Hamilton Parc

Donna

My husband and I moved to Hamilton Parc's senior apartment. The people who live here are very nice. We haven't met anybody we didn't like. There are quite a few activities that they can do, like swimming and different exercises. There are also parties and things like that, so there is quite a bit for people to do. We just don't get involved. We go to trivia on Friday, though, because there's nothing you'd have to do physically for that. You just sit there and remember. The amenities are nice, although right now, they're building, and that has been a pain in the neck because of the hammering and the junk and the water going down some people's bathrooms because something's going wrong with the building next door. Despite that, we've had people moving in pretty steadily. This is quite a change from us, and I have to admit that my husband is taking it better than I am. The apartment is very small because we couldn't afford the money that it cost to stay in the larger apartments, so it took a while for me to get used to the smallness of it. A lot of the things that I had in my other home are now in a storage room upstairs. Somebody has to take that into their mind when they think of moving. How much space will you have, and how much do you need, those kinds of things. I really could use more space, and this is a small apartment, but everything works. There's been a turnover of managers, so I don't really know any of them very well, but they seem to be pleasant enough. A couple of times, I've had some snide remarks from somebody from the staff because they didn't seem to want to answer questions, so I can't say that they're the best people around. It might have been that they've been having a bad day or something, though. We have a monthly meeting of all of the people here so that they can tell whoever is holding the meeting at that point if there are any problems or questions that they might have. It is a nice and well-kept place. There's plenty of parking, and there are garages. Right now, everybody's putting flowers on the patio outside and getting ready for summer, so that's kind of fun to watch. The grounds are beautiful, and there is a nice backyard with a fire pit and places to cook something outside, so they have that for the summer for people who want to eat outside. They have community dinners every month, and they have a continental breakfast in the morning, which I can't do because I'm a diabetic. It's usually bagels and anything like that. It was a nice way for people to get together, though. I just can't eat that kind of stuff. Once a month, there is a big breakfast, usually from one of the local restaurants, and no one has to pay anything. You just go down and have your breakfast, so that's nice to have. I would have liked it every night because I hate cooking. They allowed our cat, so that was good. I would say that it's certainly worth looking into for people. It's certainly not a cruddy place. The upstairs people have 2-bedroom apartments and coat closets that are bigger than the one we have. We also have an indoor pool with lots of exercises that go along with it, and someone who takes care of it. As far as I'm concerned, I think the value is adequate. They have all of the kitchen appliances, washers and dryers, and all that kind of stuff in the unit, so it's pretty move-in ready.

Mary A

If you have mobility issues, this is not the place for you. The public areas are beautiful but the apartments are cheaply furnished. There is no ice maker or slide out shelves in the refrigerator; no garbage disposal; the HVAC system barely does the job. The original staff have all been fired or left of their own volition. There is no fire plan nor any backups if the power fails. Inadequate insulation of pipes have caused them to burst and flood some apartments. A new management company is taking over. We'll see if things improve.

Jeanne

I visited Hamilton Parc in Guilderland, which was very impressive, but I'd be paying for too many things that I know I wouldn't use, and the living space wasn't what I wanted. It was a beautiful facility, only half full, brand new, very attractive, and well-run. I just needed more room in my personal apartment. The staff was terrific and very nice. It also has a lot of good things like the movie theater, billiards, and all that.

William

We looked at Hamilton Parc, an independent living community, and we liked it. We looked at ones that would allow you to bring pets, and they would. It's a fairly new facility and getting ready to expand, so my wife and I could move into a new unit that hasn't even been lived in yet. The people we met who are residents there were very friendly and nice. It has all the facilities that you would want, like an indoor pool, libraries, game rooms, and a movie theater. They have a workout room, and physical therapy available there, too. We met one of the people running it. They also have a beauty salon. The people that we dealt with there were friendly and concerned about trying to meet your needs. The staff there was very good. During our tour, they had something going on that might have been a potluck or a bring-your-own kind of thing. The rooms we saw were open and airy. The dining room was a nice place. Everything was, because it's a new facility.

Freda

Hamilton Parc is on top of my list. They're a 55-plus. The apartments were at a decent price. They include all utilities. A one-bedroom, one-bath was from $2400 to $2700. A one-bedroom, one-bath with a den was $2600 to $2700. Your monthly rent included internet, cable, water, sewer, trash removal, onsite controlled storage, and scheduled transportation. They had a walking trail around the back. They had a little dog park. Right across the road was a food store. They have a couple of T.J. Maxx stores in there. Then, a little bit farther down the road were a couple more businesses. It's brand new. It's only two years old. I had issues with the salesperson. She was too pushy. If I could sign within two weeks of being there, I could get two months free. I didn't get to see too many staff. I did see some of the older people in the swimming pool. They tried to get me to go into the swimming pool. Everybody we talked to was very friendly. They do Sunday dinners, like appetizers, then they'll have hot dogs or tacos or something like that. It was beautiful, considering that it's two years old and there was still snow on the ground. They have parking around the building, so the residents can park close to an entrance. They have a library and a fitness room. They have a nurse on duty and a podiatrist. They have a doctor who would come in on certain days. They had a beauty shop there for men and women and a small theater.

ReviewerFC011525A

Hamilton Parc is a bit more expensive than the others, but I think it would be good for my friend. The manager showed me a room and talked about how things work there. It's more money than she wants to spend at this point, but she does have some resources from selling her house. It fits almost all, if not all of the preferences that she has for a living situation, the room size, cleanliness, and layout. The bathroom was set up in a sort of semi-handicapped way, not just a tub in the shower, but a walk-in kind of situation which she finds more comfortable. Also, it had a washer and dryer. I only talked with one person, and I saw a few people in the hall and in the gathering areas that they have. The residents seemed to be cheerful, in a good mood, smiling, that sort of thing. The person I spoke with was just extremely helpful in terms of describing how things work there and what she would need to be doing. I believe they only have breakfast routinely, with some special events. They are a facility that just opened half a year ago. It seemed to be very well designed, and with the residents in mind in terms of conveniences and amenities and things.