Carriage House at The Verandah

Tammie

I toured The Verandah Independent and Assisted Living. It was very nice. The place was gorgeous. They had beautiful courtyards and ponds all around the place. There was a fountain in the middle of the pond. The apartments were nice and well set up. The staff showed me a big apartment and a smaller apartment. You would have to buy your own furniture to set it up. I did eat and the food was very good. They had an activities room where the people could play bingo or do crafts and a library. I would prefer that they had an exercise room. The residents could come and go as freely in assisted living.

David

My mom has moved into The Verandah Independent and Assisted Living. We chose them because of the quality of the staff and the communication with the administration. The staff are top quality, very caring, and attentive. They have multiple craft activities during the day, and exercise class once a day. They also have an on-site salon and manicure-pedicure facilities, a gym, a movie facility site, and a swimming pool.

Melva

My mother has moved into The Verandah Independent and Assisted Living in Lake Charles, LA in the memory care unit. I was told by the doctor for her not to go home, because she was hallucinating, and one of her hallucinations had her extremely frightened. So, he said for her to go home with those memories of that fear could set her off again. It's a nice place, but the food is horrible. It's been over two weeks, three at least, and yesterday would have been the third phone call for her TV to be hooked up in her room. She's supposed to be listening to music, so she sits in her room in her chair because she hasn't been there long enough to acclimate. She's at the point now where she's very, very angry; but she sits in there, and she doesn't have anything to do, except to stare at the walls. So, with the food and the lack of concern over her, I don't care if it is a television, she needs some kind of entertainment until she's ready to start mingling with people; I have a very big problem with that. The only other thing that I have a problem with, I guess she's the head nurse, and her name is Emily. All the nurses and the aides that have all worked with my mother feel like, she's fallen twice, they feel like she would do better by the nurse's station where they would be beause she's way at the end of the hall. There are empty rooms up there, and this nurse, Emily, has decided that it would be too traumatic to move her again right now; I don't like that at all. They're on lockdown. They have a nice courtyard area, but the weather's not good enough to go out there right now. So, that doesn't do any good. They do a few arts and crafts, and a few of chair exercises, but not a whole lot. They do have water aerobics twice a week, but my mother, there's no way she can go out. Even though the pool is warm, and I know this because I do water aerobics, when you get out of that water, it's like you turn into a cube of ice. I know my mother can't take that. In the summertime, it'll be great, but right now, it's not doing her any good. In the lobby, there's a nice fireplace, but they can't get to anything like that. I went one morning, and they had served some fresh fruit. Some of the fruit was cantaloupe, and it wasn't even peeled. You've got people who have limited dexterity, so what are they supposed to do with the cantaloupe? Pick it up, and gnaw all of it? It was just ridiculous, and no taste in the food. This is Louisiana, none of those people grew up eating bland, and they don't have special diet restrictions. So, there's no reason not to give them food that tastes good or so. Other than that head nurse I told you about, I would say they've been good with her. I think they need someone with a more compassionate personality. Putting her by the nurse's station for her safety, I understand it may not be good to move again or whatever, but we're talking safety. Like I said, she's at the end of a hall and she feels cut off and isolated because she has no television or cable channels playing music; they have music stations and the psychiatrist wanted her to be listening to music.

Ann

The Verandah at Graywood was a really nice facility. We toured the entire place. They had a cafe where you could order from a menu, a bar, some cottages and apartments that were independent, some apartments that were assisted living, and they had a memory care unit. They had a gym, an activities director, and a library. It was first class. The staff was very friendly. They followed up on our visit, and they offered plenty of things for the residents to do. The people we dealt with were extremely nice.

Vera

During my tour at The Verandah there were two ladies who initially sat down with me to find out what we were looking for. Then they took me for a tour in the assisted living area, (which was what we were interested in). She also showed me the entire place, showed me what they had to offer, and discussed pricing with me. It's a beautiful place, and everything is very new and nice. I would recommend them. I would say it's top of the line. They always have something going on, and there are many things to do there, or trips that you can go on. They have transportation, a pool, and quite a bit to offer as far as activities go.

Laura

The Verandah was excellent. I was accommodated beautifully. There was a 1-bedroom with a bonus room and a 2-bedroom apartment. They had a pool, a gym, a community room for activities, which clients could also rent out for their own event, beautiful gardens, and a wonderful dining room. The food and service were excellent. It was a beautiful and very well-done facility.

Jill

We really liked The Verandah. The girls who did our interview were very knowledgeable and I really liked them. The whole atmosphere of the place was awesome, and the rooms were nice. They had an arts and crafts room. The place was nice and everybody seemed happy.

Beth

I have eaten in the dining room a few times and would recommend a better variety of salad, not just the same one each time. Dining room staff are very polite and call everyone by their names!

vmiesel

The facility and the staff at the Verandah are all first rate. The staff are professional and very helpful and kind. My Father has been a resident for almost 4 years and he loves his apartment and is very comfortable in his home there. He is 98 years old and the entire staff look out for him on a daily basis. Thank you to all at the Verandah for making the elderly's lives much improved.

A happy family member

I am so thankful for The Verandah and it’s staff. My mother has a beautiful two bedroom apartment with a balcony. It provides her the opportunity to be as independent as able with a great kitchen, but the option to have meals in the dining area, or have a meal delivered. Although there are many activities, the staff works hard to help residents start a program in which they’are interested...like the newly formed book club. Staff members listen and find answers when residents or family members have questions. My mother is safe, happy, and she is involved in activities she had never tried! We are very happy with The Verandah and would strongly recommend it.

Patty T.

Wonderful enviroment for my parents to live and enjoy this chapter of their lives.

MBL

Fabulous place! Couldn't ask for a better setting for my sweet 80 year old in-laws!

LE

The Verandah was a very nice facility, very clean, and orderly. The food was good. The personnel that showed us around was excellent. I was considering it very seriously, but my son and daughter-in-law convinced me to seek other options.

Norma

We just made a brief visit at The Verandah. It was clean and the people were nice. They had an elevator and I didn't know if that was good for people that are old. My mom was in her 90s and I thought that in an emergency, they probably would use the stairs, but some of these people can't take stairs. They wanted to put her on the second floor and I think that was one of the reasons why she didn't go there. I saw a room and it was lovely. No one had ever been in it because it was a new facility. The accommodations themselves were excellent.

Mary J

We have my aunt on the list at The Verandah. I would move in there today myself if that were possible. It's a wonderful place. It's a really nice, upscale facility. Everyone, including the staff, is very friendly and helpful. They have a lot of activities to do for different levels. There is a lot of things that they offer for them as a community. If you lost your spouse and you're a little lonesome, it's a good place because there are others who are just like you and they look out for each other. They have games and activities. They have a swimming pool, aerobics, and a beauty shop. If you don't check in, they'll call and check on you. If you don't answer, they will go to your room. Her daughter is extremely impressed with it. Her mom is starting to have more memory issues, so we decided it's probably best for her to go on the one that's got a little more assistance and activities that are geared toward memory activities. It's butted up to a very nice, upscale community with its own private golf course. My cousin went into the assisted living and loved it. She said the apartment was very nice, but a bit smaller because they don't have a stove due to memory issues. The staff was wonderful and very informative. The lady who showed me around has a degree in elder care and Alzheimer's, which was very nice. I would have no problem leaving my mom there. It's clean and like walking into a really swanky apartment building. My cousin said the food was awesome. The outward appearance looks like home living.

Sasha K

We have just moved my mother-in-law into The Verandah. Everything is top notch. The employees all the way down to the cafeteria staff are overextending anything to accommodate her while she's there. The place is super clean. The staff members are available 24/7. There are three siblings that helped my mother-in-law get her in there, and the administration has been accommodating to all of them. They have offered all kinds of incentives to make it easier for us to move her there. It has been a very pleasant experience so far. The assisted living side has nursing staff on hand to help administer medicines and check blood pressure. They are also adding a memory care center. They haven't broken ground yet, but the staff showed the plans to us, so that's going to be really nice.

Katherine812183

My friend lives at Carriage House at The Verandah, and she loves it there very much. Our senior circle group in town goes there sometime. The place is very nice. They also have very nice staff. I know they do numerous things for their activities like they have a bus that takes the residents out. They have a room where you can go during your free time. The food is excellent.

Liane750567

Verandah did not smell of old people. The cleanliness was huge. People all had smiles on their faces and did not hate it there. Everybody had a great smile and great attitude. The food was good and freshly prepared at every meal. The dining area was very nice, very elegant, and not cafeteria-style. The apartments were very nice, very comfortable, and more like condos. They had a wide variety of daily activities, from a 90-degree heated pool to updated workout room, and activities like bingo, Monopoly, card games, things to work the residents’ minds, and outdoor activities, like shopping or to doctors’ appointments, and family and friends are very much welcome to come and visit or stay.

John L.450742

We were just extremely impressed with the facilities and the people at The Carriage House at The Verandah. They described the activities they had there. The staff explained all of the services and guided us through the whole process. They showed us the assisted living portion and the independent living portion. The layouts were nice, and there was plenty of room. I could live there and be comfortable.

Renee155680

I was very impressed with The Verandah. The rooms were nice, and we looked at several different options. They had quite a few amenities which made it even more interesting. They had outings, card games, and craft rooms. The only setback was that transportation was only limited to 2 times a week where someone who has dialysis that has to go 3 times a week, that will be a problem, but they were willing to try and work something out. There was a variety of options for you to eat. Someone who is diabetic could choose from a wide variety of menu. The staff was very helpful. People would ask us, when we were in the hallway, if we needed assistance or if we had any questions.

Pat566405

The Verandah has so many things that you can participate in; they have a lovely swimming pool covered with a solar panel, an exercise room, and all kinds of amenities. They have pedicures, manicures, and an art room. The chef prepared meals. I have a lovely 1 bedroom with a large walk-in closet and another big closet across with shelves. There’s a small den, a comfortable bathroom, a powder room, and a washer and dryer. Across from me, there’s another big closet with mini shelves that can be moved to accommodate a different configuration if you want it. There’s a dishwasher, a refrigerator, and a little entry hall. It’s very spacious with huge windows and a little balcony outside my bedroom. It looks like a French door, but it’s one big window, and the other one is a French door going out to the little balcony.

Russell222112

Everything was good at Carriage House at The Verandah, they had been good to me, and it was a wonderful place. The staff was excellent; they did their jobs to the utmost. The rooms were excellent, and everything was great. They offered food, and the food was great. I would recommend this place to others.

Roy711031

The tour at the Verandah was good, and my relative moved in two months ago and loves it. They have swimming, arts, exercise, theater room, and a spa area where she gets her hair massaged or let done. They get to get together and go out to dinner at various restaurants to the city. They’ve got transportation to and from doctors twice a week and to stores.

Vickie681405

Out of all the ones that we’ve seen, Carriage House at The Verandah was the nicest one. The place was very accommodating for my father. It was more like an apartment, and he would have a bedroom and nice bathroom, a living room and a nice kitchen. The staff member who toured us was really very nice. She went out of her way to show us everything, answered any questions we had, and was willing to help us with anything. I didn’t have a problem with her at all. We were able to have lunch there, and the food was very good. Their dining area was very nice. She told us they had different activities to do. They had bands that come in at certain times of the month and tours to other places.

Patricia806458

I really want my mom to go to The Verandah because it’s a beautiful place, but she is too ill to move from Houston to here. I was very impressed with the place. Everyone was really friendly and helpful. They showed us a 1-bedroom as well as a 2-bedroom apartment and those were very nice. We ate lunch with the woman who was touring with us and the food was very good. They have different activities like bridge. They also have a beauty shop. The staff was very accommodating and very friendly. They gave us a whole bunch of information. The price was very reasonable.

Ben13

The Verandah was a lovely place. We were impressed with it. The boss was very helpful. The rooms were larger than in the average assisted living place.

julieoubre

The Verandah is a beautiful, well-kept facility with a friendly environment and staff. It has an energetic atmosphere with plenty to keep the residents busy. I would strongly recommend this facility to anyone in need.

Carolyn107794650

Carriage House at The Verandah is super nice. The rooms were smaller, and the beds in the rooms were smaller. They did have some activities. One thing I like about that is they have a pool, but people were not there to watch the residents. You are on your own, and that would be not very good for my mother. But they were extremely super nice. The staff was very patient. My father hadn't passed away yet when we went to Carriage House. They were very compassionate. I was very nervous because I had to take care of everything with both of my parents. They were just very calm, and they were wonderful.

Greg24

The Verandah was in a very nice subdivision. They offered transportation to get to and from the doctor with assistance. They did not have any dedicated Alzheimer's area like the other place I visited. The sizes of the rooms were somewhat larger. They were all nice and well kept. They had a little gymnasium where they had exercise machines and a small pool. They also had an area outside where residents can walk. It was very open and nice. They had a little movie theater. The place was very clean and very well kept.

Jackie35

It was all great; it was just more expensive. The staff was good. Everything was good about Verandah. It was just a little more expensive; plus it was more out of the way for our family. Mom just really liked the other place better. Their dining room was excellent. They are geared more towards all kinds of denominations. So every Sunday, they have different denominations, and that was one of the main reasons my mom chose the other place. It was a brand new place, so it was really outstanding, and I guess that's why it was more expensive too. I have never seen anything as nice as that.

Provider Response

Katherine17

I had a tour at The Verandah. I was kind of out in the Country. It was really nice. It had a lot of stuff, but then it was too expensive. It was kind of far out of town, and I kind of liked to live in a little bit more populated area.

Provider Response

Donald30

The Verandah was a little bit too expensive for me. It was pretty new, and they have an upfront payment. The staff was really nice. They even sent me a card after I have turned it down as appreciation for coming by. They have a bar that people will have a happy hour with card playing. I just let mostly look at the units, and they were just really nice. The atmosphere was very nice, with the grass and trees. I would recommend the facility.

Terry31

The Verandah was very nice, but it was too far from any kind of grocery store, doctor's office, or other facilities; it was too far away. I thought it was a bit too spread out. What they are calling the assisted living now was maybe originally intended for independent living, because the floor plan was so far from the activity room and really far from the cafeteria in the other direction. That was a lot for walking for old folks. It was also brand new, but they didn't really have that many people there yet either, so they probably didn't have as many activities. They also wanted more money upfront. They wanted a $5,000 non-refundable, and that was the only place thay wanted that; everywhere else had a $1,000 refundable, and I told them that when they called me about it, and they have now changed that policy.

Aileen38

Veranda is a beautiful property and it's new. There are people just now moving into it and it's got both the assisted living and independent living.