Merrill Gardens at Santa Maria
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- 1220 Suey Road, Santa Maria, CA 93454
- (805) 322-3349
- 4.4 ( 30 reviews )
- Assisted Living, Independent Living, Continuing Care Communities, and Memory Care
Related Costs
Description
About This Community
Conveniently located between San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, Merrill Gardens at Santa Maria is a campus-style retirement community that provides a wide spectrum of care. Enjoy being near golf courses, wineries, the Veteran’s Administration Building and Marian Regional Medical Center.
Residents enjoy celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and holidays together, as well as being involved in local volunteer projects. They enjoy use of the community’s private dining room for special occasions. Santa Maria offers scenic coastal state and county parks for picnicking, strolling and more. The nearby Luis Oasis Senior Center offers classes, hiking trips, volunteering, a travel club and more.
Reviews
4.4
( 30 Reviews )
Kathy
We went to Merrill Gardens at Santa Maria. The rooms are very nice. It's a very nice and beautiful facility. The staff were great. There's a pool and a game area. The dining area is very comfortable like a restaurant. It's very nice. There was a little bar and there were some people at the bar. It's a little lounge area.
Sandy
Merrill Gardens at Santa Maria was clean and well-maintained. They have a housekeeper that comes in once a week. They have someone that washes your towels and beddings once a week. The staff was really friendly, helpful, and not at all pushy or anything. He was just really cool about it. The dining area was nice. All of them said we could come back and have a meal there, but we have not done that. Their menu looked good. They have a gym, a place to watch movies with a big screen TV, and a pool. They have a lot of activities. They go shopping if you need to go shopping. They go to places and make plans to do things for their residents.
Dennie
September 10, 2021
I went to Merrill Gardens at Santa Maria. It was super clean. The staff was nice. I liked the whole layout. I liked the different tiers of service, which most places give from cottages to full assistance when needed, and even hospice. It would suit my father's needs if he wanted to move in this direction. The staff was super friendly and very helpful. He's been there for several years. He took me to several vacant rooms and just gave me the whole tour. He was very, very accommodating. The menu looked great. They have a chef there, and of course, it is walk-in dining like the newer facilities. The dining area had a lot of natural light, and it was very spacious, and very clean. They have a salon, a billiards room, a library, a pool, and a spa, and a nice, outdoor area with firepit.
Dyanne
August 22, 2021
I went to Merrill Gardens at Santa Maria. It was excellent all the way around. It's a wonderful community. I liked all of their offerings there, as far as the caregiving, the dining, the activities, and all of the things that they offer. They have memory card games, entertainment, libraries, board games, and lots of social activities for people to interact. They have excellent staff. It's very clean. Everything has been upgraded. I didn't eat any of their food, but their offerings and menu is quite extensive with lots of choices.
Peaceful
July 17, 2020
I relocated my folks to this facility in June, 2020 during the COVID-19 period and they were extremely helpful managing all of the restrictions and guidelines from the medical requirements to move in day. Special thanks to Gary G., Kim A., Audie S. and Chris R. for their assistance and guidance. Very dedicated and helpful staff from Kitchen, Care Givers and MedTech. The comfort level to the family of the resident is very special.
Shirlee
October 09, 2019
I was at Merrill Gardens at Santa Maria. I liked it. It was run by a bigger corporation, but the rent was twice as much as other places. My room had a kitchenette with a full sized refrigerator and a two-burner stove. I had a very big bathroom that was big enough to put my walker in. I enjoyed that room very much. They had so many activities, too. They were able to us on the bus. They also have doctors' days. Even though it costs double, you get that much square footage and activities. They also have more buses.
George
March 14, 2019
The restaurant at Merrill Gardens at Santa Maria is pretty much open from 7 in the morning to 7 at night, and I like that feature very much because I don't always feel like eating at a set time. It was very good but what I didn't like it is it's so huge. The staff was very nice. I was impressed with the place.
Kelly
My mom is doing pretty good at Merrill Gardens at Santa Maria. The staff is very good, professional, and pleasant. The food is very good and high quality, and they're all happy with it. The facilities are very nice and high grade. The amenities are very nice. They have a garden and pool. People should go check the place out. It's worth their time to look at.
Elaine
September 08, 2017
We had a very positive visit at Merrill Gardens. The staff was very pleasant, friendly, and knowledgeable. Everything was completely clean, there were no smells of any kind, and the food looked good. I think it was one of the nicest facilities I saw in that area.
Drpet2017
July 07, 2017
I do not recommend the memory unit. While things are pretty on the outside the care is not sufficient. The staff cannot watch all residents and I have witnessed unsafe situations. Residents who cannot get up on there own are often ignored when they plea to get up or dress themselves. The activity director is awesome and there are a few caregivers who are caring and try hard. It's upsetting that things happen and the none of the employees can tell you why or how. Also, I know that a few caregivers have reported concerns to the supervisors and they were pushed aside.
I think that if all parties would be honest and upfront then this place could be wonderful and worth the money. The most important thing is safety and respect for ones dignity.
catherine756678
May 31, 2017
I didn't like Merrill Gardens as much. It's a little more businesslike. I didn't think it was as homey. It just didn't feel as good. I think the staff was doing the best they could, but it seemed so large. It's not very pretty, and the structure seemed too industrial. I couldn't tell if the staff is happy or not.
The room I was shown hadn't been clean. It didn't leave me with a good impression. The dining area was closed, so I just looked at it. The structure itself didn't feel like a place like you'd want to leave your loved one. When I think about leaving my loved one somewhere, I want them to feel they're at home. It didn't look good even from the outside.
Son of a happy Mom
April 19, 2017
My mother has been residing at Merrill Gardens for nearly a month. However, it was a three year process for her to grudgingly accept living in a senior community. At this point she is settling in very nicely, and my siblings, as well as all of our spouses are extremely pleased. The management and staff are excellent, and the facilities, meals and activities are perfectly suited to the specific needs of each individual resident. Prior to entering Merrill Gardens various family members toured the facility, met with the management and were provided with a great deal of information regarding their program, including the typical adjustment curve for new residents to feel comfortable. I am happy to say that our mother is following that curve, just as described. Our family is now secure in knowing that Mom is in a safe, well-appointed and stimulating environment.
Robert488005
March 30, 2017
Merrill Gardens at Santa Maria was very clean and very neat. No buy-in dollar-wise. The individual cottages were very attractive and very roomy. The grounds were spacious and very well kept. It was a very nice place.
Deborah288882
March 27, 2017
My dad has been in Merrill Gardens since January. It is really nice, and people are very friendly. My dad seems to like it OK, and so far so good. The staff is good. They're not medical qualified -- they are more like aides -- but it’s OK. I wish they had more medical experience. Dad is doing all right. He's in a shared room, and he didn’t care for that much. They have a lot of activities, like bingo and music, and they go on field trips. He's in a wheelchair, so it's little hard for him to get in and out of the bus. He just likes to watch TV, and they have a nice big screen TV.
John P.555552
February 07, 2017
Merrill Gardens was fine but too expensive for us. My dad needs more care than they can give. It's good for someone who is aged 75 to 95. They had independent living as well.
Joan802622
November 14, 2016
Everything at Merrill Gardens at Santa Maria is beautiful, and it's great. The place is wonderful, the food's great, and the tour was very good. It was bright, cheery, and very well planned out. It just was a very nice place, and I was impressed.
Suzzane133545
August 24, 2016
We visited Merrill Gardens. The gentleman that was there did not know we were coming, but he took a break and showed us around. When we got there, they were having a special lunch. He showed us around, but he had to leave, so I sat and talked with some of the people, wait staff, and the employees. It was very similar to where my mother lives now, but it was $1,000 cheaper. They had all types of activities, two big dining rooms, a pool, a spa, the hairdresser, and activities in the gym. The only thing that they did not have was the size room that she needed. They were very nice.
Anonymous Visitor22
April 23, 2016
Merrill Gardens at Santa Maria looked like a very nice place. We liked it a lot. The staff seemed friendly and knowledgeable, but we didn’t see very many of them and didn’t really talk to anybody besides Gary. The cleanliness was excellent. The dining area and rooms that we saw were very nice.
JMK2
January 29, 2016
Everything at Merrill Gardens at Santa Maria is wonderful. The staff is knowledgable, and answered all the questions we needed. The rooms were excellent; open, friendly, and in excellent shape. The food is excellent too. They have too many activites for my mom to participate in.
Robin121430650
December 29, 2015
My parents will be moving in Merrill Gardens. This community has very high standards. They are very good, unlike the other facilities that I checked out. Everybody -- the staff and residents -- is friendly. I like them a lot. When we had lunch during our visit there, the residents turned around from their tables and told us that Merrill Gardens was a really happy and fun place to live. Their dining room reminds me of a crew ship on land. It opens from 7:00 to 7:00 and serves special meals every day. You can even tell them what you want in your salad bar and they put it on it. They have one-bedroom apartments, studios, and two-bedroom apartments. Everyone there has their own air conditioning and heating. They have a calendar of activities they do every day and do bus trips almost everyday. They have puzzle games to play, too. It's a very secure place, as well, because you have to sign in and out at the desk to get in. They have security guards, which very much impressed me!
Sylvia19
September 12, 2015
Merrill Gardens was really nice with really nice activities, and you didn’t have to go outside to go to the dining hall; that was really nice. They have washers and dryers in the room, which was really nice. The one thing I didn’t like about it is that it had a kitchen; I wish they wouldn’t have kitchens in them because they don’t really use the kitchens, and they could use the place for something else. They all go down to the dining hall after all. The staff was very nice and good. The activities were really nice, and they take them to different places. We really like it.
Visitor112854750
August 31, 2015
The first one I visited was Merrill Gardens at Santa Maria. It is well-known in the area. They have a lot of features, and the units have a lot of features as well; those seemed good. The units were like a big apartment house. They have different sizes. Also they have a big dining area where anybody can go in and eat at any time from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. They have exercise classes, and they have transportation to and from doctors and shopping.
Trudy5
June 13, 2015
I visited Merrill Gardens at Santa Maria. We were very impressed because it is a beautiful place. It was expensive, but we kind of expected it to be. There was a living room, a bedroom, and a small kitchenette in some of them. We were looking more in the assisted living section. I was very impressed. It was very nice with a balcony on them. They offer a lot of amenities. They have crafts, meeting rooms, and exercise rooms. It looks like there was a lot of socialization going on. The people that we met were very pleasant and seemed happy. We didn't have a chance to taste the food at Merrill Gardens, but it seems very pleasant, and the residents were happy and contented. They were still very mobile in moving around. We were very impressed.
Visitor106544150
May 22, 2015
I think Merrill Gardens at Santa Maria is institutional. It is too big with three stories, and I don’t like that. The place is very, very clean. The rooms are very nice.
Audrey19
May 01, 2015
What I like about Merrill Gardens is that the grounds are large. There are a lot of outdoor areas. They have a pool and a garden area. The staff was very friendly. The rooms were very nice and spacious. They were also clean and very well kept.
Kym1
October 21, 2013
My mom is all settled at the Merrill Gardens at Santa Maria. We had nothing, but really good experience. All of the staff is really nice and the facility is nice. The room is fine and I thought it was a good place. My mom is really happy and she likes it there. I like how the food and the dining is all day. They don't have a set mealtime, they can just go in and get food any time that they want. So it is more like home in some ways instead of having to stick to a schedule.
Visitor9933
April 18, 2013
Merrill Gardens was the facility where my mother-in-law stayed. The place was just fabulous. There were tons of amenities. The food was delicious and tasty. The staff were just amazing. She was super happy there.
Visitor310
May 18, 2012
Nothing really impressed me about Merrill Gardens in Santa Maria. We had dinner there and the food wasn't that good. The environment seemed kind of sterile, not as warm as other facilities I've visited. There was a smell to it and the rooms were dark like dungeons. My mom didn't think much of it either. I didn't get the feeling that it was a homey atmosphere.
hinshar
September 06, 2011
My Mother and Father became residents in June of 2005 when it was Arbor View and was bought out by Merrill Gardens. My Mother was placed in the Garden House unit which specializes in dementia, alzheimers and other issues that could not be handled by assisted living. My father went to the assisted living facility. My Mother and Father were treated respectfully and I had no worries that they were not taken care of at all. My Mother passed at the facility in 2009 and my Father is now in the same unit that my Mother was in. He loves the caregiviers and the people there and they treat him like he is their own father. The staff caregivers are wonderful and I love visiting with them when I go there. I recommend Merrill Gardens in Santa Maria wholeheartedly.
TaryJer
June 24, 2011
Everyone there was very friendly there and welcoming,very warm,they were very helpful,i enjoyed the tour very much.they assisted me to my full expectations,i've also heard from other people that have obtained assisted living from that place and they all say good things so i decided to go on a tour there.
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