Merrill Gardens

Nice park - too institutionalized - price ok

the pricing was a little confusing. Not my first choice

It was the same situation as so many other facilities. When you get into the nursing home facilities the people need way more care. It wasn't a nursing home but it was in between where they had people on duty. I really didn't like the gal that showed us around. We were turned off by her.

I was not impressed at all. We did not have the head marketing person give us the tour. We had the second in command and I just got the feeling she didn't even want us there. I was not pleased with that. We got in and got out. Aesthetically, it's lovely and their memory care was a house that you and I would want to live in. You didn't see the people but just the whole space and it was gorgeous. I'm an interior designer too and I thought this is gorgeous. I'm sure it's puts the relatives of the residents at ease. I think makes them feel very good.

Close to my house. Great bistro and courtyard.

Studio too small. Special studio size OK, but do not need kitchenette.

Brand new. Across from Balboa Park. Unique feature is "flexible eating schedule". Will upgrade rating if interior, apartments and costs are good.

Seemed clean and well-staffed. Nice that pets are allowed.

Nancy Phalen conducted the tour. The lobby and dining room feels very institutional, like a large college dormitory. The food was unappetizing. The rooms were very clean and well appointed, though a bit small.

Seen Aug 2011 so have own pix. Any time dining. Walk to everything in Kirk, including buses to anywhere.

Nice and new. Nice room set ups even for studios. However, there wasn't a lot of activity around like at the other properties.

possible

nice units. long hall ways not for me.

2000 a mo. private room

Staff very helpful. the bottom line is the cost.

nice setting, a little far from Berkeley, very nice untits, particularly the studio alcove, not as many activities and trips as Monarch, limited transportation - 4 days/wk, fair diversity, laundry on two of the four floors; overall 3.5

Truewood by Merrill could work better on improving who comes and goes throughout the community because they have had to many covid outbreaks then what they should.

Merrill Gardens is pretty expensive, and it was brand new when we first looked at it so it had some issues. Some of the staff was fine, it really just depended on who you talked to that day. This community is more independent living so there weren't to many care services to be provided. The activities were very good, they have library groups that my mother really enjoyed, they would also go out on little outings. You would pay one overall fee for the food per month, and from what we understand its more of a restaurant setting where you could eat anytime between 7AM-7PM. The was special menu items you could order, as well as a more simple menu. However, they would constantly run out of food or coffee.

The facility is nice and clean. The activity’s are often and seem like fun. The food is okay. If you have to move a loved one to memory care, be prepared to do everything yourself, and have little communication on there end. The higher up seems to have a, “on your own “ mentality towards the family. Ask lots and lots of questions. Our family member wasn’t welcomed into the memory care community. Several balls were dropped in communication. When confronted the head leadership blamed the family for expected them to hold our hands through this process. The only communication and preparation we had was the sales team pushing us to memory care, and paper work and payment. There also seems to be a lack of communication between leadership and staff. I wished we could have expected better. Maybe they will fix these issues. I hope so.

Beautiful Community, a ton of amenities, especially the underground parking. We were not impress with the lack of staff at this community. I understand it's an independent community, but we would be spending close to $6K for the two of us. We could easily spend that at another community with more and services. The resident handbook and the sales person talks a great game, but the misleading of information is a joke. The sales person, he told us about all of the services that The Summit was offering when we put a deposit down early and of course none, NONE of them have been delivery yet. After this COVID19 is over, we are definitely looking to move out as soon as possible. This community is a bait and switch.