MERRILL GARDENS AT LAFAYETTE

Seven years ago, my mom and dad made the move to Merrill Gardens. It has truly been one of the best decisions we’ve made. From day one, the staff has been nothing short of incredible—warm, attentive, and consistently going above and beyond. Their commitment to detail never stops, and it’s clear how much they genuinely care about every resident. The residents themselves are kind and welcoming, creating a true sense of belonging. The restaurant is fabulous, offering delicious meals every day. Juliane continually provides fun activities, crafts, celebrations, and community events that keep everyone engaged and smiling. And Wes, the MG driver, is an incredible man—he takes residents to medical appointments and shopping excursions with such care and reliability. He has become an integral part of my parents’ well-being. We are deeply grateful for the exceptional team and the enjoyable community. I feel incredibly safe with my parents living there. Highly recommended.

My mother recently moved into Merrill Gardens Senior Residence in Lafayette, and the experience has been nothing short of wonderful. From the very beginning, the staff has been incredibly welcoming—pairing her with a resident ambassador, ensuring she had lunch and dinner companions, and paying thoughtful attention to her needs. Having previously lived alone in an apartment without a community, she now has friends, a sense of belonging, and is actively engaged in groups such as book clubs and game nights. The transformation in her quality of life has been remarkable, and I’m deeply grateful to the Merrill Gardens team for helping her feel so at home. Touring Merrill Gardens was such a pleasant surprise. The community offers a full spectrum of care—from beautiful, well-designed independent living apartments to memory care—with the added reassurance of a full-time nurse on staff. The facility itself feels more like a high-end resort than a senior residence, complete with a staffed restaurant, gym, transportation to appointments and shopping, and even an on-site salon. Another unexpected benefit was the cost—surprisingly reasonable compared to other senior residences in the area, many of which were more expensive yet far less impressive. Most importantly, I now have peace of mind knowing my mother is in a safe, supportive, and uplifting environment that has truly enhanced her life.

My parents moved into Merrill Gardens in Lafayette, CA almost one year ago in October 2024. The decision to move took about three years for our family to make; that is to say, we did not take this decision lightly. Originally, my parents had planned to stay in their own home with help. This is something most seniors say they want to do, and downsizing a household of 60+ years is very difficult. However, finding in-home care is challenging and it needs to be managed. My mother's memory was getting worse, and my dad already had so much on his plate; he was getting exhausted, and he didn't want to have to manage giving instructions to in-home care doing the cooking, laundry, cleaning, and home maintenance. This is when we decided to try Merrill Gardens. What a difference a year has made! My parents have gone from surviving to two new people who are relaxed, content, and enjoying community with other seniors. My dad has always loved to garden, and he helps take care of the rooftop garden at the complex. My mom gets herself ready in the morning to go down to breakfast with her friends. Formerly, at their home, it was just the two of them, friends would not come around so often, and she was lonely. The other day, I took her to a doctor's appointment, and when we got back to Merrill Gardens a bunch of the community members were on the patio having a "s'mores cookout". Juliane, the activities director, knows exactly what is good for seniors: they were singing campfire songs, telling an "add-on" story where each person has to contribute something new, and just laughing and having fun. Moving to Merrill Gardens has been a huge relief to our whole family. My sister and I can relax now that we know our parents are safe, happy, and well-cared for.

The team at Merrill Gardens has been absolutely fabulous. Every person on the team at Merrill Gardens has helped make my mother's transition into a new chapter of life much easier and enjoyable than we would have ever imagined. These transitions are difficult for all family members and I can't imagine anyone other than the team at Merrill Gardens at Lafayette guiding us through this. Thank you for helping our family find some peace, comfort and joy in this next chapter. My mother is fortunate to be with you.

About 7 years ago, my mother's health condition became life-threatening and she was told to move closer to sea level (she and my dad lived at 8,000+ ft in Mammoth Lakes, CA) within 2 weeks or she could die. I'd heard of and driven by Merrill Gardens, so I toured it, loved it, and found, thankfully, that there was one vacancy! We moved my parents (and their pup) into a sunny, lovely MG apartment, thinking it would be a nice, temporary landing spot till they decided where they'd go next. Well, it didn't take long for MG to feel like home. Over time, my mother's health declined and MG, particularly Troy, was invaluable in helping to navigate her changing hospital, skilled nursing, and hospice needs, the most difficult of which was during the height of COVID. Troy was amazing. Since my mother passed, MG has embraced my father (and me), making him feel cared for and valued, such that much of his vitality, sassiness, and humor has been restored. A LOT of that is thanks to Julianne, Activities Director extraordinaire! She really listens to residents and curates a wide variety of activites (twice daily movies, clubs, games, parties, field trips, weekly happy hours with live music, and so much more!)--her sincerity, energy, and creativity is boundless. She is a treasure. Shout outs also to the always-on, cheerful front desk managers, including Danielle and Patty, who set a tone of vibrancy and good humor. A huge part of the MG Lafayette experience is provided by Chef Max and his team, who cook up delectable meals every day, and then really pull out all the stops for holidays and special occasions! My dad loves the food so much there that he now prefers that we eat there rather than go out to a restaurant! Thanks also to Kamal Singh who fairly recently became Director at MG Lafayette and, in short order, has expanded upon the warm, family-feeling culture, taking it to the next level! The history, the present, and future are all bright at MG Lafayette! THANK YOU!