Shepherd of the Valley - Howland

The Shepherd of the Valley was very nice. The people were very friendly. It’s in a good area where you feel comfortable walking around. They always had people there to help you. My main concern was if my husband would fall, would I be able to get attention to us because I would not be able to pick him up. They had buzzers in the room that you can use to call somebody 24/7. They had a gym, a library room, and laundry room where you can do your own laundry or you can have them do it. There's always some kind of activity you can take part in. The dining area was very open and easy to get into; they had doors that close if you want privacy. It’s well lit, and the staff was right there when you need them. Everybody can come down and eat or if you don’t feel up to it, they’ll bring the food up to you. You get to pick where you want to sit and meet different people.

The rooms at Shepherd of the Valley were OK but smaller than the other facility I visited. The staff was very good, and the residents seemed to be happy.

Shepherd of the Valley – Howland was a little different. It had a big building with a few apartments and lovely duplexes that were small but very nice. They had two bedrooms, a bath and a half, nice little kitchen, little dining room, and sometimes a little patio off the back. A good percentage of them were assisted living. My friend moved there and only needed somebody to put on her stockings. She needed somebody around, but she didn't need constant care. She did her own washing in the washer/dryers on the floor where she lived. She would get her lunch and her dinner meals in the dining room, but she had her breakfast brought to her. The cottages were cute. The biggest drawback for me was that the villas were too small and didn't have activities going on in them. They had a beautiful chapel area and an auditorium area, but they didn't do a lot of things. She's very comfortable there. The only thing that she was interested in was playing bridge. They had a nice dining room in the main building.

I have a preference because my mom was in one for four years. It is Shepherd of the Valley in Warren. It is very nice. In a lot of places the food is terrible. I have a brother-in-law in one where he wants out of there as soon as he can get out because the food was lousy, but the food in Shepherd of the Valley is always good. The room is very nice. I am satisfied with their program.

Shepherd of the Valley looked like a worthwhile place. I don't know if it was a 100% suited for my dad, but I liked the fact that they had the condos set-up there. They had an access to the dining. They seemed to have a caring staff. Actually, we ran into some of the workers out in public, and they remembered me. They were very cordial and friendly. They were very positive, very supportive, and very informative. From the set-up, it seemed to be neat and clean. However, we preferred something a little closer to where we lived so we could visit him more frequently. Their assisted living building was very typical where there is a studio-type of set-up with private bath, kitchenette without a stove, a small fridge, and a microwave. They had a laundry service and some other services that were good. It wasn't huge, but it wasn't tiny. They had a dining area on each floor, and there was a dining hall on the main floor too. If the residents were able, they could also dine there. They had a garage attached to it. It was back off the main road, so it was private, and it looked safe. It looked like they had a green area surrounding it. The ground floor had a library, a reading room, a game room, an exercise room, and a restaurant-cafeteria. There were some private rooms, one or two reserved for parties, and then two stories of assisted living above that with their own dining rooms on each floor.

We liked Shepherd of the Valley because you can go from assisted living to a nursing home without leaving the facility. It has no facility for dementia patients, however. They have small rooms, but the common areas were very spacious and nicely done. The staff was very accommodating and very nice.

My church visits member of our church every year. We christmas carol and hand out gift baskets to our members. This facility was extremely nice and accomodating. When we scheduled to come they provided hot chocolate and cookies in the recreation room. Instead of walking the halls, the residents could come to the recreation room and listen to us. The staff was very gratuitous. The facility was very clean and welcoming. It was decorated festively. It felt safe because the doors are locked at all times and visitors need to be buzzed into the building and then sign in at the front desk. The residents are free to come and go and their apartments are cozy. It is evident that the staff and facility care for those living there. There is a cafeteria style dining room. Each apartment or suite has a kitchenette but the meals are provided by the facility. These suites are located on the second floor giving them more privacy. There seemed to be alot of activities available. There was a calendar located in the recreation room.