SummerWood of Chanhassen

SummerWood was very bright and had a lot of younger people so it didn’t seem like an old folks' home. It had good amenities and was priced relatively easy. I liked the way it looked and I felt comfortable there. It was a nice community and it's also in a good location.

I think summerwood is an excellent all-around facility, I have several friends that lived there, and they highly recommend it too. The rooms we looked at were nice, but my wife thought they were small.

We visited SummerWood for my aunt.It was a beautiful, lovely place. I think that going there was the first realization that this might be workable for her, because up to that point, she was somewhat resistent. When she got there, looked around, and talked to people, it really did start to change her mind. She was thinking, "Oh, I don't have to cook every meal" because she hasn't been eating well, so it was very helpful. I thought the people at SummerWood were very nice and helpful.

The facility is not too bad. Nice amenities, A movie theater, Events and activities. And my mother likes the other people living there... Yet, I want to type many paragraphs of problems... My mother complains of something almost every time I visit. A common one is the food is usually terrible - sometimes okay, but sometimes so bad she tells me she didn't eat it. And getting help with anything is always the same - to the point she has gotten so tired of being told 'we will have to charge for that' when she asks for help - she is afraid to even ask for things now I think. Most of the things she tells me are so simple, would require minimal effort and sometimes no effort - just presence to make sure she finished something safely. A recent surgery has made care more difficult there. Instructions from her Doctor have gone ignored (to call me if she falls, and go to Urgent Care asap if there is pain)... After 4 falls in one week and Mom saying even if she presses her call pendant, they don't show up for a long time, often showing up after she has finished in the bathroom after cleaning up because she didn't make it in time... I finally gave in and agreed to upping services, another $1000+ per month - just to help her go to the bathroom once a day - early am when she had been falling... Mother's requests were ignored - took many requests by me to get them to NOT force her to go to the bathroom 6 times/day (included for that fee) - when we only want the scheduled one once a day around 3 am. This 'once a day' was the 'basis' I explained needed and insisted on, stating the other 5 times would not be used unless she requested them. They ignored that, scheduling 6 times/day - guess they did not want her using her call pendant for bathroom calls - would rather schedule and force them on her - just obvious. A week now and seems they finally are getting this right. Oh, and one fall on Friday, the weekend aid told me the Nurse would check on her and call me Monday - okay... well, she called around 4 pm - just before she left... WHY take so long? This is supposed to be a Christian place - where caring for the customer is the first thought... yet - they place $ more important than care. Little things I hear - like we pay for shower and also for drying her off - but the aid then leaves right away - can't stay a minute just to watch and be sure Mom gets dressed on her own okay... My Mom said she asked 'can you stay for just a minute to be sure I am okay' - and is told 'no, have to go help someone else'... Mom has finally accepted the lack of care and not to expect any courtesy's there anymore... I have no idea how expensive other places are or if their care policies or services are the same as here - maybe Summerwood is better than most? I just wish they would make a better effort to provide the care requested - that I wouldn't have to hear bad things from my Mom, and to ask over and over the few things that are important... Approaching Summerwood management now - I feel like they hate me for bugging them again... I seldom feel a friendly attitude from them anymore - like we felt during the initial tour...

Summerwood was really nice. We really liked it except my grandma wouldn't use any facility. It just wasn't for her. The staff seemed friendly and pleasant. The rooms were spacious and the bathrooms were equipped for the elderly.

I went to SummerWood of Chanhassen and I saw that the place is new. The location had an easy access to church and shopping. They do have exercise class and the facility is able to transition from independent to assisted living, but it was just a little too far from our place.