Nestled in the charming rural town of Williamstown, Vermont is a hidden gem that offers seniors a warm, engaging place to call home. The Gardens at Williamstown Square is an intimate assisted living community with an atmosphere of comfort and care. From the friendly staff to the daily schedule of activities, The Gardens focuses on providing residents with support while maintaining independence. Read on to learn why this special community receives rave reviews from current residents and their families.
What Makes The Gardens Special?
With just 45 apartments, The Gardens has a cozy, home-like feel missing from larger assisted living facilities. The staff knows every resident by name and works hard to make them feel at home. The building layout adds to the peaceful environment with an interior courtyard filled with gardens, walking paths and seating areas. Apartment-style rooms all include kitchenettes, allowing residents to maintain some independence for light meals and snacks between visiting the dining room.
The engaged staff at The Gardens sets the community apart. There is always someone available 24/7 to help residents with anything they need, from assistance getting dressed to escorting to meals and activities. The staff undergo robust training to provide person-centered care tailored to each individual. Their patience and compassion show in how they treat each resident more like family than a tenant.
Chef-Prepared Meals
The dining experience at The Gardens is another highlight. Meals are prepared fresh daily by the on-site chef and catered by the helpful dining staff. The chef can accommodate any dietary needs or restrictions. She prepares dishes you would find in an upscale restaurant, avoiding bland “institutional” food. Lunch and dinner offer an entree, sides and soup/salad bar. For special occasions like birthdays or holidays, the chef goes all out with themed meals and desserts to celebrate with residents. The dining room provides a space for residents to catch up with friends old and new over a great meal.
Engaging Activity Calendar
The Gardens recognizes the importance of keeping residents engaged with regular social, educational and recreational activities. An Activities Director oversees a robust daily schedule that includes exercise classes, arts and crafts projects, painting sessions, book club, live musical performances from local talent, therapy dog visits and more. There are games and puzzles set up around the common spaces for residents to enjoy in their free time.
Outings are also arranged a few times a month for residents interested in getting out and about. These include lunch trips, museum visits, and scenic countryside drives to enjoy the fall foliage. The Activities Director solicits input from residents to make sure activities meet their interests and abilities.
Services at The Gardens
To make life just a little easier for residents, The Gardens offers a variety of services to take care of basic needs from laundry to healthcare. Housekeeping services tidy up living spaces and keep shared areas spotless. Staff collect laundry from apartments weekly and return it fully washed, dried and folded. For convenience, staff can also take care of mailing letters or packages at the front desk.
Since many residents take daily medications, The Gardens provides medication management services. The onsite nurse works with families to organize and distribute medications on a schedule for each resident. This takes the hassle out of managing multiple medications and ensures residents don’t miss important doses. The nurse is available for any health questions that arise as well.
The Gardens maintains an on-call van and driver to provide scheduled transportation for residents. This allows for easy group trips for shopping, religious services, dining and more. Families can also request transportation to medical appointments or family gatherings for an additional fee.
Salon Services
Without having to leave home, residents can visit the on-site salon and barbershop for haircuts, styling, manicures and other beauty services. The tranquil salon offers a welcome reprieve from the bustle of public salons. Services are provided at reasonable rates by professionals with years of experience caring for seniors’ unique needs.
Amenities at The Gardens
In addition to the overall homey community spaces, The Gardens offers several amenities to make life more enjoyable for residents. The library stocks current bestselling books and classics in both regular and large print versions. Puzzles, board games and cards mean there are activities for rainy days or quiet times. An extensive DVD collection of movies and TV series provides plenty of entertainment options as well.
For some quiet contemplation and fresh air, the interior courtyard garden has walking paths, raised plant beds, and benches surrounded by ornamental trees, flower beds and garden art. The courtyard provides a peaceful place to read, enjoy a coffee, or chat with friends and neighbors.
The community room with a fireplace, plush seating and a large flatscreen TV gives residents space to gather for movie nights, special events, guest speakers and more. Cards and board games are set up here for impromptu game sessions. Just off the community room, there is a game room with a pool table that hosts tournaments and weekly pool parties.
Beauty Salon
The fully-equipped beauty salon inside The Gardens means residents always look their best without leaving home. The salon provides haircuts, perms, styling, manicures and nail care. An esthetician visits twice a month to offer facials, waxes and skin treatments. The simple convenience of having these services on-site enhances quality of life at The Gardens.
Daily Life at The Gardens
Maintaining an engaging lifestyle is easy at The Gardens. While each resident’s schedule varies day-to-day, a typical morning starts with breakfast in the dining room from 7:30-9:00 am. The chef prepares hot breakfasts daily with classics like eggs, pancakes, French toast and breakfast meats as well as lighter options like yogurt parfaits, oatmeal and fresh fruit. After breakfast, those interested can participate in morning exercises likebeginner yoga or chair aerobics.
Mornings are generally open for residents to enjoy activities of their choice – getting in some reading in the library, working on hobbies and crafts, or joining a group playing cards in the community room. Just before lunch at noon, there is often live music or another midday activity.
Early afternoons tend to be quieter, allowing residents to nap or relax in their apartments before joining friends again for dinner. Evenings include leisurely dining followed by evening activities like Bingo nights, live entertainment, discussion groups or game tournaments. An evening snack is served around 8:00 pm before it is time to wind down for the night.
Each morning and afternoon, weather permitting, the courtyard garden is open for residents to enjoy. The Activities Director brings out puzzles, games and refreshments to make use of the outdoor area.
Special events like holiday meals and parties, onsite art shows for residents, game days and more add variety to the usual schedule. The Activities Director makes sure every week offers new ways for residents to engage, learn and have fun together.
Sample Schedule Highlights
- Monday: 10:00 am Watercolor Painting Class, 2:00 pm Trivia Hour
- Tuesday: 11:00 am Art History Lecture, 3:00 pm Baking Club
- Wednesday: 9:30 am Chair Yoga, 2:00 pm Book Club
- Thursday: 10:30 am Live Piano Music, 4:00 pm Happy Hour
- Friday: 12:00 pm Storytelling from Local Schoolchildren, 6:00 pm Family Dinner
- Saturday: 10:00 am Gardening Club, 2:30 pm Movie Matinee
- Sunday: 3:00 pm hymn sing-along, 7:00 pm Bible Study Group
On-Site Care at The Gardens
One concern of seniors and their families considering assisted living is access to care and support as needs change. The Gardens provides 24/7 onsite staffing to respond to any immediate needs of residents. Staff check in on residents frequently even without requests to ensure safety and wellbeing.
The Gardens offers higher levels of care right within the community as a resident’s health needs evolve, allowing them to age in place. Staff are trained to adjusted assistance as cognitive and physical abilities decline. Additional staffing and services can be added gradually so the transition is smooth.
For any health concerns, the onsite nurse is available for consultations, vital sign checks, and answering medication questions. The nurse coordinates doctor visits and keeps families updated. She works closely with outside home health agencies if a resident temporarily requires higher care such as wound care, physical therapy or hospice services.
On-Site Healthcare Services
For convenience, The Gardens provides frequent visits from other healthcare practitioners so residents do not have to travel offsite. A podiatrist comes every 6 weeks to offer nail trimming, corn removal and diabetic foot care. An audiologist visits monthly to provide hearing tests and adjust hearing aids. Weekly chair massages help address residents’ aches and pains.
Reviews From Current Residents
Looking at reviews from current residents and their families provides the best insight into life at The Gardens. Recurring themes include praise for the caring staff, diverse activity options and the overall friendly atmosphere.
Residents frequently cite the activity calendar and inclusive environment as favorites. Even those who consider themselves introverts feel welcomed to participate. People who may have become isolated at home have blossomed by interacting with new friends at The Gardens.
Several reviews mention staff going above and beyond to make residents feel special. Residents feel they can ask staff for anything. Families say communication is excellent – staff reach out to give updates or report anything out of the ordinary.
Apartment living spaces receive positive reviews for their size, functionality and amenities. Families say visiting loved ones in these apartment-like settings feels more normal than a traditional nursing home room.
While each community has areas for improvement, reviews for The Gardens are overwhelmingly positive. Current residents and families seem highly satisfied, which is the ultimate endorsement.
Contact The Gardens Williamstown
Does The Gardens sound like the right fit for you or your loved one? Reach out today to learn more and schedule a personalized tour. The Gardens can provide detailed pricing breakdowns accounting for care needs, apartment selection, and other services requested. Space is limited due to the community’s small size.
The dedicated staff at The Gardens enjoy sharing stories of life in the community with visitors and giving tours showcasing amenities. Seeing the beautiful spaces and friendly environment firsthand gives the best sense of what sets The Gardens apart. There is no pressure or obligation to make a decision during or after the tour.
Take the first step toward a more engaging, comfortable lifestyle by contacting The Gardens today. With availability limited, now is the ideal time to learn more about this special assisted living community catering to the needs of Williamstown area seniors.
The Gardens at Williamstown Square offers seniors the best of both worlds – the privacy and freedom of apartment-style living combined with support from caring experts when needed. The staff’s thoughtful touches, wide range of amenities and activities create a sense of home. Resident reviews highlight the community feel that develops at The Gardens, even among more independent seniors. From the chef-prepared dining to social events and outings, The Gardens enriches residents’ days with purpose and enjoyment.
Rather than an institution, The Gardens provides a welcoming home. If assisted living is on your radar for yourself or a loved one, explore what sets this quaint Williamstown community apart. Reach out today to learn more about pricing options and schedule a personalized tour.
