North Star Retirement Community

Betty

My experience at North Star Retirement Community is very good. When I first came, everybody that worked here had been here quite some time, but since that time, most of them have retired and we have younger people. When I came, the staff was excellent, and now with the younger ones, it's amazing how much empathy they have for us older people, and they've kind of put a bit of life into us. They do everything they can to help us. The problem is we're all old and nobody really wants to do much. I'm legally blind and I'm hard of hearing, and I don't take advantage of very many of their meetings because I don't enjoy it, and I don't know what's going on, but they take pretty good care of me, and during this virus, I shop online, and they go get my supplies for me, and I don't have to leave to go out with my mobility problem. They do the best they can in these times. I furnished my room myself; I call it eclectic. I have macular degeneration, but I'm not totally blind. I looked into everything since I've been here, and North Star has got a beautiful setting. It's off a highway, but you wouldn't know it. It has a lot of trees, lawns, benches, and places where you can get out and walk around the sidewalk and stuff, more than a lot of the others that are so located so close to the side and the business part of the city, but I like it here. Food is institutional. They've gone through several different chefs. We had an old chef that had been here a long time and he quit or retired, so we keep getting new ones and it gets a little better. They do pretty well, I would say it's tolerable, but I cook a lot for myself. We have happy hour twice a week, they have exercises often, they have card games, and they have bingo just like most places have. They have outings all the time, and they go out for dinner and lunches a couple of times a month. Of course, this virus has stopped some of that, but they've started doing it again. We were in lockdown for some time. At the beginning of the virus, when it was so prevalent, they kept us in our rooms and brought our meals to us at the door. They were very good meals under the circumstances. I was really pleased with our director that right away she was one of the first that shut the place down, and wouldn't let people in or out without checking their vitals and stuff, and I was really pleased with that. She's been pretty much on the top of what goes on with the virus situation. They were very considerate about trying to keep us happy during that lockdown time, you know. We've been one of the first to get our shots. I've had all the shots and my booster shot. Then they have a medical man here, too. Their food is just like going to a restaurant, you got to know what to get. They have a regular menu that they put out for the week, and you can have takeout, and then there's another menu if you don't like what's on the menu that day. You can choose other things like salads and sandwiches, or in the evening, a chicken breast. This is a well-run place. They have a good maintenance staff, and they keep the outside buildings. They're always trying to fix things better, but it's very pleasant and nice. The big gripe I have is that (and this happens though to all of the places, so you can't blame this place), but this last year, up until this time, we had moderate increases in our rent, like it got up to 3 percent, which was OK. This last year we've had a 6.68 percent all at once. My cost of living increases $10 less than my rental increase. The problem is when they increase the rent, if they keep so much, you can't afford to stay here. All these apartments here on the independent side are almost all different. When I came here, I had a two-bedroom apartment, and then when they started increasing the rent. I realized that in a couple of years I was going to be out of my budget. It was a real nice apartment. It had a seven-foot closet and another bedroom where I could have my computer and stuff. I am downsized to a one-bedroom, which is much smaller, but I like it better because it has a walk-in shower with an attached seat on the wall. It's very secure and the bathroom is larger. I have a larger kitchen that's a lot brighter. When I checked out all of these places, it seemed like every place had a real little bitty kitchen. And so I have a little bit bigger kitchen that I like, which makes a smaller living room, but that's all right, I downsized and managed well.

Susan

We toured North Star Retirement Community. I could only look into somebody's room because they didn't have rooms available. I just looked into the studio and it looked just exactly like the living room where my husband is right now. It was bright, it had a bright window and it looked good. It was just truly welcoming. The lady also told me that one section of the building deals with assisted living, and maybe the other section is for retirement. I don't know for sure, but as long as my husband has a wheelchair he can go places and meet people. The lady was in charge of activities and she said I can always introduce my husband because they have a couple of engineers there too. He still has a good mind and he's quite intelligent. I just don't want him to fade if he has to move in. It was so pretty, and the lady was lovely to me but she told me there's a 4 to 6 months waiting list. I think he could be happy there but I don't want him to think it's forever, someday we both have to go somewhere. I have no idea of the cost but I know it's close to a thousand dollars just to be put on the waiting list and that's a chunk of money. At least right now, he needs to be rolled over periodically, he needs to be fed, and we have to take him to the portable toilet. He needs it all. It seems to be connected but the one side of the building has more independent living and then the other side has assisted living. We saw mostly the assisted living part. The staff said there's somebody that comes in once a week to clean the rooms and everything. She was very proud of the way they care for people too. I didn't meet any other staff members and she was expecting me because we've made that appointment so she was very nice. She took the time to walk me down the hall and show me what there was. She's proud to be part of it and I can understand why. That's just my first impression. She was lovely and had all the answers I wanted. She couldn't tell me prices but she could tell me it was a thousand dollars to put your name on the list. When you open the door, you have to use the Purell before you put your hands on anything. One thing I did appreciate was we didn't have to wear masks. In the other place I went to, everybody wore a mask. You can't live your life with a mask on so hopefully everybody in those places is vaccinated. I would assume they are because of their age and them living there.

Karen

We went to North Star Retirement Community. It's very good, very thorough, nothing but praises for them. We focused on Independent living. They showed us a lot of things and they called us ahead of time as well and gave us details on what is part of independent living and what's part of assisted living. So that was helpful. They have a variety of different crafts and arts, social get-togethers, and a variety of types of games. So if you don't like one type, there are so many to choose from. While we were there, we're able to pick our heads, and they're playing bingo. There's two types of bingo, there's bingo where you can play with pennies, but we just play for fun, you don't have to use your pennies. They had a library, and my parents like to read. They had an activity board that had so many activities listed. It was nice. Kayla was amazing, Megan was wonderful. They were wonderful, so my dad didn't want to go walking on the tour. And so Rachel went and got him a cup of coffee and she was going to give him a cookie and I let them know he was diabetic. She's like, well, we have sugar-free options as well. As we were going by, she smiled. She goes, we settled on a sugar-free peach pie. It was gone. I asked my dad and he was like, oh yeah, he was in seventh heaven. It was really good. My mom liked the menu list too. It was very clean and very well kept.

Marlene2

The tour at North Star Retirement Community was good, and I was pleased with them. The person who toured us around was knowledgeable and pleasant. They encouraged questions about the place. The facility was very clean and had options. Their apartments or rooms were comparable to the other one we toured. I was really impressed with it. You can also get meals there because it's a retirement home. I would say it was a wonderful location and beautiful. The staff was friendly.

Angie

North Star Retirement Community was a larger facility. It was clean and in a nice location. I liked the part of town that it was in. I believe they had a beauty salon and a nail salon too. They had bingo. I think they had a kitchen that people could actually go in and cook, and where you could have a party or something like that. The rooms were small, but the staff seemed very nice.

Ron

I like that North Star Retirement Community is all inclusive. Everything was provided, including the food. I also like the activities. The staff was very personable, very nice, and very knowledgeable. The cleanliness and up-keep was excellent. They have fewer amenities, but they have a number of social functions and activities that are part of the daily routine. The layout was nice. It almost had a feel of a high end hotel. The menu looked delicious and diverse. We haven't eaten a whole meal there, but what we did have was very, very good.

Marlene

I visited North Star Retirement and it was very pleasant. It was a wonderful, beautiful home, and a beautiful place. The chef met us there and he had something for everybody in a box. It looked great. They had everything from the workout room to a beauty parlor for men and women. They had a media room, pool tables, exercise rooms, and craft rooms.

Chip

My friend will be moving into North Star Retirement Community, but he's still in rehab. We decided on North Star because it looked like it was above average, and it had an opening. We saw the room when we filled out the paperwork. It's a fairly large, one-bedroom apartment. It presented itself very well and appears very well run. It appeared like it was a highly functioning, healthy environment. The staff members we came in contact with were terrific, very upbeat, focused, and capable. It appeared very clean, it was everything I wanted to see. The menus were kind of compressed but were terrific, everything appeared to be as advertised. They have transportation available at any time to and from appointments or shopping. They have quite a few things scheduled for activities, including a happy hour at 4:00 pm, and singing. It seemed appropriate.

Come On

Facility is very old (over priced and not maintained well) and cuisine was not appetizing.

A loving daughter

My mother was in the assisted living side of Northstar. In the beginning things were good. However, it evolved into not so good. Northstar kept raising the monthly fee on us, yet the care wasnot better. It actually got worse. Add to that, when we came in to move our mother to another facility, we were disgusted at how filthy her room was. Northstar is a very pretty facility. Many of the caregivers are outstanding and seem to care about the residents. There are a few who should be in another occupation!!!

Colleen

My mother is at North Star Retirement Community. We like the size of the facility, the price, and the food. It's very clean and cozy, and the amenities are nice. It's very well maintained. They offer an array of activities like wine, cheese, and bingo. The staff is very friendly and accommodating.

Kori

North Star is just assisted living and they don't cater to memory care patients. The community is just too big for someone with Alzheimer's. It would have been kind of overwhelming for our mom. The staff is great, they're very warm, and friendly. Upon observing them with the residents, I really think they're great. They knew people by name. Their rooms were really nice. They have a separate living room, a separate bedroom, and a kitchenette type of area. The rooms here were roomier than the place we selected for my mom. It's perfect just for assisted living. This place was fabulous. But for someone who is struggling already with memory, it's just too big. However, I would rate them a five, because it was a really nice place. It's beautiful.

Glady3

This is a very friendly & inviting place. The apartments are adequate for senior living, food is good with lots of choices, lots of activities to keep you busy,and it feels like home!

John

North Star Retirement Community looked real good to me. We toured a couple of different apartments and then we had lunch there. The food was good. The apartments and everything was nice, clean, and orderly. The staff during the tour was good.

Sunni

I toured North Star Retirement Community and it was probably the most upbeat place that I have been in a while. The people that were working there were very friendly, knowledgeable, and it showed in the atmosphere. When you walk into the community, it feels and looks different, and they're not the fanciest one. I think the community is 25- or 26-years-old, so they don't have the biggest, fanciest, or newest things, but the people were happy, and I really believe that has to do with the staff. They were amazing, and that would be our first choice. We were shown around twice, they were doing happy hour one time, some people were playing cards, and they had a movie playing in one of the rooms. We only ate there one time for lunch, but they were doing a big Hawaiian event, and there was a buffet. They have an amazing assortment of things and they were all fresh. I got to talk to the chef, he has a passion about it, and he was so excited. He put on quite an impressive buffet, and was just really happy the residents liked it.

Cherie

We visited North Star Retirement Community, and it was absolutely beautiful. We had a very nice lunch, the people were very cordial, and the residents I spoke to were very enthusiastic. It was well tended, looked clean and bright, and was very well done. It's obvious that care have been taken there. The kitchen seemed to be open most of the day which was very nice. There were lots of menu choices, I was very impressed, and I thought it was lovely.

Charlie

My mom is living in North Star. It seemed to be the most upscale option. The staff seems to be very friendly, and the amenities are as good as you can expect. My mom has a nice, comfortable studio with a view of the outside. The staff turnover is the only issue but they try very hard and are very caring.

Deborah

North Star Retirement Community is a very nice, good, and clean community. The people doing the tour were very professional. It's strictly assisted care and they don't have memory care unit. The problem for my dad was the place was huge and because it's so big, he won't be able to navigate it. They had all kinds of activities every day. If you're able to be in assisted living in a big community, then this is a very nice place.

CaringReviewer140165

North Star was fine, but it was just too big. The rooms were brand new, and everything looked good and clean. There was an exercise area.

Steve813337

North Star Retirement Community has a large entryway with seating areas, a dining room, 3 floors for independent living, and 2 floors for assisted living. It has an exercise room, a library, a sun room, and a patio. It has lots of activities, and the people are very friendly. When the residents get out and about, they have to be dressed. They can't walk around with their house clothes and slippers or pajamas. I think this is the best place. It may be a little more expensive, but you get what you pay for.

Crnkovich Daughters

Next month our mom will be a resident at North Star for one year; we moved her a year after my father passed.. The North Star staff are amazing; they treat our mom like family and help me and my two sisters out so much as we do not live local. The staff and other residents are so helpful and friendly; our mom has made so many friends. She feels comfortable and safe and we as her daughters feel relieved.. It's like she lives at a five star hotel! She enjoys all the social activities and loves the food. Thank you North Star Staff for making this transition as easy as possible and treating our mom like family. We feel very blessed to have found North Star Retirement Community!

kathy backus

My father moved from NY to Id last June. He is 90 years old.and in good health. North Star has been a gift from God. My mother had died a year before and most of dad's friends were no longer active. North Star has a library, a work out room a full service restaurant and house keeping included in the price. They also have entertainment, day trips and much more. The best part of North Star is the staff. They treat everyone like family. I live about 40 miles away and am able to take dad to appointments etc. If I am unable to make in to town North Star has a car and driver available to take people where they want or need to go. It is a great place. Dad has made many friends and I have peace of mind knowing there is someone there 24 hours a day if he needs anything.

The Baeumel Family

North Star is like a 5 star hotel when you go out into the community and see for yourself, My parents where here for almost 4 years and then my mom got sick and we had to move her and my dad went with her to another facility. When she passed it was our goal to have my dad back at North Star and he is back and enjoying it. He has alot of activities and socials to go to through out the week and can eat at either dining rooms. The staff is amazing and so friendly and just like family. They give my dad wonderful care and we are so happy to have him back at North Star.

Christine387832

North Star was really nice, and the people were very friendly. The rooms were really nice, newer, and really clean. The people who lived there all seemed very friendly, and the staff was really good. The dining room was very nice, light, open, and clean. They have a lot of good activities. I would definitely recommend it.

Michele M307071

My grandmother liked North Star, and that's where she wanted to go. It was awesome, beautiful, and five-star all the way. The food was excellent. The facility was spotlessly clean. We were greeted in the main hallway with a flat-screen TV where people could sit down and relax. We were taken upstairs and shown one of the rooms which had a kitchen, living room, a bedroom, and a nice-sized closet. Down the hall was a big library and a recreation room where they can watch TV and see movies. There were amenities where she could make a phone call and have herself taken to the doctors or go shopping. The staff was excellent and couldn't be nicer.

Reviewer124805450

We are so lucky to live here! So many great employees and I really mean this. We have a good chef and good servers also. I also have had good help when I need it with the office staff. In other words I am very happy to be here. Also lots of activities to keep us busy is we so desire. I have lived here for 8 years.

Reviewer124692850

Top Notch. Great Staff. Very caring.

Reviewer124692750

It is the best retirement facility in Coeur d'Alene! All employees are #10. thoughtful, caring and patient. Food is very good. Lots of social activities and trips.

Betsy M.1

Everything is excellent. Staff is so friendly!

Norma B.

Helpful and friendly staff. North Star is very clean. Great activities and great place to play Bridge . Residents are very friendly. Transportation takes me wherever I'd like to go.

Thelma Creason

Excellent. Staff and servers are caring and helpful in all areas.

Loretta Richmond

Not only is this a beautiful place to live, the staff is so friendly and accommodating! Residents and staff have welcomed us from the time we moved here. Activities are abundant. Our meals are always tasty and nutritous. Living here is good!

Susan117688350

Everything at North Star Retirement Community is very good: the environment, the care, the dining facility, the activities, and the food. The rooms were spacious. They have options for single-bedroom apartments that are larger than what I have seen in other facilities.

Anonymous117271050

North Star Retirement Community is a very beautiful community. The facility is clean and well presented. The person who met me was very friendly, very accommodating.

Diane112460350

My parents picked North Star. I like the social activities, the church, and the people that are taking care of my parents. The facility is clean. They have good food and good care.

Anonymous106418050

North Star was quite nice. There was a combination of independent living and assisted living. It was very pleasant. The people there were very nice. It was also quiet. They had a lot of activities.

Caring105751350

North Star is a great community. The staff is great, very accommodating, and very nice. They help a lot. It's pretty, and they have good food. They try to do everything they can to help and make it easier. They are fair. It would be a community I would want to live in. It's more affordable too.

Merriman

I find the services to be very good. The staff is very efficient and friendly, the residents very interesting and fun and I have no complaints.

Alyssa Carey

Beautiful and friendly community. Love it!!!

Caring77655550

My husband is currently at North Star Retirement Community. I like this place because they are very accommodating. When I needed a place to stay, because my husband was there, they gave me a room for a very reasonable amount of money and I am able to come and go as I please. The CNAs and nursing staff there are exceptional. They just take really good care of my husband. He is not able to get up off the bed by himself and they are helping him do that. They just help him every way they can. The residents there are very, very pleasant, lively, and young. They are always doing things. They show movies every night. They have reading groups and Bible study. They have several bingo every week. They also have exercises every day. They have a gym and a pool table. They also have beauty facilities.