Communities in Portsmouth, VA

"My mom moved into Bickford of Chesapeake in November. The facility is beautiful and brand new. It just opened in May, but it feels like home when you're inside. It doesn't feel institutional at all. They have big fireplaces and sofas in the seating areas. The staff is amazing and very knowledgeable. My mom has a large studio room that's nice and bright. It doesn't have a kitchenette. It's just a full bathroom with a walk-in shower. She has a dresser, a nightstand, a sofa with a small coffee table, and a bed, and there's still plenty of room. Three meals a day are included, and they have regular doctor visits. They have a hair salon inside. They do different fun activities all the time, like movies, popcorn, and games. What I was impressed with is that they have different stations set up throughout the facility to trigger memories. So, one is set up to look like an office, another is set up to look like a laundry area with an ironing board. They're very nicely done. I've been there to visit her when she's having her meals and everything looks good. It's farm-to-table as much as possible. They use fresh ingredients, they don't use processed foods."

"We did some research, and we decided to move mom to here because it has a pretty good reputation and good service. The staff is very good. The food is pretty good; they have a variety every day. I can't tell much because when my mom moved in there, it's around Covid pandemic. I don't have a lot of access to the facility during that time and even now, but it's very clean and very good."

"It is a very nice place with a very nice dining area and a room where they could go for activities and games. They have a library and a nice beauty parlor. It’s really such a nice place. "

"I went to Viva Senior Living at Chesapeake. Everything was memory care. The person that we met with and took the tour with was very personable, good, knowledgeable, and explained everything well. The facility was old, and it showed signs of age, and the rooms weren't appealing. The staff was very informative, and he followed up several times. He was putting the best face forward for the facility. Somebody comes in for the salon, nail, hair, that kind of stuff. They had a common shower. Bathing was like in a college dorm. You have to go down the hall to get your shower."

"Harmony at Oakbrooke is beautifully well-run with happy residents. It's perfect. The rooms were beautifully laid out. They were unfurnished, so I had to use my imagination. The staff is friendly and I loved it there. I saw a movie theater room, a cafe, a dining room that looks like a restaurant, a lovely entrance with a piano, they have physical therapy if you're prescribed physical therapy, and they have a gym. I saw their menu, but I didn't try the food."

"The facilities at Gardens of Virginia Beach were clean. I had lunch there and the food was very good. The rooms were clean and there were no smells. They took care of everything. The staff was very friendly, cooperative and answered the questions I had. "

"My family has just placed our Mom in Clare Bridge. While this has been a traumatic and emotional time for all of us, I wanted to share my first impressions. Walking through the front door the first time, I felt the warmth and welcoming atmosphere flowing through the hallways. The management staff were incredibly friendly and supportive throughout the whole process from touring the facility up to bringing Mom in and settling her in her room. All of the staff treat the residents with respect and dignity; everyone there treats each person with friendliness and care. Clare Bridge is clean, the décor and atmosphere are homey and comfortable, family members are made to feel welcome, Mom's room is not cramped and small - there is ample room for her furniture we brought from home, the activity program seems to be substantial, interaction with family is encouraged - in short, I feel very positive that we have placed Mom in the right place. I did not rate Clare Bridge with five stars, because Mom has only been a resident for two days - as time goes by I am sure the fifth star will be added. "

"The Waterford at Virginia Beach is fantastic and clean. My husband is in Reflections, which is their locked down or memory care unit. They listen to you. If you have a problem and go to the right people, you can get things fixed. He loves The Waterford. They're caring. They have Christmas parties, cookouts, picnics, and several things scheduled for the people outside the locked-down unit. They have an activities director who does exercises with them. They have puzzles and crafts and people who come in and sing for them and play piano. The food is fantastic. He is a country boy and very picky, and I have never seen him turn a plate down and loves the desserts. There's just not as many activities as I would like, and they are a little expensive."

"We toured Harmony at Independence. I felt like I was in an old people's home. I mean, it was because when we walked in there was an ambulance in the front door, and a lot going on in it, sort of not a good feeling. But when we went through the building, you got the feeling that it's not what I was looking for in an independent living where everybody is healthy and getting around you. The staff was very good. She's very sweet. I had talked to her on the phone several times. The facility was clean. I can't say that it wasn't clean. It was just getting the feeling that you were going into a nursing home, and that wasn't what I wanted to feel when I went there. The sizes of the rooms and the layout were very good. The size of the apartments that I looked at were nice. I was looking at a one-bedroom, which is all I need."

"Commonwealth Senior Living at Hampton was very nice. It's just recently been renovated. It's very pleasant, very comforting, and homey. The staff seems very, very, very helpful and very, very caring. The dining area is very bright. They have an herb garden growing there, so that was kind of cool. I have not tasted any of the food but the lady across the hall says it's very good. They have libraries, an exercise room, and I saw them doing crafts in the big room. They also do excursions. The lady that gave me the tour was very good. She answers all your questions. The grounds are kept up nicely."

"My father is in Bickford of Virginia Beach. It's an excellent place, and it feels like home. Their food is delicious. It's very well kept. I have no qualms. I would recommend it. They bring in people from a local church, they have services, games, and music. The staff is very cooperative, friendly, professional, and attentive. They're a positive group of people."

"Mother passed while at Arden Court within a week after she had a terminal diagnosis. The staff couldn't have been more loving and caring with her from her arrival to Arden Court and through the week that she passed. They were loving, kind, and nurturing to her always. I cannot thank you enough for making it a happy home for her. I tell everyone about how wonderful and dedicated you all are to your house guests!"

"My wife is in Harper's Station Yorktown. They care about her. The staff is very good. They have a licensed nurse, and she takes care of her and makes sure she gets her medicine. She's an eater. They fed me a good meal. It's a brand new facility, so it's perfect. They have plenty of activities for all the residents. It's just that my wife is too far into her dementia, so she doesn't participate. It's a lot of money for sleeping and eating."

"We visited Harmony on the Peninsula. They took us to the cafeteria, which was very fancy, and the grounds where they can sit outside and walk around or work in the garden. They gave us a tour of the different floor patterns, and they showed us the library. The tenants looked very happy being there, and they didn't look depressed. The person who gave us the tour was very informative about their meals, the activities, and how much it would cost us for my parent."