility itself is immaculately clean, her room is very large and comfortable. The people are organized and helpful, there is someone at the door who knows when people go in and out. They were referred to us by the nurses that do care there, and it was a great decision. There is nothing that she misses from home!"

"I could see my uncle at Evans Park at Newton Corner and be happy there. I like that it seemed they would be very attentive. They also seemed to be able to have the staff and support that my uncle would need. The two people that we interacted with were lovely. Their approach, their explanation, and their attention to detail were all something that I enjoyed experiencing. They had a lot of wonderful things that they offer there. They have a salon. They had a barber who would come to my uncle's room and cut his hair. They have a podiatrist that would help with cutting toenails. So those things are important, and they have them in place."

"I'm staying here at Cabot Park Village for December. I had dinner here with my sister before I came. They've got a pool, they have a driver five days a week, and the staff here is very nice. One time they gave me a ride to Cabot Park and on the way home, I asked if we could stop at the Verizon store because I was having trouble with my phone and we did stop at the Verizon store. It took 10 minutes. The guy only had to push a button on my phone. However, I later found out that Todd, my driver, thought it was going to take an hour or two, and he stopped for me anyway. The rooms are very nice and clean. They have windows. Everybody's pretty nice and the food is good. Breakfast and dinner are served in the dining room, and they have a variety. CVS is within walking distance. It's a nice atmosphere. There are lots of activities. Two days a week, there's aerobics in the pool. I know they have a lecture series. It's very clean and it's well maintained. They have more activities that I want to do."

"I like Sunrise of Newton. I like the openness of the hallways and the elevators. Because it's new, they were able to have more space. They took time to follow up and answer my questions. They have a fridge in the room, but of course, they don't have a stove. They have a backyard. They have grills and things like that out there."

"I had moved into Wingate Residences at Needham, but I had to move out again, not that I got sick and nobody around me got sick, but I knew I'd be in lockdown in their senior living and that would defeat the purpose of my living there, so I moved back home. I was there for a couple of weeks. They were very nice. It was a lovely place. They provide excellent service, good food, and things that you would hope for, but I didn't want to be isolated. There's a library, a swimming pool, a fitness center, and a theater, but I couldn't take advantage of any of these things because of the Covid lockdown. I had two Covid tests, so I had to stay in quarantine the whole time. The physical appearance was beautiful. I had a little experience with the activities. I heard an excellent lecture on my first day, but then I had to go on quarantine, so I didn't get to experience anything."

"We toured The Residence at Watertown Square. It looked like the floors and walls were in very good physical condition. It didn't look like it was beaten up, with people walking around with walkers and wheelchairs. So, it was in pretty good shape. I had a couple of issues, and part of it is that my dad has difficulty getting up out of chairs. He would not be able to use any of the upholstered chairs that are in the common space. He needed a solid chair to sit in with arms to push himself up, so that was one of the issues in that particular location. The second one was the thickness of the carpeting in the room I looked in. I noticed, when I stepped on it with my sneakers, that it grabbed my feet. I'm just thinking, my dad, that if it grabs his feet, he walks with walking sticks and is more prone to falling. If a unit had hardwood floors or solid floors instead of carpet, that might be something he needs. The woman there, Amanda, indicated that they may be able to replace the carpeting. They want to be accommodating to the people. So, that's a good thing. Everything was easy to access, including the elevator and the laundry room. Those were positives. People were having lunch at that time, and they all seemed happy, and there was no controversy. It's a good setting. Amanda was very nice and considerate."

"My father has been in Brigham House for about a week now. It's just perfect, and they are incredibly helpful. I was looking for an economical alternative in Massachusetts, and Brigham House accepts assistance on some of their residents, which some places don't. It's very clean. They've had no COVID outbreaks, and the staff seems very professional and fabulous. I looked at their Facebook page and it had a lot of positive pictures and positive comments on it, and it's only a mile from where I live. His room is a studio, and it's relatively small. It's 440 square feet, but it's laid out nicely. He has a small kitchenette and they allow their residents to have a cook service, which is fine. He's 98 and he really shouldn't be cooking for himself anyway. The bathroom is very nicely sized and he can get his walker in it very easily. It has a shower stall and they're assisting him with bathing as well. It's an old school and they had it rehabilitated. His room has very large windows, so it's very bright and sunny, which is nice. It's incredibly clean, and it really was a good fit. He'll be getting all of his meals, and they'll change his sheets and wash his towels weekly, which is a big help. At this point in time, he doesn't need help with his medications, but that's available, and I think that's gonna be coming down the road. The food is very good, and they have quite a few activities there. My father is new, so he hasn't been able to participate yet because he's been in quarantine for the first few days there, but they do memory games, bingo, and some movement classes for people. They have a nice variety of activities, and they sponsor movies in the common rooms in the evenings. "

"Scandinavian Living Center was an absolutely lovely facility. Great staff, beautiful, lots of recreational and educational opportunities, and good food. It had beautiful rooms, small, intimate settings. You name it, they have it: music, dance, games, outside speakers coming in, and community organizations that meet in the building so the seniors can participate. You basically have a little apartment with a little bit of a kitchenette, but they had communal meals too."

"My wife and I are both in an assisted living accommodation at The Falls at Cordingly Dam. She's on the fourth floor and I'm on the first floor. I'm looking for an independent living accommodation because it is not good for me to be in an assisted living accommodation. She's fine here, but this is not the place for me. There's no activity for me here. We've been here for two months. I'm not happy here, but my wife is here. This is great for her, but not so good for me mentally and/or physically. I think the staff is superior. The accommodations are very nice for the assisted living. They have programs during the day, but everything requires assisted living and I do not need assistance in living. Their activities are for those who need assistance rather than for independent individuals. The rooms are very nice and very comfortable. The heating and air-conditioning is very adequate. There's nothing wrong with the accommodations at all. There's nothing wrong with the programs at all for the assisted living residents that are here. There's nothing wrong with the facility at all. I'm very pleased with the activity here for them. The food is great. They do a great job. I have a two-room apartment, fundamentally. It's very small and it's $10,800 a month."

"My friend has moved here. It has the perfect size apartment for her. They're wonderful staff. They're supportive and caring. She can get outside and walk on her own. She is near a close friend who can come over frequently when needed. Food is okay. The amenities are very tastefully done, very attractive, and very comfortable. Every time I go, which is pretty frequent, there are always a lot of residents gathered comfortably around. It's just a comfortable, welcoming living environment for everybody. It seems that everybody feels comfortable kind of gathering as friends. The dining room is more personal. It's comfortable looking and comfortable feeling. It doesn't look stark and cold like a restaurant. All in all, It was the perfect answer for us in every way."

"My Mom has been a resident of Waterstone at Wellesley for more than two years now and is thriving like never before. She's highly engaged in the community and has made close friends with whom she enjoys meals, activities and shared interests. I can always count on the staff at Waterstone to reach out to me with issues (there are seldom any, but they are both proactive and responsive when needed). And the location on the Charles, and so close to the highway, makes for both an oasis and a convenience. My mom has, happily, gained a bit of weight since moving to Waterstone - she had lost so much during the pandemic we were concerned. She loves the food and the options available at meals. We have no complaints at all. It's hard to get a read on a community unless you are there during meals or Happy Hours, which Waterstone has twice a week for residents of both Independent and Assisted Living communities. It's a lot of fun for residents and gives my mom (and others) something to get dressed up for (mom puts on her best *AND* makeup)! We are extremely happy with Waterstone."

"I visited Susan Bailis. That place was to die for with a cute setup. The room was a one-bedroom with a living room. The people were very nice. The sitting area was very quaint, and it smelled good in there. It’s a fairly new place. The staff was excellent, especially the woman at the front door. They had underground parking, so visitors could stay as long as we want. I love it."

"After a 94- year run, our mother passed after a life well lived. She left behind a great legacy and loving family of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Like many in her situation, the last several years of her life included health challenges, an inevitable decline and the necessity of finding a nursing facility to attend to her needs. Living in Boston/Metro-West, there existed an array of nursing and residential choices. After an extensive process of exploration and vetting the family agreed that Belmont Manor would be the optimal choice. We have been so pleased with our selection. The second-generation family ownership, which actively manages Belmont Manor, consistently conveyed a feeling of genuine care and concern for our mother’s well-being, and that of her fellow residents. The experienced staff (including many loyal, veteran team members) were knowledgeable, and eager to update us in person or by phone. What stood out was the caring staff who supported her as her health declined and how they cared for her with such dignity and respect. Visiting with her downstairs in one of the many comfortable indoor or outdoor seating areas always felt warm and comforting. Indeed, our visits always brought offerings of heat lamps, warm blankets, and bottled water! When our mother’s health declined and visits became more frequently upstairs in or near her room, we were always greeted with a smile and update at the nurse’ station. Often, our mother would be seated near the nurses’ station at a key corridor intersection. Greeting and interacting with other residents and passers-by kept her going and provided her with an incredible sense of purpose! Many of our visits ran into mealtime and to see the carefully prepared meals, hot table servings, and accompanying entertainment, crafts, and socialization offered in the community activity/dining room reassured us that Mom’s every need was met. As our mother’s dietary and care needs became more pronounced, the team smoothly transitioned to the next stage. Belmont Manor’s integration with hospice in her final months enabled additional support not only for Mom, but for our family, as well. We will always be so grateful for the outstanding care, comfort, attention, and respect that Belmont Manor offered Mom throughout her years-long stay. Belmont Manor ownership/management and their amazing staff provided Mom with such a wonderful home and her family with the ongoing reassurance that she was so well cared for and loved. A Very Appreciative Family"

"Maplewood is a lovely, warm and inviting assisted living facility. My mother-in-law moved into Maplewood about three months ago and we have been so impressed with every aspect of the community. The physical campus is beautiful and includes very well decorated and inviting common areas and spacious apartments. The management is top notch and provides a personal touch by getting to know each resident and their family. The activities are one of the best parts of the experience at Maplewood. My MIL loves participating in many of the offerings, including musical entertainment, spiritual services, and gatherings in "the pub". We feel so relieved to have my MIL in such a safe, friendly, caring and beautiful environment. It's wonderful!"