3 Assisted Living Communities in Dakota County, Nebraska

Amelia Smith

The facility is nice and loving and caring staff members, but the only thing is there are no activities happening in House 1 because of no Activity Assistant and I don’t know why I understand some of the residents are not active but they still need help in there. When I went to House 3 the activity coordinator was not helping at all either.

Kay

We liked The Rivers. We enjoyed it. We enjoyed the facilities and everything it had there; but at this time, we aren't quite ready to sell our house. We went to see both independent and assisted living. We are thinking of going into independent and then get the services a la carte. That is the way we wanted to go, but we were not sure. The facilities were perfect for what we wanted. It did not give us an impression of going to a motel. The other places sort of gave you the impression that you were going to a motel where your suppers are going to be taken care of. I am just not that type of person. I feel like I could do things in the kitchen, have people over, and have the kids come over. The spirit of the building was there for me. The people were talkative. They met in their little groups. They talked and greeted us when we came in. People were visiting the place like family members, young and old. They were coming in and out of the place. We were able to try the food. They sent us home with meals, and it was very, very good.

C.P.

We looked at Brookdale Inver Grove Heights. It was a nice facility, though it was a little older. They did not have a lot of people there, so for someone who didn't want to interact with others it would be a good place to explore. The staff who helped with the tour was a very nice lady and answered all of my questions. The rooms were nice as well. There was a window so you could look outside, and it wouldn't just be a dark, dull place. They went through all of their amenities, and they were very similar to what the place we picked offered, though this one is a little smaller.

J.E.

Brookdale West St. Paul was very nice. It's in a nice, quiet neighborhood, and overall it was comfortable. The staff was very nice too. They have a patio and a nice outside area. It gives you a nice, cheery feeling when you drive in, and the parking was good. The building and grounds were very nice and well taken care of. It's very welcoming, and they have places for people to park, so it wasn't like you were just driving into a tiny parking lot. When you walk in the door, they're very attentive right away. They have an open family room with TVs, and the food is all made there. They were just finishing up their dinner when we went there, and everybody seemed really happy in their little dining room. The residents seemed very friendly also.

Marian

I went to Brookdale Eagan. It's friendly, nice, and very inviting. The room was very nice. The staff was super, super nice, and super friendly. They would do reading, they would read the newspaper and then talk about it, they watch movies together, they had a craft room, they had an outdoor gathering space, and they had a small kitchen where you could do a small dinner with your family. It was very clean and very nice.

Brenda

Brookdale Eagan is great. They're really good to my mother-in-law. It was a good move and she likes it there. They're really attentive and we're really happy with it. The staff is very friendly and very cooperative. No matter what you want to do they are quick to resolve things. The care is great and she really likes it. They interact and she interacts with the people there a lot. Her room is quite large. She can have her own chair, her favorite belongings, her pictures and her bed, and she's got her own TV set. She has a bathroom in her room, too. She's really happy there cause she has some of her belongings there. We dropped the furniture off, they're the ones that decorated it and hung all the pictures on the walls. It was very warm and cozy. Because of the COVID they have the outdoor patio where we sit with her and visit. She said the food is OK. They're not doing much because of COVID, but they do have a lot of activities, like bingo, and they're trying to engage the people.

Gail

The Rivers were able to offer something else to reduce the rate for my mom. She's in the independent living part. Very nice facilities. Recently there was a hard time for them to keep up like the upkeep of the appliances and things. She has a sun room, a living room, balcony, and then bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen. Lots of daily scheduled activities. I think they have a workout pool.

CK

My tour at The Rivers was a really positive experience. The tour guide that we had was very professional but she was also really sweet. She really took the time to find out what my dad needs were, and the things he enjoyed doing. She tried to explain some of the things that they do there that fit with the things that make him happy. The facility was very clean, and the dining area was really nice. I love that they have a lot of open space outside. Dad really enjoys being outside so that's helpful. They also have a dog run and they allow pets, which is really important for my dad because he's got a little dog. They actually even have a pet spa or pet bath, so that was an extra plus. The apartment itself was plenty big for what my dad needs. It was very spacious and very clean. As far as the cabinet and appliances, everything looked really well cared for and up-to-date. There was a lot of natural light, which dad really likes. It was a really positive experience. They also have underground parking. They have an exercise room, a couple of library areas, as well as a good-sized activity room. They aren't doing a lot of activities now because of COVID. They have a whole list of activities that they usually have, e.g., playing cards, church services, sit-and-paint thing, have some different arts and craft type things, different groups that come in and perform music; it was fabulous. The Rivers is the one that my dad was most interested in.

Richard

Brookdale Eagan was nice. They showed me the rooms and the facilities. The residents seemed happy and well taken care of. I would recommend them. The staff was very nice, very helpful, very willing to accommodate our needs, and they allow pets. I would rate the rooms very well.