My mom getting the best care. Awesome staff. Very professional and caring. Always making sure…read moremy mom is well cared for

Pros: Great people. Excellent facility. Surprisingly good food…read more Cons: None The twilight of life is often not an easy time. In late April 2018, my wife and I moved from Silicon Valley which we called home for more than 35 years to Nipomo, about 210 miles to the south. My mother relocated from Pennsylvania to San Jose in February 2015 and took up residence in a nice retirement facility (part of the Brookdale group). When we moved, there was little choice for her but to go with us. The Central Coast of California between San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria is a remarkably happy place. The weather is tough to beat. Vineyards cover many of the hills. The Pacific Ocean is never far away. People seem to be content...whether fellow shoppers in the stores, neighbors or drivers(!). Still, finding the appropriate place for an aging parent is not a simple job. If moving is one of life's toughest jobs for a person in good health and sound mind, it's a treacherous task for a 90 year old with many ailments, both real and imagined. A few minutes after arriving at Merrill Gardens, my wife and I turned to each other and said "this is it". My mother moved there 3 weeks after we settled into our new home. Any transition is hard, especially for an elderly person who established a life in one city and didn't really want to try it again in another. She only lived 5 weeks in Merrill Gardens before succumbing to a variety of medical issues, but the staff and people in that residence made our lives as sweet as possible, both before and after her passing. - Location: Convenient. Merrill Gardens is in the northern part of Santa Maria, about 3 minutes east of Highway 101 off the Donovan Road exit. - Exterior: Very attractive. There are 2 large 3 story buildings...one built in the early 2000s and the other around 2010 (I believe)...plus a circle of cottages to the north and east. Attention has obviously been given to the landscaping which gives the complex a residential appeal. You might say it's the nicest part of the neighborhood. - Interior (of the newer building where my mother lived): Bright and cheerful. The receptionist and concierge are just inside the entrance with a "great room" to the left. It's warm, colorful and cozy. The initial feeling you get is "they take care of things at this place". The dining room remains open from early morning to late evening since Merrill Gardens has a policy of "anytime dining". It's large and airy with tables spaced far enough apart to permit privacy yet allow conversation among friends. The hallways are more spacious and inviting than at similar facilities. There are several rooms for meetings and movies, the largest library I've seen in such places and a very active pool table nearby. - Apartments: Generous. My mother had a one bedroom unit on the 2nd floor with about 600 square feet plus a balcony of 100 square feet. When she arrived, there had only been one occupant since the facility opened. It was cleaned and painted with a bigger kitchen than she had in San Jose...including a large refrigerator, microwave and stove. Maybe not all the amenities of a real home (such as a lack of good storage), but not too shabby either. - Dining: Really good. My mother was a picky eater, but definitely enjoyed her meals at Merrill Gardens. While we were sometimes dragged to dinner in San Jose, we went willingly here. The food was tasty and the servers friendly and patient. - Senior Staff: The best. We can't say enough good things about the Chief Executive, Audie Sherberg and Community Managers Kim Adams and Gary Gross, but I'll try. Kind, accommodating, informative and willing to listen to a family's tales of woe. It was like having friends on the inside. The receptionists were always helpful, especially Barbara during the week. - Caretakers and Other Staff: More of the best. Kind, supportive and patient. They're not the most highly paid, but their jobs are tough. - Other Residents: Very friendly. It's as if the happy atmosphere of the Central Coast extended to the residents. Older age did not deter these people from smiling. - Cost: Reasonable. We paid $3,250/month for the one bedroom apartment which was roughly the same as in San Jose, but for a nicer facility. However, it can get expensive if you need ancillary services, including management of medicines and specialized care. NOTE: The initial "community fee" of $4,000 covers the facility's move-in costs. If your family member leaves within the first 4 months, you'll get a pro-rated amount back. Mr. Sherberg was very helpful in getting us the largest possible refund. - Value: Excellent. The best money spent in quite a while. I hesitated writing this review for a few months after my mother's death because I wanted to make sure the long process ended as well as it began. It did. There are no "ifs, ands or buts" to the 5 stars awarded to Merrill Gardens in Santa Maria.

Beautiful facility, kind and friendly people, and nice staff. Can't ask for more unless a…read moregood-looking young man comes with the deal.

On the plus side: My…read moremother made some good friends at Maravilla. On the minus side: Food is generally good, but not great. Maravilla does not know how to do pastries, and deserts are often very disappointing. As a rule, vegetables are undercooked. Maravilla business practices are somewhat unfair. When one is absent for two weeks or more, one gets vouchers for half the meals that one missed. Why not all of the meals? And, why does one have to be absent for two weeks or more? Overall, I'd say that Maravilla does not offer good value for the money.

The holy grail of retirement communities!…read more It's really feels like a high end resort. From the grounds to the amazing lobby, to the many amenities: all top notch! It you can afford it, your last years could be your best years at Maravilla!

After living here for seven years now it appears that the new senior management has a directive is…read moreto charge the residents as much as possible and to cut back on services and staff and then complain that this nonprofit is only cleaning a million a year which is why they are raising prices.

Valle Verde is truly an exceptional place for seniors to live. My client Luella resides here, and I…read moream constantly impressed by the quality of care, the kindness of the staff, and the overall warm atmosphere. It feels more like a welcoming community than just a retirement home.The grounds are beautiful, the facilities are well-maintained, and the food is excellent. Staff members go above and beyond to make sure every resident feels comfortable, respected, and cared for. Luella enjoys her days here, surrounded by friendly neighbors, engaging activities, and a supportive environment.I am grateful to see how happy and secure she is at Valle Verde. I would highly recommend this community to anyone searching for a caring, professional, and uplifting place for their loved ones.

My Dad is currently a resident. I was able to travel to visit him. The facility is gorgeous and the…read morestaff was great. My step Mom has said the staff has been wonderfully supportive during the tough transition to having my Dad live there. You will get your money's worth at Casa Rosa.

Our family could not be more pleased with the quality care and support provided to our loved one by…read moreRoxandra, Fabiola, and the entire Casa Rosa team. The facility and grounds are beautiful and well-maintained. We are truly grateful for their services.

My wife is a caregiver who has a patient at Vista del Monte. She's been assigned this client for…read moreabout a year now, and is only minimally pleased with the service. Visted on money gives their patients. For instance, just today, she went for her shift only to find out after she had been there for an hour that the patient had acquired COVID. NO NO NO WARNING SIGN ON THE ROOM ENTRANCE. That's a terrible thing for patients and caregivers!

I stayed at Vista Del Monte for a week with a relative who needed round the clock care while he…read morewaited for his room to be ready at their 'memory care' facility (which includes round-the-clock supervision and care.) These are the observations I made in that time :  The staff is doing an excellent job caring for their residents and treats each person as a unique and valued individual. Every staff member we encountered knew my great uncle's name and greeted him warmly.  The kitchen staff were fantastic and accommodating. Any time we had unique requests for condiments or extras (any time of day) they were always happy to oblige. There were two ladies in particular that remembered my name (even though I am a guest and not a resident) and made a point to address me by it, which I thought was very professional and kind. I believe their names were Jennifer and Melissa. On the occasions when we went to dine in the outdoor dining pavilion the wait staff was on par to any high end restaurant in town. I would know as this is what I did for a living for many years. I was shocked...especially considering they don't accept tips anyway...they were just that good because they cared. William stood out as being especially accommodating when our 'reservation' got messed up (my fault) one day.  All of the medical staff who came to the room to give medications or do wellness checks were professional and kind. One woman (Juline) was particularly warm and cheerful. Everytime she left my uncle commented on how much he enjoyed her visits.  The 'resident services' staff were always going above and beyond with any request I brought to them. One lady in particular (Angie I believe) stands out. When I needed to do laundry for my great-uncle, but it was after hours so their little shop was closed she went to her car and got her OWN laundry detergent that she happened to have with her and gave it to me to use!  I could go on and I'm sure there are many staff that deserve specific mention that I've forgotten to include (I should have been keeping notes all week) but in general the entire staff was amazing and I don't have one single less than stellar incident to report.

Right now I don't really recommend them. While they were helpful for my father until he passed this…read moreJanuary, they have dragged their feet for almost 2 months getting me the rental credit of ~$1100 they owe me. The manager has been giving me one excuse after another, but still no check. 5/4/26 Update: I finally received the check (early last week). Still not as quickly as promised, but this last time may have been due to UPS delays. In any event, all is wrapped up.

Excellent interview by administrator. Was very concerned for…read moremy 95 year-old father. All costs were 'up front.' Highly recommended

Every staff member is very polite and professional. However I had an unpleasant experience with the…read morefront desks women she was awfully rude.

This is the place to visit. Amazing caring and loving…read more Highly recommend the Casa i would love to visit with my husband..He's love and miss you so much

The staff at the Californian, Pala, the receptionist, Victoria, social services, The business…read moreoffice, the physical therapy, the food preperation, the nursing staff all care. My nephew has been there for almost a year due to his extremely severe ankle break. They have been supportive and responsive. Dr. Richard Young

This place is a hidden gem. Granted, the place needs updating, repairs and a major aesthetic…read moreoverhaul, but try not to be influenced by that. On entry, you are met by Barbara who has been there 45 years. The residents are out of their rooms, which to me is a good sign. The therapy department is stellar! Run by Ray, who goes over and above to be available and communicate progress reports. He immediately made sure my dad had the proper bed, adjusted his wheelchair and so much more. He is a patient advocate, and will listen to ideas and try to implement. His team of therapists Chase and the OT ( sorry, lost the name) were wonderful as well. Special shout out to Jan the SLP who got things rolling with the proper diet and adaptive utensils in the right direction fast. The activity director made sure to encourage my father to come to the exercise, musical events and more, and brought an opera iPod into his room when he first arrived and could not get up. She had an inspiring assistant who was good at getting him out. The dining room gals were great as well, and kept him hydrated and drinking which is always a challenge with nectar thick fluids. The food was actually yummy and home made! The chef and dietary director were patient, accommodating and friendly. Additionally, Brenda, the social worker is an empathetic and accessible listener. She oversaw that he got the proper care. Tess and most of her nursing staff were proactive and caring in looking after my Dad. I wish I could remember everyone's name, but Tammy, Arlene, Kiko, Irma, and so many more were really fantastic!(sorry I can't remember names well!) Thank you to everyone for bringing my dad back to baseline!

Our Mom's health turned for the worse, the facility she was at recommended VNA Health…read more I immediately got a few calls from the reps in their office to get my Mom into their Hospice program, Great Staff! The Nurse came out on a Friday Night at 10 pm to help make my Mom comfortable, What an Amazing Lady! On my way home about 10:30 pm I heard from another Nurse, she was going to see my Mom on Saturday, another Amazing Lady! A Nurse came out Everyday to see Mom until sad to say, she passed away on Tuesday... My Family and I are extremely Grateful to all these Wonderful People! Thank You for making our Mom and us feel so Special during such a sad time...

From the owner: Caring For Our Communities Since 1908. We are proud to be our community’s cornerstone for medically…read moreholistic family care including home health care, palliative care, hospice care, Serenity House- our inpatient hospice facility, and bereavement care — helping people at any age or stage in life to live well.