The Devonshire

The Devonshire was my first choice. I had no problem as far as the facility and the people. It was bright and clean and the people there were very welcoming. I saw the people eating, and they seemed to be enjoying it. The rooms were nice and clean, but they didn't have much room for extra stuff. They had the facilities for you to wash your own clothes. They had extra activities and physical therapy. They had the studio, the alcove, and the one-bedroom. The young lady who took me around was excellent. The facility was very nice, light, bright and airy, and clean. There's just not much room for clothing and other stuff.

The Devonshire's apartments were modernized but some weren't and dated to the '80s. Some had recently been renovated. They were all relatively small. They had a restaurant, a room with some books in it, and another room that they used for exercise which had no equipment, just a walker and a chair. There's a little beauty salon which opened when the stylist came in. The people were very pleasant. They had a schedule of activities on the wall. There was a bus to take them to different areas for different things. The chef was very pleasant as was the lady who did the tour. She was very knowledgeable and pleasant.

The Devonshire Retirement Community could use an update. They had the same problem as far as transportation, which is just twice a week to the doctor. They had a larger menu, and they allowed people to eat a little more, but everyone had to turn up between certain hours to eat, and it is not accommodating; it is not how you treat grown people.

I was impressed with the interaction between the residents and the activities going on at Devonshire. We were given a tour of several different apartments with different arrangements and sizes, and I liked the rooms. Devonshire was older but well-kept, adequate, and modernized. They had a very nice lounge, gazebo, and patio. They allowed us to have a meal, and the food was very good. It was a very well-balanced, hot meal, and we had choices as to what to eat. My relative is happier, socializes more, and enjoys the food. She’s quite pleased with the staff.

The Devonshire, located in Hampton, Virginia, has been the home to my grandmother for the past 10-15 years. Our family is very close one and as a former middle school principal, my grandmother has a lot of pride and wanted to live in a place that would account for her dignity in achieving so much in her life. Her decision to move to an assisted facility came down to concerns from our family about her living in a large two-story house by herself and at the age of 75, the possibility that she could have a fall down some stairs or accident and nobody would be readily available to come to her aid. Like many people in that situation, nursing homes were a possibility at the beginning, but we felt she was capable of doing things on her own...just simply needed a little guidance. I feel The Devonshire has provided that. With activities such as board games, exercise groups and such, the community has much to offer for new residents to become acclimated. My grandmother's room has a couch, large television, comfortable bed and lounge and bath facilities that are more than adequate. The menu options for residents if they prefer are large and account for any residents with illnesses such as diabetes when creating a personal menu day to day. A courtyard gives residents the ability to chat away from their neighbors and in general, the Hampton area has an old-town feel that is welcoming to guests and family members such as myself who come to visit. If someone were looking at The Devonshire for either themselves or a relative, I would highly recommend it. There is a slight issue with overcrowding, but personal attention is not an issue.

I visited The Devonshire. The apartments were roomy, nice, and convenient. The staff was very nice. They had a nice dining room, and the residents were very friendly. They had activities, but not as many as the others. They had a hair salon, washers and dryers on each floor, and excellent security.