Merrill Gardens

I can't give it a 5 because of some of the complaints my mom had, but to be fair I could not trust what she was saying was accurate either. The facilities were great and the food looked great to me and my mom really liked most of it but complained a couple times. The staff really seemed to care and we're very helpful. My only complaint is that they were not straight with me about charging for care when she spent time in the hospital. Two of the executives lead me to believe care charging was suspended if she was in the hospital. Not true, there are stipulations (these were in the document she signed but she did not understand this and I was told differently when I picked this place for her). Overall, very good experience.

Everything is fine except the food service is not very organized. The staff is very nice and helpful and apt size is fine.

The staff is great. The monthly rate is affordable for my cousin. That was the main reason for her leaving the other facility. She has made friends and is happy at Truewood. She likes doing craft projects and is looking forward to making a fall wreath. The fact that there is only 1 elevator and it's slow is not so great. The residents seem to handle the issue. I usually take the stairs.

The paperwork was challenging. Once paperwork was in it's been good. Need to stay on top of them to get anything finished. Older will have a challenge with this.

They have been really great they communicate really good if something happens and they really seem to care about moms well-being. I would recommend to others.

The things i like best are all the amenities that they have. So much to do if you want to do it. They can improve a 100% on food. It is approximately 95% bad. For the amount of rent that we pay, the food does not even compare or come close to what we should be getting. If we talk to the chef during meetings, nothing ever gets changed. Never an improvement.

I reviewed 10 different communities in the San Jose area to help find the best place for my mom. Once I narrowed down the search, my mom visited two of the facilities, Merrill Gardens was the second, and she immediately chose this to be her new home. The residents were very welcoming and friendly, as were the staff members. She’s been there for approximately eight weeks and has a new lease on life! This assisted living has actually given her more independence. She’s made new friends, enjoys the activities. So far, this has been a positive experience.

Lack of leadership. Staff allowed on their phones all day. Showers not being given as they should. I went almost everyday to make sure my husband was taken care of. At the beginning of my husband stay I would recommend, even though staff are on their phone a lot. I have never seen a work place that allows staff to use their phone all day long. Interaction with residents would be better or picking up cups, sweeping crumbs, etc. At the present leadership I would not recommend Truewood to my friends.

Food and dining and activity experiences are great. The cleanliness is good about 90% of the time. The level of service for the assisted living portion of the monthly fee is where I feel we don't always get our value.

Positively, my mother is happy she has not seen any bugs in her apartment and no flies in the dining room. Also she is happy with her caregivers who are friendly, attentive and responsive if anything is needed. Also, the many activities available for residents has been a good experience. Negatively, the dining experience is a bit underwhelming and does not meet her standards. Let's just say the meals aren't the highlight of the day.

Make sure to visit first and see if the place is right for your family members. It will get expensive very fast.

Care is better, but only one caregiver from 10 PM to 6 AM. I would. It is much cleaner, less hospital like. Care during day better and less expensive. Food is just ok.

My mother was a resident at the Pines for about two years. When she arrived, she was at a moderate level of dementia and so had some challenges. The staff at the Pines made her feel welcome and she integrated well into the community. As Mom's condition gradually grew worse, the staff continued to do a great job meeting her needs. Staff wheeled her from her room to common areas (including dining) when she lost her ability to walk. They also took care of her needs as she became incontinent. In the latter stages of Mom's stay at the Pines, the staff even pureed her food for her so she could eat. They also assisted her in feeding. I am very grateful for all the care that Mom received while she was at the Pines. I would also like to mention that the care Mom received from the Nursing staff was excellent; very attentive to her needs. I finally had to move my mother to a nursing facility recently, as her condition continues to worsen. I would highly recommend The Pines.

Their billing practices are questionable. Other than that, pretty good. Facility nice. Housecleaning so so. Menu limited. Food tasty.

The hands on staff are very attentive and loving towards my mom. The maintenance staff could use some common sense. [name removed], the general manager is an absolute gem. She has a way of making you feel supported in your decision to move a loved one into the facility and that she has your back anytime, day or night.

I spent 6 mos there. In that time I met 1 person who was in my age bracket that lived as an independent who was blind. I became somewhat of a caretaker than just friends. There were more women then men but None my age. Entertainment consisted of board games and random speakers. A movie once a week sitting on hard chairs. Thursday thru Friday was a 2 drink happy hour followed by a 4pm dinner. While I was there many people were hospitalized with severe abdominal infections. They allowed people with Covid to rejoin the dining room as soon as they were discharged from the hospital. Multiple people required EMS every day from falls and such. I don't know if I mentioned my medication was taken from my apartment the day I moved in and later recovered

The activities are TBD (my Dad has yet to regularly engage in them). The staff is very helpful and responsive to all questions before placement and continues still now. All issues are addressed in a timely manner. Truewood is independent living, but they have an independent, on-site contractor for comfort care assistance. This helps our family keep our cost down but still provides the assistance our Dad needs in his aging stage.

Felt the staff was awesome. Yes, we would recommend this community to other families with the caveat of the food was questionable and portions seemed limited.

Facility is bigger than most would expect so be prepared for lots of walking or rolling. Nice enough staff. Food choices aren't great.

Initial setup and move in was great. Clean apartment, any issues were quickly resolved. My father in law adapted well, with the exception of the dining. More of a social issue than food quality Im guessing . . Lots of sidewalks for him the get his exercise. Not what you would expect. Would suggest to those that are looking for Senior Independent Living.