The Highlands

Susan

I toured The Highlands, which was lovely. The staff were lovely. The only staff that I met in my own search was a marketing person who was fine, very knowledgeable, friendly, and made it a pleasant visit. The price is just out of my range. I just think they're more expensive than I can manage. There isn't any other reason not to go there. The facility was very beautiful. They have put a lot of effort into the neighborhood of the cottages. There are different levels of cottages as well. They're very attractive on the inside and the outside. It's very well maintained. I assume they have a large maintenance staff because everything looks like a golf course. It looks like it's been mowed all the time.

Alexandra

The Highlands looked very pleasant; we looked at both the rental units and the to-buy ones. The staff who assisted us was very friendly. We looked at several houses, they were very nice, and we looked at one of the apartments which would probably suit best for one person. The place was nice, neat, and clean, and the staff seemed friendly.

Claire

We were very impressed with The Highlands. It's a private pay facility, and it was very nice. The only negative thing is that it was a bit of a drive to get there. It's not local. The staff during the tour was a licensed clinical social worker that has a leadership role in the business. She went over all the information and gave us a tour. She was very knowledgeable and very professional. She was excellent. The studio and one-bedroom apartments were very nice. They had their own bathrooms. Mom would be in their memory care facility, so there was plenty of staff that would be looking in on her. They had an outdoor patio area, a room for activities, and a communal room for eating and lounging. There's a TV in every room. It's definitely very nice, but it was all private pay. It is expensive, but you get what you pay for. I would have no problems at all leaving Mom there for any kind of extended time. I would feel very confident to leave her there, knowing that she would be properly cared for. I have no reservations at all. I wish it would be a little closer, but resources are more limited up here in Maine. I haven't seen a lot, but I was pleasantly surprised at the facility. My expectations were lower than what I experienced. I thought it was great. The kitchen looked fine, and it was well-equipped. I didn't see any food, but it looked as though their facility was definitely adequate to meet the needs of the residents.

S.L.

I went to The Highlands yesterday. I was warmly received. However, it was $2000 more a month which is a lot for me to take on. Another thing was there were only four men there, versus sixteen women, and I think that's a pretty low ratio. That wouldn't have kept me from there. It was the price. The staff was very good. She was very concerned and caring, and she seemed to integrate well with the other residents. Some of the residents were eating, and it smelled good. It looked very well cared for. They had outdoor, easily accessible places, but this is Maine, and this is December, so we didn't go out. They told me they did have lawn furniture and stuff out there during the warmer months. There was a group of women talking with someone that was giving some sort of a demonstration of some sort. People were gathering in the living area. One thing I liked about it, the living and the dining area were right beside each other, which I think is important. It didn't look like a cafeteria at all. They said they serve meals. They give the residents choices and they serve them, they don't have it like buffet style and anything like that, which you couldn't do anyway.

Dave

My mom just moved into The Highlands yesterday. We had a very good experience. The social worker was very smart and very nice, and we liked her very much. It's one of the best places, they have a lot of meals, a lot of activities, cleaning services free, so they have all the amenities. She's only been there one day, but she's going to do bridge and mahjong. We've only dealt with the front desk people and Amy, the social worker, and we thought they were both top-notch. I've seen the menus and they look wonderful, and my mom did get to go there before she decided and had a meal with some other residents, and liked it very much. I've seen the activities calendar and it has a lot of activities. I liked it very much. It's comparable to other places in the area that have that good quality of care. So I think it's a good value.

TL

I like the rooms at The Highlands. The rooms were outstanding that my mom would have been going into. It had a nice view and we could put a bird feeder out there, so my mom could enjoy that. It was spacious and looked very comfortable. My first impression of the tour was that I thought it was really well done and really good. We later found out that they omitted one important piece of information. And that they needed to have funding in place for the next 22 years. They should have included all that stuff in the presentation, but they led us astray. The staff seemed friendly and they knew the names of the other patients. The food looked good, they had all kinds of activities going on and you could walk outdoors when it was nice and sunny. They had places to sit and it looked like someplace safe that my mother would like.

Mary

We went to The Highlands. It was not well cared for at all, and it was not well kept up. The person that took us through though was great. She was like a real real estate agent. She really knew her stuff. She was really personable. She was great, but the facility was not. She did her best to represent a place that wasn't so good.

Provider Response

David

I went to The Highlands. The staff I met was fantastic; I would give her the highest rating. They're more of a private-pay facility. I would say they were at the top of the list of the ones I saw. We started as assisted care, and then they did the whole evaluation based on the application and things like that, and that's how we found that we would have to go to a memory care facility for my aunt. They showed me both facilities, assisted living and memory care. I actually saw two different classes going on. One was exercise, and one was some type of therapeutic-learning situation with somebody up front who was directing it. I'm not sure what they call the activity, but everybody seemed very enthusiastic about it. I was quite impressed with it. They took me through the coded doors, and everybody was being careful and watchful if people got near the doors and things like that. The courtyard was very safe, and the dining facility was probably the best I saw. They were all very expressive, from the dining staff to the nursing staff to the intake person. They showed me how they do it and the COVID meals, and that they actually have a menu that the residents choose from and things like that. And it looked all very well done and efficient.

Provider Response

Pernod

I am really not very interested in The Highlands. It's beautiful outside and had nice trails, which I really liked. That would be OK for an assisted living. For someone like me that is more independent and does not need assistance, I don't think it would be something that I would like. The staff was good and the ones I talked to were very nice.

Provider Response

Lorali20

I can not give a good review of this community. They are overpriced and over the years, since taken over by a new management company, they have taken away many services and the loving family like environment that used to be there. My friend has expressed concerns with her care and it fell on deaf ears. It’s pretty to look at but that’s about it.

pine tree

My mother lived at Highlands for about 11 years. It was the best decision we ever made. She started in independent living and died in assisted living. The staff did everything in their power to keep her in a place she was familiar with. Everyone was loving and respectful. Lisa was particularly helpful in reviewing her needs as months went on. My sister and I would have never been able to make the move to assisted living without her help.

Garison

I would rate The Highlands highly. They showed me one apartment they usually show and it was pleasant. The thing that I would grade down on it was its distance from Portland. I liked the environment and the attitude overall that I sensed toward those who live there. I liked the reports that I got from the people who live there. It's a more than acceptable place. The design of the apartments was appropriate, appealing, and efficient. There was a single meal that you get, usually in the evening, but you have access to other meals and you can prepare food in your apartment.

TopshamGirl86

The staff at The Highlands is so kind and caring. My friend, Helen, has enjoyed an assortment of activities from visits with therapy dogs to painting in the Community Room with Teddi. She loves being able to get her hair done right in the same building that she lives in and that there is a spa tub for use when she needs to take a nice warm soak in the bath. I love that we can sit right outside the dining room and have a cup of coffee together after lunch or even take a brief walk in the courtyard when I visit her. The food is delicious. I have met so many of the wonderful people that take care of her during my visits and they are all so friendly and welcoming. I think one of the greatest benefits of Cadigan Lodge is the private apartments, each resident has their own kitchen, bathroom, living room and bedroom. When they feel like going outside their room there are common areas like the library where they do chair exercises and watch movies or the community room where they have BINGO.

Another Dissatisfird Relative

The Highlands likes to think that they keep relatives informed about their loved ones, but they are sadly mistaken. When given information about care of our father, it was three months old and did not reflect his current needs. Additionally, calls and written questions have not been addressed in a timely manner. Phone calls have not been returned. We cannot recommend this facility.

Judy

The Highlands was absolutely spotless, and everyone from the staff to the people who were there looked so content and pleased to have you there. I will be moving in soon. The dining area was superb, like a high-class restaurant, and the service was excellent. Everything that you could possibly imagine is there, like an exercise program, saltwater pool with aerobics, card playing, social activities, concerts, and trips. I was so impressed.

Anonymous Reviewer

Cadigan doesn't have anything to do for their residents and that's the major problem there. I don't think it's a good place for people with memory problems. I went there yesterday to walk my mom and she was crying the whole time because she was bored and lonely. They also have no bathtubs, only showers.

Mary

My sister moved into Highlands. She likes it and she's even made some friends. She finds the nurses to be very helpful, caring, and patient with her.

John

Mother is doing fine in Highlands -- they're wonderful and very welcoming. We had lunch with her there, instead of a formal assessment, and that was really nice. They've got Bingo, arts stuff, and they take residents swimming in the next lodge and use the weights room. They keep a watchful eye without letting the residents know. They have lots of things going on and they're going to be having duck tours. The staff is very friendly. The menu is lovely, with really yummy food you can order from a menu. The dining area is lovely and looks like a restaurant. It's competitively priced.

dissatisfiedrelative

While owning your condo unit may give you peace of mind, when it comes time to sell it and move on, the Highlands controls the selling process. They set the price and you are still responsible for the monthly condo fees, heating, and other costs that you paid while you lived there. They keep the price high and units remain unsold for years until a buyer is found. If you need the money for assisted living, you may be left out in the cold. If you can afford to tie your money up for years, then you can be happy here.

Caring104313350

The Highlands have separate houses for people who are able to do things for themselves but still need a little bit of assistance. Then they have a bigger building with rooms for people who need a little bit more care. They kind of separate the two. The ones that are able to do more have their own place and are able to come and go as they please. When they do start to decline, they are moved to the bigger building. There they have their own separate room which is totally private. They are able to still come and go with assistance if they need it. Many of the residents have personal care aides. If they have a walker or need a wheelchair, the personal care aide will come to assist them. You know they are Highlands personnel because they wear their uniform. They are very clean, very organized, and very professional. I was able to visit both assisted living and independent living. They have a really nice common area where people can go for different functions. They have different things that the residents can join like different communities. It's a really nice setup, but unfortunately it is expensive. It is also a very expensive place to live.

Ruth48

I had checked the Highlands, and they’re a little more expensive than what I can afford. They’re one of the nicer places around closer to where I am, and it would be very suitable. They’re very well manicured yards, and the houses are quite lovely and well laid out. Some of the houses are bigger than others. I have friends that have had a home there, and they also have nice apartments. I’ve only been in one room, and it was comfortable. The staff is all very pleasant and very friendly. The food is terrific. They are nice to guests, and they have a program usually in the summer time that invites tentative hopeful tenants. Some of the women’s groups that I belong to have had Christmas parties over there. I would definitely recommend it.

Karen87626750

The Highlands is a good community and the staff is good. The people who live here are friendly, and I like them. The dining room is large and lovely with tables for two, four, six, seven, or eight. It is nice, and they have menus with three main dishes, four vegetables, and dessert. There are lots of nice activities including swimming in the morning with exercises in the pool. On Tuesday and Thursday mornings there are exercises in the gym. There are other trips or they take people shopping to Wal-Mart, to the grocery store, and to other various places.

Patricia K.

My brother is all set up at The Highlands at Topsham. He is very happy there. Aside from independent living, they also have assisted living. They have little cottages so you can actually have your own privacy if you opted for that. My brother is in the Maine Lodge where he has his own place there. The staff is very good. He likes them. The two dining areas that they have are very nice. They also have a shuttle to take residents out to town shopping. My brother is doing quite well in The Highlands.

MEM1

The Highlands is a community where you can live indepentely or with Assisted Living. There is a variety of choices from apartments, single family and rental units. All of the staff that I met seemed very dedicated. There is an exercise facility, indoor pool and dining room available to all residents. The grounds of the entire complex were well maintained. What made this attractive to us was that you actually own the unit you live in via a Co-Op. The assisted living and memory units are a pay as you go when needed.

LandJr

It is difficult for most people to transition from independence to assisted living, but the services and resources provided, as well as the skill and compassion of the employees, can go a long way. The Highlands offers various levels of assistance depending on the needs of the resident, and these can be modified as the individual's needs change over time. Attention is paid to residents' body, mind and spirit: activities, outings and special programs are offered, as well as garden plots, a full library, a swimming pool and fitness room with coaches available on the premises. It is also critically important for the staff and management of an assisted living facility to interact well with the resident's family members, respecting their priorities and wishes while also gently suggesting, where appropriate, choices that might be in the best interest of the resident. The Highlands has a low turnover rate of employees, which not only speaks well of the workplace but is an added benefit for residents and their families. Many employees go out of their way to gt to know the residents and their families as well.

SpiceTriz

I have a family member in this facility, and it's always a pleasure to visit them - I wish my apartment was as nice and spacious as theirs! The staff is very friendly, and have gone above and beyond on several occasions (bringing meals to the room, when my relative is not up for going to the dining room, remembering personal preferences in food and activities, bringing in treats for special occasions, taking time to listen to stories, etc.). I'm always impressed by the number of activities available, and even the meals seem to be above-average. The only issue we've had has been the communication between shifts - sometimes we'll give a staff member a heads-up about a medication change, or meal preference or something, and that message won't always get passed on to the staff on the next shift. But they're good sports about getting pestered with the same message multiple times. I think every place has its ups and downs, but I'm very happy that we made the choice to go with The Highlands.