Merrill Gardens

Excellent facility. Extremely close to grocery stores, doctors offices, etc. but also in a residential community. The nursing capability is extremely high but seemingly non-intrusive. They have the skills to assist my mother who is mainly bedridden and is a brittle diabetic. They even have the ability to lift those that are bedridden with special lifts. They keep dossiers on all the persons living there as to medicines they take, baseline health readings, etc. So they are aware when something is wrong or if a resident is not taking their medicines. Almost all of the folks living there never have to transfer to hospice at EOL because of the level of nursing expertise. Fantastic programs for exercise, flower arranging, crafts, sing-a-longs, puzzles, etc. They also participate in charity work for military and other causes. The facility has live music come in on certain days as well as visitations by school children and other entertainments. Food menu in the restaurant looked great and is available from 7AM to 7PM with many many options available all day long. So no need to come at a certain time. Food can be taken back to rooms if needed. Families are encouraged to join at meals and can currently pay a small fee for the meal. The entrees in the evening vary each day. Breakfasts are to order as eggs, meats, biscuits and gravy, etc. Weekend BBQs on the patio area. Often there are cocktails near a fireplace at night time giving additional chance to socialize. Tons of activities in van. Tue. and Thurs. the van takes folks to scheduled dr. and other appts. The facility works with the docs to ensure that their patients have appts. that allow them to take part in the van rides. This saves families a LOT of work and may be one of the best reasons to choose this facility. Rest of work week the van takes them to several stores around the area. On weekends van trips are planned from time to time for major activities such as fishing trips, museums, overnight stays at the coast, even hot air balloon rides (the facility finds out what the folks there want to do on their bucket lists and if enough of them would participate, makes it happen). They have a Move-In specialist who makes sure that folks entering the facility are oriented and assisted in all the programs and activities. This person helps smooth the transition as much as possible. Also introducing newcomers to other residents. Basically a concierge on steroids. I think my father, who has better mobility health than my mother, would find a lot of activities to join in and would find that he is actually participating more in life at this facility than he is now. I think my mother would get much better care than she currently is getting at her home. Call buttons and pull cords available for summoning assistance. Most of all the staff looked happy and many were there for well over a decade. The lack of turn over says something. All the folks living there had smiles on their faces for me when I walked by and the staff called them by their names and vice versa. The folks in the halls looked well groomed and clean. An onsite two chair full salon (hair, manicure, and pedicure) seems to be utilized. Finally there was not that "smell", or an odor put into the air to cover it, that is often present in some facilities. This indicates to me that, nursing, housekeeping, and facilities is really doing their jobs! Fantastic overall....however at a higher cost for sure. For a small one bedroom apartment for mom and dad we are currently talking around $5,200 ore more per month. However that money is buying real staff which I saw hurrying to assist the folks living there. There wasn't a speck of dust on any of the shared areas...clean as a whistle. Had opportunity as I walked around to look in through some open doorways into residents' rooms and saw them also tidy. There is housekeeping and laundry service as part of the room cost, however they also provided a separate laundry mat for folks wanting to wash something on their own. However they only had one room open at the time. So a waiting list is most likely, but I can see why! After this visit my wife and I (we have no children) may very well see if there is a way to get ourselves on a long term waiting list..to heck with the parents!

I love this place!! The staff was very nice. [name removed] was the most helpful of anyone with whom I have spoken; she provided much information of which I had no clue. The activities schedule is packed with things to do, including spiritual opportunities. The entire setting is well-kept and hotel-like, instead of institutional. I appreciate the fact that care is on a level-based pricing, instead of an all-inclusive for services one may not need.

Better than being at Grandmas! Staff A+ Food A+ Accomodations A+ Extremely well cared for A++ Just perfect!

Merrill Gardens is a terrific facility. Beautiful grounds, professional staff. It is a welcoming, friendly facility. My contact [name removed] was excellent. He was very helpful, informative and answered my questions. The price was high for our budget but would be well worth it for others looking for a home.

We had a tour with Direstor [name removed], who answered all of our questions. A very nice facility, we had a chance to see all variety of housing options; assisted living and independent studios and 1-bedrooms. Pet-friendly option is a plus! We will definitely consider this facility.

I was impressed with the staff, most have been there at least a decade which is unusual. They have 4 RNs on staff which is also uncommon. The program they have, Bridges, allows for care plans to change and grow as a resident's needs change allowing them to remain in assisted living longer than in other facilities. The entire building is bright, clean and open. They offer a variety of room sizes and every one I saw was in great shape. They offer a large variety of activities both scheduled and impromptu. I appreciate that they will honor a resident's individual routines. If they have a morning routine then the care givers adjust to that routine rather than forcing residents to conform to what the facility wants. One thing I found especially impressive was the fact that many of the employees have been there many years and have simply moved up into management positions. I can easily see my mom living here.

Very nice staff and facility. Just not the right fit for my dad's needs

Really great place. Small but lovely. [name removed] was great and I had a chance to meet with residents and daughters and they love it. Definitely a possibility.

Was absolutely wonderful. Staff, residents couldn't have been nicer and more accommodating. Gave us a wonderful lunch and the studio that [Removed] is seriously thinking about was wonderful. A little patio overlooking a garden area.

I loved it.

Our tour of Merrill Gardens was absolutely wonderful! Even my father, who is not "all-in" with this search, was impressed. Before [Removed] could come show us around, one of the residents came into the bistro to speak to us. She told us how much she enjoys the people and atmosphere of this community. My parents were not only impressed by the friendliness of the residents, but also with the spacious community area downstairs, the wide hallways upstairs, the inviting exercise room, the options of places downstairs to sit with friends (or alone), the light and open areas, and the details of the apartments. We looked at both one- and two-bedroom apartments and liked both. The details in this one year old building were so nice: textured walls in the hallway, nice colors, non-slip flooring in the apartment kitchen and bathroom, the high ceilings, and even a drawer in the kitchen that locked (for medicine?). [Removed] gave us a nice tour calling residents - and even a few pets - by name. She seemed to truly care about us and to understand what we're going through in this decision-making process. We appreciated the inviting atmosphere and the no-pressure tour. Merrill Gardens isn't a community that needs someone to "sell it." Its atmosphere, spaciousness, beauty and available services all take care of that without a word being spoken. When my parents are ready to make a move, I truly hope it will be Merrill Gardens of Woodstock.

We couldn't find a fault with what we saw. We have always heard how expensive Merrill Gardens is, but all we saw was value for our money!

My mom was in respite care here for about 3 weeks and it was great. We liked the brightness of everything and the wide hallways. The food seemed good and everyone was pleasant to deal with. The place was beautiful and clean. I would recommend this to other families.

I went on a tour here and the staff was helpful and answered all of my questions. This was an overall nice facility but wasn't in our price range. I would recommend families tour a few different places before making a decision.

Very nice facility. Residents seemed very friendly and actively engaged in a number of activities. The rooms were very modern. The place was very clean. Staff was very friendly and seemed genuinely interested in the residents. Loved the dining room.

Beautiful facility. Great meeting room. Very friendly and courteous staff.

This facility is wonderful and hands down the best in the area. They have independent, assisted living, and memory care all in one building and facilitate that very well. The services and medical care they offer are exemplary and excellent. The main reason why I chose this for my loved ones is because it doesn’t feel like a hospital setting and it’s like home. For activities, they offer things like live entertainment, movies, games, bingo, and a book club. Food, room cleaning, and laundry are included in the rent. Without a doubt I would recommend this facility to other families.

This facility has been beyond what I’ve expected. The building itself is well kept and always looks clean. They are far better than other places I had toured. The atmosphere here is welcoming and quiet. I really like that the staff members here know all of the residents by name. For activities, they offer things like bingo, games and shopping trips. I would recommend this facility to other families.

My parents live here currently. [Removed], the director, really made sure to make things happen. We had a bit of a difficult situation, but she was able to get everything together. The staff has been excellent and is always available. Anytime you need anything, all you have to do is ask. My Dad and all the residents are always clean and well taken care of. They appear to be very concerned with the residents’ dignity. The food is okay; it’s well-balanced and there are plenty of options to choose from. They have lots of activities available like bingo, exercise classes, music programs with entertainers, piano recitals, and field trips to different places. There’s a schedule made every day of different things to do. The facility isn’t the newest but it looks clean and my parents’ rooms are always clean. I would recommend this place.

This place was brand new when I took a tour. They offer independent living, assisted living, and memory care. It seemed to be a pretty active place. When I toured, there were people in the lobby reading and chatting with each other and it just seemed like it was the type of place where things actually happen. The marketing person that gave me the tour was very nice and was able to answer all of my questions. The cleanliness was very good and the food looked good as well. The dining room looked more like a restaurant where there was a wait staff that would take your order. Ultimately, the location was just a bit too far for our needs.