The Best Memory Care Communities in Skagit County, WA

"My brother moved to Creekside Continuing Care Community. The reason we chose it was because of proximity. The staff is great. The rooms are clean. They really address maintenance issues in a timely manner. I like the staff because of their professionalism, help, knowledge, ease of contact, and concern. They have activities and it's easy to access, proximity to a town, and it has big windows outdoors, very outdoorsy. I think there's also attention to nutrition and calories and they're very concerned about quality and health issues, good portions. There's a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, and that was a positive. They have activities that they do at home, like music, movies, games, and get-togethers. They've got a good library. The only thing I'd like to complain about is their exercise room. They probably need a more extensive exercise room. I think everything's expensive, but for what they're providing I think their base rate is good for the food. I could say it's very good. The only thing I would recommend a little more thoroughly is just more outdoor space for the residents, perhaps an enclosed park-like environment, much more grass and trees."

"The care that my mom receives at Whispering Willows is exceptional! The staff are caring, attentive, and knowledgeable about memory care. There's plenty of space for the residents to safely wander- hallways that loop around and have handrails as well as enclosed courtyards. They have daily activities for the residents. The food is great - my mom eats well. The environment is very clean and welcoming. And they accept Medicaid. Highly recommend!"

"My father-in-law is at Birchview Memory Care. They're excellent. We are so happy we have him there. We toured probably five or six different facilities, and by far, they have the nicest accommodation in terms of the way the place looked, the way that place smelled, the setup of the rooms, the relationship to the dining room and to the nurses' station, and how patients were moved around from place to place. My father-in-law has severe cognitive issues, so I think he's at like the highest level of assistance that they offer there, but we feel really comfortable having him there. Everybody is so caring and so engaging. Everybody is so happy there. All the staff are so positive and happy. Most of them have been there for 17 years or 15 years. It's amazing how warm and comforting they are. It's very expensive, but if your loved one has the money and you want them in the best possible place for advanced memory care, there is no place like it. It's amazing. We had a couple of hiccups in the first three days of having him there. We needed to get them on a routine and we didn't know the nurse's names and stuff like that, but literally it only took two or three days to get him on a shower schedule, a hygiene schedule, getting him out to common areas so he is not isolated, and getting his sleep under control because he had nights and days mixed up. They got that under control, too. He kept losing his hearing aids, so they moved the hearing aids to the nurses' station. They put his hearing aids in the morning and take them out at night, so he is no longer losing a hearing aid for a week. Same thing with his dentures. The facility is very well-kept. The landscaping is very nice. When you drive in, everything is very clean. You open the door, and there are small offices right around there with very warm, inviting people. The marketing person, the person who does the finances, and the executive director are all right there. The check-in station is all right there. Everybody is very welcoming. Because it's a lockdown facility, you open the door, and you go into a common area that has a beautiful fireplace and a huge fish tank. Residents would love to go and sit in front of it and watch the tropical fish. Then there's a beautiful dining room just off the fish tank, and it has beautiful lighting. The furniture is very upscale. The meals there are amazing. They have a wonderful selection of food. Their chef is an actual chef, not just a cook. We've met all these people. On the day that we brought our father-in-law in, the chef came and talked to us about what he likes to eat, and whether he has any dietary needs. It's just great. The hallways are wide. It is very clean. They don't have carpeting in the hallway. It is luxury vinyl or whatever, which I think helps with the smell. They do laundry every day, so it doesn't sit in their rooms smelling. They have housekeeping that comes in every day. My father-in-law's room is probably one of the largest ones they have. They have a lot of shared rooms, but financially, he is able to have his own room. He has a nice window there. We have it set up really nicely for him. We decided not to bring a TV for him because he was isolating, watching his TV in his room. He is just down the hall from a beautiful TV room where they have a fireplace, the TV on the wall, and there are really comfy chairs. He goes down there every day. He is near the nurses' station. They have an upstairs dining room that he goes to right now. It's a lot smaller and not as nice as the downstairs dining room, but for him, I think it's perfect because he is not highly functioning. He just needs to eat meals near his room, so we have that all set up. It's memory care, so they don't let them have soap, toothpaste, and stuff like that. It's all locked in a cabinet in his room, but we can get in and get hold of it. It's great. He fell twice in his first week there because he gets up at night and roams around, but they have a sensor, and so they were immediately there to assist him, and he was unharmed. They called us literally right away. So, it was the middle of the night that we got these calls, but we really appreciated it because we knew he was safe. We just can't say enough about the staff there. Everybody cares. They are very warm and caring people."

"The Lighthouse was excellent and very nice inside. It was a couple of years old and tucked away at the end of the street, so it was perfect. They have scheduled activities, but don't force patients to go to something they might not be interested in. The common areas were open and wonderful and included a lot of little areas for family. "

Welcome Home Oak Harbor Senior Memory Care is located in Oak Harbor, WA, and specializes in providing hospice and memory care services. This community is designed to support seniors who require specific care related to serious illness and memory-related conditions. The facility focuses on creating a supportive and secure environment for its residents, ensuring they receive the attention and care they need.The amenities at Welcome Home Oak Harbor are tailored to enhance the living experience of its residents. The community offers meals, which are provided daily, and features both outdoor and shared common areas where residents can relax and socialize. For safety and convenience, the building access is controlled. Additionally, WiFi and internet access are available throughout, and there is a communal dining area which encourages social interaction during meals.In terms of services, Welcome Home Oak Harbor provides a comprehensive range of support options to meet the diverse needs of its residents. These services include general and medical transportation, which ensures residents can attend external appointments without hassle. Medication management and assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) are also provided, catering to the health and daily care requirements of the residents. For those with specific medical needs, the community offers incontinence and diabetic care. Housekeeping services are included to maintain a clean and pleasant living environment, and the community also accepts Veterans Aid (VA) benefits, which can help in financing the care needed.To learn more about this providers license and review other available state reports, please visit: Washington State Department of Social and Health Services Long-Term Care Residential Options

"My mom was at Summer Hill for a while. They were very good. They had good food and good people working there. It was good overall. It was clean and well kept. They did things all the time like little Bible sessions, bingo, PT, and all kinds of things. They had a salon. They also have a physical therapist there for doing activities, and they would drive them around in their bus to go to different cities and see sites."

"I visited this very nice nursing home on two occasions to visit my grandmother, who was suffering from Alzheimer's. She had been having troubles living at home after breaking her hip, so we moved her to this place after some research. I have to say every time I was there, I felt like family, and I feel like my grandmother felt like family. One of the nurses, I believe, had a large dog which came in regularly, and my grandmother was always so happy to see it. In addition, the people coming to perform church services were fantastic, friendly, and seemed genuinely concerned about every resident. The nurses were all exceptionally kind and were willing to make exceptions for my grandmother whenever she needed them (especially during dinner time-- picky eater!). The grounds and the building were always in perfectly clean condition when I visited and included all of the amenities that any person in a nursing home could require. All in all, I thank Home Place for everything they did for my grandmother and for my family in ensuring us that she had a happy place to live. "

"We did a tour of The Bellingham at Orchard for my mother, and it seemed great. The staff was very nice. The facility is very roomy and fairly big. They also had nice dining areas and a lot of nice outside spaces."

"My husband is at Highgate at Bellingham. It's way too far out expensive. Right now, it has been really rough because of Covid isolation. My husband is pretty sad that he can't even see anybody, but that's not their fault. The problem I have with some of it is that he gets a lot of missing items. When I send about 20 pairs of pants, he is down to 2, and that's not appropriate. Other than that, there has been no issue except for the cost. It was all virtual tour, so I didn't get to even go in his room. They don't have a whole lot of activities because of Covid. My husband said the meals are fine. He said the breakfast is not good, but lunch and dinner are fine. The price is terrible because they're charging way more than other facilities, and I'm not getting anything out of it. The part that bothered me even more was when I went to put him in there, they charged me an extra $3000 to $4000 just to get him set up in there. I thought that was totally inappropriate. I was not happy about that and that bothered me. I just don't think they're upfront on everything. The people were very nice though."

"I visited Brookdale Bellingham and was impressed with the place. I did not choose it because it didn't have an option for if you need to switch to Medicaid when you run out of money. The rooms were nice and clean but on the small side. "

"I visited the Silverado Bellingham and loved it. That would be my number-one choice. They're keeping the people engaged, I think it's excellent, but it depends upon financing; that's my only drawback. I thought the rooms were excellent. They have single rooms that you're going to pay more for, and they have double rooms, but they have plenty of space for their clients there. They have a couple of activity rooms for them. One would be if you wanted to watch movies, and the other if you wanted to do hands-on activities. They had gardening in their little outdoor, enclosed area for people who liked to garden, they had a place where you could have your hair done, and you could go in the kitchen and help them cook. Lea is excellent."

"San Juan Villa is wonderful. They are amazing out there. My mom has been out there for about two years now and they are so good with her and they take very good care of her. The facility is always very clean and very nice. The staff is wonderful. I have not had anyone that I haven't liked. I've had nothing but good and positive experiences with them. They are all really, really wonderful. I have recommended them to several other people. The activity's director is great too. They always have lots of things going on for them. It's a really great community and I am really happy to have mom out there. We don't have to worry about her at all. "

"The Cottages at Marysville was very welcoming, comfortable, homey, and very professional. They meet everyone's needs as needed. The staff's work ethics is very good. The rooms are very nice and very clean. They have gardening, outings, music, and many things to keep them busy and occupied. Whatever they like to do, they find a way to let them do it. The dining area is very good. There are different cottages, and each has a dining area. "