Solstice Senior Living at Austin

I didn't like Solstice Senior Living at Austin. There was very little diversity in the population. They had entertainment for people who might have been in the 100s, not in the 80s where most people are now. I was not impressed by it. The ambience outside was fine, but the population was all white, which I have nothing against. However, if there's no diversity in the population, what do you expect to live as a minority. The facility had a part where the smell was horrible. It was not a clean smell. I wasn't impressed with the structure of the building. It's very old, and everybody looked sleepy. There was music, but it's the early 19th century and it was not to my liking. The staff was very aggressive, in that if we didn't sign now, we may not have the same prices and that they're going to increase the price of the monthly rent.

It was very nice. The lady who gave me the tour was extremely friendly, and I was so impressed with her bubbly nature. The room that I saw was acceptable.

Mom loved living here because the place that she lived was almost like a standalone home. She still felt really independent other than the fact that toward the end of her living time there, she got really lonesome and it didn't provide itself. She lived independently and not in the main building. And she needs to be around people more. But she loved it there. They clean her house once a week. The people that live there were expected to take care of themselves and do whatever needs to be done on their own. They had activities but she did not participate a lot in it because she had to walk into the building anytime she wanted like eat a meal. It was a good long couple of blocks to even get in there. She lived in a big 2-bedroom unit. They also had 1-bedroom and studio. They had more to choose from. The residents kind of watch out for each other and kept up with each other.

I visited and I like all the safety facilities that they have, and the people are friendly. Everybody is great. It's safer there than living by myself with my dog. Every single day they have activities for everybody from games to get-togethers to live entertainment. As far as I am concerned, I asked questions and they were answered properly. I met so many friends, and I feel that they are a family now, even if I am not living there yet.

It is independent living, so it’s a good transition for my dad from living in the apartment. They provide 3 meals a day, seven days a week which is the main problem for him. He now has to socialize with people and eat, and that is one of the things that is very good for him. This place is a 3-story building with 24hr on-call staff, and they have security. They have lots of activities, and it’s a wonderful place for my dad. They clean the bathroom, and they have a piano in the central entry room.

I checked it, and I saw that they have a nice-sized bathroom, which I think will help my mother. The place looked clean, and it didn't smell odd or anything. We didn’t eat there, but I saw that the dining room was very well appointed, and it has a very nice view of the outside. So far, I like the staff and the facility itself.

We had a good tour. The problem was that they didn’t have enough space for us. We need a larger apartment than what they have there. The staff were knowledgeable and courteous. The food was average.

A friend of my daughter suggested to me to look here because her father who lived there liked it. So, we visited it. It was good and it was an independent living. They had little cottages at the back and I really liked that concept because not many of them have that. That meant we could keep furniture and stuff. The facility was nice. The dining room was nice and the people all looked happy. It was a nice environment. If you could walk, you could go to the main building where you eat. However, if walking was a problem, well I guess you would need one of those carts or something like that.