I will lead with the fact that I RARELY post reviews, good or bad, but this one is a must:…read more There are no words to describe the magic in this community. 1 - The property is amazing in that it is exceptionally maintained from the 100+ mature trees, to the pool & hot tub, to the elevators, to the Veranda ( huge community space ) to the walkways, to the parking areas, to the landscape. All 12 acres are incredible. The others facilities we visited felt like an institution and sterile. The Oaks feels like home. 2 - The residents were genuinely so warm, inviting, active, and welcoming to our Mom as we toured the complex. After just losing her husband of 61 years (our Dad) she/we couldn't imagine where she could be comfortable and safe, but we found the perfect place for her. She immediately felt at home. 3 - The Oaks team, and I mean "Team", is the most wonderful group of people we have met in this industry and possible ever in business. First being greeted by the lovely Ms. Jill - the receptionist - also a resident, that walked to the front door, rather than sit behind the desk, to greet us. Then the smiling - excited Asst Direct Paige, gave us the most through tour while exhibiting graceful patients with Mom's indecisiveness, greeting every resident by name as she introduced Mom to each of them. On our walk we met other outstanding Team members; Heather the lovely & creative Activity Director, Walter the fun loving- quick with a hug - ready to assist residents with most any need - Transportation Pro. Just more confirmation that kindness is the rule rather than the exception. 4 - The delightful - incredible Donni Crosby!!!! The Director and Mentor of The Oaks of Plano. After meeting her, we immediately understood why this is the outstanding community that it is. Truly...she is the WOW that has made this 55+ senior apartment community a place that 200+ people call home. She has so much authentic love for her "job" and the residents that she calls family that is evident from the moment you meet her. Her enthusiasm and pride is unmatched. We were greeted the next morning by her with amazing energy, hugs, Starbucks coffees and danish treats. We learned more and more about the development as she patiently walked the property with us again. She throughly answered every question as we waited for the final approval from Mom. It is often difficult to acclimate to a new life and neighbors, so Donni built and incorporated "The Resident Ambassador Program" This person accompanies the new residents to activities and meals for the first 90 days so they are not braving their new life alone. This made us all know that Mom would instantly feel included. I can't express our gratitude enough for the exceptions and accommodations Donni made to make this the perfect place for Mom. Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't thank Lynn, the first point of contact when I called from my google search. She is the catalyst of why Mom is now a part of this exceptional community. Lynn was so real, so honest, so friendly, so thoughtful to explain why The Oaks of Plano is such a spectacular option for Mom. She was spot on that this is unequivocally the best and only option for us to entertain. Our entire family is elated for Mom to be a part of this wonderful community.

Finding The Oaks at Plano was nothing short of a dream come true. My 86 yr old mom lost her husband…read moreof 61 yrs this week and we knew how important it would be that she find herself and her independence again after caring for him for the past 3 years. We were welcomed with open arms by an entire team that make this community so special! Donni the ED, the Assistant Director Paige, Heather the Activities Coordinator, the transportation host Walter and Jill the front desk receptionist (that is also a resident) were all nothing short of spectacular! . All of them could not have been more nurturing, kind and genuine! They all absolutely made us, but especially my mom feel so supported and comforted immediately at such an incredibly difficult time. First, the 12 acre pet friendly property is meticulously kept and maintained and has gorgeous trees all over with covered and shaded walking trails, a dog park, a pool and outdoor seating areas all over to enjoy the grounds. Most notably is a public large grassy area called Pete's Park who was named after a resident that passed. It offers so many lovely spaces for the residents to enjoy, including a community Gatehouse area with fireplaces, a beautiful restaurant with incredible chef prepared food for purchase at reasonable prices for those that want to dine out without leaving the property, a library for all of the avid readers, a gym ( that is about to get an even better facelift), a game room with a ping pong table and pool table, a full bar for the residents to partake in happy hours at their events like bingo, bunko and community featured special events! There is even a sewing group made up of women well into their 90's who has their own room crocheting and knitting baby beenies, booties and blankets for the NICU babies at some of the local hospitals! But what was so comforting was the PERFECT apartment that we were shown that was 750 sq ft ( my mom is coming from 320 sq ft sharing a space in an assisted living facility with my father) with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances in a beautiful kitchen, a fireplace, a private patio with lots of lovely windows offering bright light and warm sunlight to brighten the room. The bathroom included a tub with glass doors, a walk- in pantry and master closet! This was their model unit and Donni's favorite and we didn't even need to look at any other options available! We KNEW it was just perfect! We met resident after resident in this 55+ active senior living community that were alive, thriving, vibrant, so happy and exuded such a sense of pride and joy talking about their life in this community. It was truly awe inspiring what this organizational group, but more importantly what Donni has instilled since becoming the ED two yrs ago! My mom was welcomed by so many on both trips to visit and every single one of them said we can't wait for you to come be a part of our community almost as if they knew it wasn't an option or consideration not to! Donni and team were a joy to work with and we are eternally grateful that we found this gem of a community for my mom to thrive in her remaining years!

My mother lived here for nearly 4 years before she passed. It is a wonderful building full of VERY…read morenice staff, and sociable residents. Lots of activities. Lots of nice outdoor common patios. Food is pretty good. We used Merit Hospice at the end, and loved their staff.

Staff have an unbelievably casual attitude towards caregiving and the impressive entrance and lush…read moresurroundings don't mean a single thing if the caregiving is as sub-standard as it is. Run away from considering this place.

It was just about three years ago that my wife and I decided that a senior retirement complex was…read moreright for us. We visited dozens of sites on the internet, and drove to six places in the north Dallas area. The one place that jumped out to us was Parkview in Frisco. We have never been sorry that we chose this as our home. It is a an attractive facility, and the landscaping is beautiful. Parkview has several different floor plans and apartment sizes, but we chose a two bedroom, two bath apartment that meets our needs perfectly. It has a modern kitchen, large living/dining room and a comfortable balcony with a view. All utility expenses (except TV and phone) are included. Our maintenance needs are also included and fixed rapidly just by a phone call. But it is the friendly residents and serving staff that puts Parkview ahead of other retirement complexes. Smiles and hello's greet you in the hallways and warm conversations are the norm in the dining room. And by the way, the food and service iin our Embers Restaurant is first class, with a wide variety of selections and all prepared and served well. We love to take cruise vacations, and our life "aboard" Parkview is very much like that on a premium cruise ship: daily activities, entertainment, dining, etc. So if you are looking for a retirement place, you should come by Parkview in Frisco. We think you will like it . . . we certainly do. Bob M P.S. Here's a link to a website we publish highlighting life here at Parkview in Frisco: www.parkviewers.com

This is an AMAZING community - not only is it beautiful inside and out but the staff is sooo…read morefriendly and helpful (many of them have worked there for years!!) and the residents are sweet as can be. I've noticed that there's ALWAYS a happy buzz in the restaurant - which to me says a lot about how much people enjoy themselves and I've NEVER seen that so consistently at any of the other many many communities that I've been to - and the food is GREAT! Parkview actually have the ONLY restaurant that I've been to in the US where I can get a salmon cooked and served as it should be - and I'm from northern Sweden so I definitely know my salmon! :-D ...and the grilled chicken salad with the Chef's homemade dressing - O M G it's so fingerlickin' gooooood I wished they sold it bottled!! The last time I visited, I got the chance to see their new Assisted Living and Memory Care next door and...WOW!! That is the most astonishing AL/MC that I've EVER seen - on any side of the Atlantic ocean! It seriously looks like a serene SPA with a Texas-twist - it's sooooo beautiful in every little detail and it's amazingly well thought through to help the residents thrive. It totally astonished me and still, I have a veeeery critical eye when it comes to living conditions and surroundings! :-D I definitely recommend this place! :-)

My husband and I moved here about 2 1/2 years ago into a 2…read morebedroom apt. The people here are just wonderful. We have made many friends along the way. We laugh a lot which keeps us young The activity Ladies (Heather and Nancy) do an incredible job keeping us active, creative and busy. Many thanks to the kitchen staff, they cook great meals and keep the tables clean and still serve us with a smile!!! Janie M.

The best people at Watermere are the sales people. They know how to sell the product well. But,…read moreonce you move in, you find out that a lot of it is window dressing. The apartments are nice, but the maintenance is lacking. Once you get there, you find out that most of the residents do not eat at Watermere. They go to the restaurants surrounding it. One of the reasons my father wanted to go to an independent living place was because he was tired of eating alone, so he found this disappointing. But, once you eat the food, you understand why most residents don't eat there. It is terrible, and they charge the residents high cost for the subpar food. They recently went to a flat fee for the meal. They often run out of something, but you are charged for the item in the large fee even though they ran out of something. I think the manager should be forced to eat it every day, maybe it would improve. There also seems to be turnover in upper management. They seem like they want to fix the issues but their hands are tied. This place has such potential but it just seems poorly managed. It's not cheap, so where is all of the money going?

Still two stars. My mom is finally out after a little over a year. This place is great for people…read morein their 60s 70s and 80s. But you do see a lot of people that are not doing very well walking around with their walkers and their motor scooters.This place is for somebody that wants to get out be social and make friends. Their food is awful. When I say awful, I mean worse than elementary school cafeteria. No flavor. No seasoning. So bland. They called roasted things that were just literally boiled in water things. At least they only charge $75 a month for food, but that's all it was worth. Also, I got a message from somebody on next-door that said they used to work at the Highland Springs cafeteria and that their health Inspection never passed. I can believe it because on the top of the counter I saw the things that had been there over a year and a half my mother was there that had never been wiped off or cleaned. Really disgusting and I'm glad she's out.

Came here while visiting my grandparents, and needless to say, it was a wonderful experience all…read moretoo the man named Umar Syed! At Reunion Grill, to be exact. It was our first time, and he was very friendly and understanding, especially because my grandparents are hard of hearing and he was very patient with them. I hope he gets the recognition he deserves! (:

We visited my grandma for Mother's Day at Twin Rivers. My review comes from the perspective of a…read morevisitor. The standout item for me is how open and bright the common areas are. Everything looks new and modern and airy. The dining room is also cheerful and bright. The staff is very kind. The menu had several options. My chicken salad was tasty. My grandmother's bedroom is very large, as is the bathroom. The room has an individual thermostat.. she's always freezing so wants to keep her room pretty warm. Right outside her hallway is a common seating area and there's always a new puzzle being worked on the table. I have nothing to do with her living arrangements and have no relationship with the caregivers but when I visit there, I feel good about her living there. I know she's happy, attended to, and has everything she needs. This is the third place she's lived since she's needed to be in somewhat assisted living, and I feel like this one wins out on quality.

My loved one is a resident at this community. The staff is amazing. They are such a caring group…read moreof people from the director to the housekeeper. They all help with taking care of the people there. It feels like a beautiful home and that makes everyone feel more comfortable. I cannot say enough good things about it.

If there was a (-) option, I would have given it as a negative star (to the LEFT of zero) as a…read moreNegative SHINY star option adequately describes The Cottages. It's been 2 years since my husband was discharged after nine months for "behaviors they couldn't manage" -- let's see, he was noncombative, not aggressive, nonverbal" but mobile and severely cognitively impaired. If the urge hit to pee he would pee. Typical Alzheimer's behavior -- across the Alzheimer's spectrum. Was there a bio-schedule at The Cottages?. No. Anyone equipped to know how to manage working with Alzheimer's patients? Apparently not -- especially younger, mobile residents with family who stay connected and don't support heavy medications as part of daily living when unnecessary. So, my husband is a former athlete and physically fit -- if one didn't know any better you might have confused him for someone who worked there.... Yes... He needed daily assistance finding the bathroom so he wouldn't urinate in a public area -- this is a typical challenge for a male early onset Alzheimer's patient. I offered to arrange (and pay) for staff training with Teepa Snow's national team on this issue but the leadership wasn't interested. How dare the lead administrator place more emphasis on her antique furniture being ruined. Who keeps precious antiques in an Alzheimer's memory care facility? How was the urination issue managed? Oh, by prescribing four antipsychotic medications that were so powerful he was sent to the ER for four consecutive weeks in a row. As his wife, I requested that his neurologist and cardiologist manage his medications and guess what? He was discharged less than two weeks later... Never met the facility doctor in person, I couldn't even tell you what the doctor looked like, high nurse turnover, LOST medications (repeatedly lost)... oh, at meal time, you can't sit with your loved one for a meal.... Guess what, despite everything, my husband isn't on a single psych med and hasn't been since he left The Cottages. No place is perfect, and a memory care facility is only as good as its care team and management -- that's the heart of a facility. In short, The Cottages is a beautiful building but lacks heart. Beyond disappointment when you've got to fight tooth and nail (two years later !) over a medication bill that the facility refuses to be accountable for because they misplaced or lost medications and had to reorder but want to push the bill on the family.... Lots of seemingly medication overloads at this place, zombie like residents who appear confined by medications -- I'm actually grateful, even with my husband's continued decline, there's no extra medication interfering with his quality of life -- and I'm empowered to share our story of what to stay away from when looking for a facility for your loved one. In plain words: This AIN'T it!! Beware.

There is a reason this community has been caring for seniors since 1953 and has maintained such a…read morefabulous reputation. This community offers all levels of care in a beautiful environment that allows its residents to live free of the burden of home maintenance. The staff is warm and always say hello when in the hallways or walking the building. The care in their healthcare center is top notch; this community has a five-star rating by Medicare! Grateful this is in our backyard; it truly is the best in the DFW area.

What impressed me most about the Legacy Willow Bend is the staff and the sense of community. Team…read moremembers are attentive, compassionate, and clearly dedicated to making residents feel supported and valued. Residents themselves are engaged, friendly, and proud to call this community home, which speaks volumes about the culture. I would highly recommend The Legacy Willow Bend to anyone exploring senior living options in the area.