Merrill Gardens

This is a smaller community and it felt like going to Grandma's house. It didn't feel right for our loved one. All activities were held in one room.

I am having a hard time getting a hold of someone regarding a billing question that I have so that has been very frustrating.

We really like the people there and they are very friendly, but when it comes to the overall value and cost we are having some problems with it. They have a point system with other additional add-on costs. So for example they say laundry is free but they charge you 60 points, and if you have to have something additional that is 40 points, then that bumps you up to 100 points and into another tier which increases the costs.

I thought Merrill Gardens at Madison was okay. It just wasn’t a fit for us. It didn't necessarily seem like the most secure facility. I think anybody could get past front desk, and there was not somebody there all the time. It was also a larger facility with more residents to deal with. And we were looking for a smaller facility. I didn't get a good or a bad impression either way. It just wasn't the right fit for us.

The tour was fine and the community was nice. However, at the time they did not have any rooms available and I did not hear back from them either for a follow up like i thought I would.

The residents have their own mailboxes, and the community offers lots of services for the residents to take advantage of. They are quick to work with the residents and families in resolving issues that may arise. You may have to follow up more than once to make sure the item is handled appropriately. They have a doctor that comes to the community to assist the residents. The services are through Doctors Who Make House Calls. The physical therapists on staff.

The staff member we talked to on the tour was friendly. But the people who lived there were not friendly at all. Also, the cost was too high.

The quality of the meals have been so bad that our loved ones are refusing to eat dinner. They are experiencing staffing issues so when the food is set out buffet style it gets cold. They did just change chefs so we believe the meals are starting to get a little bit better. The value for cost will be much better once the meals and dining service improves. Also we wish they would encourage the residents especially our loved one to get involved more.

She is being given her medicine and being taken care of very well. It is kind of hard to get them to respond to inquiries however. This is a nice facility and they take care of the people there but communication is an issue.

I would tell others that don't expect everything you hear from the sales calls and meetings. My loved one was a different community and we are finding the same things that we found there. The meals are inconsistent, you may have one good meal and several bad meals. The nursing staff is unorganized, and there is a lack of follow up from the leadership;.

The tour was great but then after getting things settled, they told us he was not able to come because of some open wounds that he had. My aunt ended up moving her stuff in and then fell and we had to move it all out and I will say they were helpful during all of that. I would tell others to make sure to find out what the assisted living rules are before moving your loved on into here.

It is a wonderful place for activities and has really nice apartments but when your loved one needs more care and their are not equipped for that level and of become problematic for me. I chose this community because I thought is was very homey and had a warm feeling. The staff were welcoming and friendly. It a great place for high functioning seniors.

Lovely surroundings, both common areas and individual apartments. Activity directors are outstanding and they offer a variety of engaging activities and have frequent musicians, enjoyed by the residents. My mother was happy meeting the other residents and participating in activities until she couldn't remember to attend. The staff were not really attentive to reminding her to attend activities or using her walker. Their system of dispensing medications is antiquated causing many errors when prescriptions change and some of their med techs do not follow doctors' orders. There seems to be a high turnover rate, likely contributing to these issues.

One month in. Studio apartment with sleeping alcove is a nice size. Staff seems fairly responsive. Some activities were on hold for a few weeks due to staff vacancy but have picked up again. This is not a care facility, more a retirement home with meals and transportation. The residents and staff do check in on folks.

Over all everything is very good. There are a few snags, but generally I am very happy here. I think it would help if communications between management & residents were better. Activities director is very good at her job & makes every effort to involve everybody. Staff members mostly are friendly, helpful, caring & show concern to all. In my opinion, I think that maintenance needs more help. Many things go unattended for long periods of time. I realize that 3 men can only do so much. Work should be addressed with a time frame to the residents in order for them to be aware that they are not be ignored or forgotten.

Dining -- Decent food, slow service, but wait staff is excellent. Had no idea you could find young people this personable, courteous, patient and fun. Menu is primarily meat and sauces, sorely lacks fresh fibrous vegetables (spinach, broccoli, sprouts, etc.) that aren't boiled out. Iceberg lettuce salads are mostly water. Seniors need fiber more than high-sodium soups and heavy sauce. Living Space -- Nice, modern, clean, fully functional, quiet. Weekly service available for cleaning large linens. A tavern across the street gets a little loud sometimes, but what can you do. Living Services -- No category here but would give 1.5 stars. While courteous and personable, unnecessarily slow and mildly inattentive regarding repairs and installations, to the point you wonder if you're being disregarded. Overall, staff seems to host many events and activities for residents to enjoy, and my mother is happy with her living environment, which is the most important thing.

I toured The Pines for my mother, and While I thought the community was very nice, I felt my mother would enjoy being able to go outside and walk. There wasn't a place where she was able to do this by herself here, so we opted for another community.

We were searching for urgent placement in a community for my wife, and we toured Courtyards at Berne Village. The community itself was very nice and clean, but it really didn’t suit our needs. We were looking for single, furnished rooms for privacy and comfort for my wife, and they just did not have either of those options available at the time we were looking. While the community would be a good option for others, My wife had particular needs, and we ultimately chose another community for her.

I had recently taken a tour of this community for my mother and I have no complaints of how things had went. The staff made sure to answer any questions we had for them and did a nice job withe presentation. The dinning room was spacious and they even offered for us to try one of there meals. It was just not the right location for us in the end decision.