The Cottages at Dartmouth Village

The Cottages of Dartmouth Village are located conveniently close to Route 6, Route 140 and Route 195. My mother just turned 95 and moved in about a month ago, already she feels right at home and has made friends with several of the other residents. Her studio apartment is really cute and spacious enough for her bed, small sofa, a few chairs, large dresser, end table, tv & bookshelf. Within steps of her apartment there is a comfortable seating area with a large fireplace and big screen TV. This area is perfect for her to meet with her neighbors each day. Just down the hall is a large dining area that serves great meals (better meals than when my mother was living by herself). She is in the memory care building and has received such great support from the staff, it puts are minds at ease. Speaking for my family we are thrilled that she is living there and under such great care.

Moving my father into assisted living was one of the hardest decisions our family has had to make. He has high-functioning dementia and had been living alone in a single-family home, so the transition felt overwhelming. Thankfully, the move went far better than we ever expected. Every director we have interacted with has been a clear, compassionate, and responsive communicator. Robert, the sales director, was an absolute pleasure to work with—patient, trustworthy, and understanding during what was an incredibly big decision made in a very abbreviated amount of time. Most importantly, my dad is safe. Beyond that, he’s thriving socially. He has more of a social life now than he ever did before. I rarely find him in his apartment during the day—he’s usually walking the beautiful grounds, sitting in a rocking chair chatting with a friend, or participating in activities. At home, he would spend most of his time fussing with papers and bills, so this change has been incredibly positive. And his one-bedroom apartment is the perfect size for his needs. The main challenge we’ve experienced has been communication with aides in his cottage. It can be difficult to reach them directly, and often requires going through the front office or speaking with a director to get answers. That said, when it truly mattered, the care was there—when my father had to be sent to the hospital and couldn’t walk, the aides called me immediately. In that moment, I was deeply thankful he was there and not home alone. Overall, this facility has given our family peace of mind and given my father safety, structure, and connection. For that, we are very grateful.

From the first time we met Robert we knew we had found the right place for my sister, he was extremely kind, caring and accurate as to what they could provide for her. She is now a resident of “The Cottages” and seems to be adapting very well in a short period of time. Our thanks go out to all the caregivers at “The Cottages” for showing compassion and understanding for my sister.

From the first moments, you enter The Cottages main lobby you can tell that it’s a quality building and it’s very clean. My sister and I went to evaluate whether or not my husband should move there from a memory care facility in Rhode Island. His family is from Rhode Island so they were in a better position to visit him more often which turned out not to be the case so I consider our options open. But he likes where he is, which is 45 minutes from where I live, in Dartmouth and the Washington Bridge is no fun at any time of day. So my sister and I went to visit We had a really good conversation with Robert the sales and marketing Director. He asked good questions. We asked good questions back. He gave us a very detailed tour and the facility is impressive in a lot of ways. The staff, the residents that we met, and the rooms, were all suitable for what my husband would be comfortable with As much as I would love to have my husband closer. He seems to want to stay in his current facility. His happiness is much more important than my not liking my commute. So at this time it’s not going to be right for him to move, but never say never. I think it would be a very good fit for him, And the residents we met seemed highly functioning, which is also the category of dementia he has, but the timing‘s got to be right too. He’s in a good place now at his current facility so whatever my goal is, I always want to keep him positive, first and foremost. You’d be doing yourself a favor to arrange for a tour with Robert he’s very personable and very knowledgeable which makes him immediately trustworthy.

The Cottages of Dartmouth has been the best decision ever when it comes to the care of my husband and my peace of mind. From touring the campus with Robert LaVallee on day one to move in day it just felt right. I have been so fortunate to have Robert be by my side throughout the whole process and even on the weekends. My calls and questions never go unanswered. When meeting Robert you know that your family member is in safe hands and they will be taken care of as family. All the employees at The Cottages have been so welcoming and supportive with the adjustment, everyone is genuine and caring. I have had the pleasure of having breakfast and lunch with my husband and the other residents and it’s like a family gathering! My husband is thriving there with the social interaction and attentive care. When I go to visit we enjoy taking walks on campus and enjoy each others company which is priceless as his caregiver; my mind is at ease and I know he is safe. Amazing experience for both of us.