Merrill Gardens

Loved the units we visited, particularly 6C, the one with two entrances. Only negative comment would be having to drive to dining room for dinner.

Overall, we are pretty happy here. Most of the time, things are good, and we are quite comfortable where we are. Most of the staff are great and very friendly. The food can sometimes leave a little to be desired, but our biggest concern has been the maintenance. There are things that need to be taken care of, but they are not always addressed in a timely manner. My husband is very independent, so there have been several things we’ve wanted done that he has eventually just taken care of himself. I know the price was recently increased, and quite a few people have moved out because of it. I’m not sure if other places are any more affordable, though. Despite these concerns, we are still pretty happy here and feel comfortable with where we are.

The daily staff are wonderful. Very accommodating to the varying needs of the resident and the family members. They worked very hard to get our mother to eat, bringing her meals off schedule and trying to make things that were palatable for her. We really appreciated all their efforts. We did have an issue with administration. There seemed to be a "miscommunication" between staff that we felt was unacceptable. We did have to confront them and push pretty hard. The reasoning they gave us was that there was a staff change, but that really should not have impacted a resident as much as it did. Without that one administrative issue, I would have given The Pines a five star rating.

My experience with [name removed] was great. She was wonderful. The place isn't the right fit for my Mom but I'm sure it is for others.

The staff seem caring and helpful. Her apartment is the perfect size for her. It's a studio so it has enough space to have a dining table and chairs. There's also enough room for a television and a couple of easy chairs. Her room is clean once a week and they do a very good job. They also change and wash her bedding at the same time.

Staff is especially wonderful. Food is mostly excellent. Very clean and most of all a safe place for dementia care. Activities are varied and plentiful.

It is a very nice assisted living facility and the mployees seem very nice and caring to the residents. It is cean, and the residents seem happy and seem to like it. We have toured 4 facilities in the area and Merril Gardens seems to be the nicest.

The staff is great and friendly but there are some inconsistencies with staff coming in every morning (like they're supposed to) to check on her and she has complained about the food but overall she loves being there. Her apartment size is great, she has the 1 bedroom. We were between that and the studio but the studio is very small.

We had a wonderful experience overall. The grounds are lovely, and the activities are adventurous and enjoyable, especially the larger outings that my mother-in-law really appreciated. Everyone was friendly, and the wild turkeys roaming the property were an entertaining bonus! The staff is mostly made up of younger people. They are all very nice and helpful, although they don’t always have the answers to questions or concerns. One thing that seemed a little odd was that toilet paper wasn’t provided, which may be something to clarify with guests ahead of time. Overall, it’s a beautiful place with plenty of fun activities and a welcoming atmosphere.

Staff is very friendly and welcoming, food is simple but tasty and the room size is adequate. They have been very good about fulfilling requests and being a go between as the facility is an hour and a half away from us.

My dad has had a good experience at Truewood by Merrill. He really like the food, he had food choices on a menu if he doesn't like the meal of the day. Some places don't do that. His linens are changed and washed regularly. His medicines are regular and on time. He says care team is a little slow to come when he clicks his pennant, but he seems to like them all. And we all get a little impatient when waiting on things. The other residents are friendly. Many activities are offered, but residents are not forced to go. Dad likes that. He goes to exercise class. So far we really like it here!

Initially it was great. I know there have been some concerns about proper staffing and dining options (based on my Mom's feedback). They have changed managers and key staff (they left). This was concerning to my Mom as she really liked the staff she met when she decided on this property. It has been difficult for her to get rides to where she needs to go. It was advertised that transportation was available. This has been a challenge. Her apt is nice. She enjoys some of the activities and amenities (beauty salon).

We did not “tour” this facility recently. We went to look at 2 available units to pick the one mom would move into. They were friendly and offered us food and beverages from their cafe. The only complaint I would have is there was supposed to be a wheelchair for mom and they could not find one. It almost sounded like they only had 1 - and that one had been used to transport someone to Starbucks and gotten left there. We had to wait quite a while to start the tour.

The staff are very friendly. There is weekly housekeeping but the shared hallways and stairs (especially the floors) need more regular cleaning. The food is good. The cost to deliver food to your room is very high, and if you don't want to eat in the dining room and can't afford to have the food delivered, you have to wait for a very long time in the dining room until your food will be ready for you to take up, even if you request a to-go box in advance.

My mother recently moved into this community, so we are still getting settled and learning how everything works. So far, my overall experience has been positive. The community is very nice, clean, and welcoming. The staff has always been helpful, kind, and pleasant whenever I’ve needed assistance. One thing I really appreciate is that the staff knows the residents by name—and even knows their pets’ names. I think that personal touch says a lot and makes the community feel more like a home. My mother isn’t particularly fond of the food so far, and she would prefer later breakfast and dinner times. Those are things we are still adjusting to. I was also a little disappointed with the transportation schedule. The availability is somewhat limited, and if she needs transportation to a doctor’s appointment, the appointment has to be scheduled early in the morning on certain days of the week when transportation is available. I would like to see more flexibility with transportation. Since she is still new, she hasn’t participated in many of the activities or functions yet, so I can’t really comment on those at this point. Overall, though, I’m optimistic that it’s going to work out. Everyone I’ve dealt with so far has been kind and helpful, and I’m hopeful that as my mother gets settled in and becomes more involved, she will feel comfortable and at home there

[name removed] gave us a tour of the facility and a 2 bedroom 2 bath Villa. A galley kitchen area vs full kitchen. This would fit or needs and budget. With meals, housekeeping and electricity. No lease was senseable . Included Adequate parking. And short time guest allowed. Hallway laundry units were the only negative. Have a second option to visit in New Bern [date removed]

They have great activities, the food is good, for the most part the staff is great. It is always clean and they decorate for all occasions. The hardest part for us was going from a caregiver to many, which has been a learning curve. My sister was lucky to have a long term caregiver and they had their little routines. We also had some short term caregivers at the end. We needed 24/7 care and they were absolutely fabulous. So I guess I have a high bar.

Mission Ridge is a great place to live! Everything is really good. The food is great, the activities are ok. All the residents are good to get along with. The staff is exceptional. They are caring and friendly and go out of their way to help residents.

Well it is ok but on the weekends the service is very slow and the food at times not too good. The apartment is nice but a tad small main bedroom. All in all for now I would say it's ok.

While the facility is very impressive, for me it is too corporate, lacks warmth and seems to focus on externals. It feels like a resort or perhaps a cruise ship! Not for me.