Orchard Hill at Sudbury

Mother and I visited Orchard Hill on Wednesday, September 2, 2015. We were greeted by Cynthia Clark, who was charming and delightful. She is very knowledgeable about Orchard Hill and is enthusiastic about the facility. We had a lengthy discussion in her office regarding Mother's needs which also allowed her to ask questions to get to know more about Mother. The facility is immaculately clean and beautifully appointed. The apartments are lovely. The kitchen is what Cynthia referred to as a "scratch" kitchen whereby everything is made from scratch. They also use fresh produce from the farm across the street. We spoke to several residents during our tour who told us they were very happy there and that they really enjoyed the food. Cynthia knew the name of every resident we passed. A very personal and friendly atmosphere. One of the residents described the facility as one big happy family. The grounds are beautifully manicured and the gardener was removing the summer flowers and placing fall mums. There are lovely walking paths outside and outdoor seating for the residents to enjoy the fresh air. There is also a lovely screened in porch. Everything about this facility is appealing. However there are no studio apartments available at this time.

My father enjoyed his stay. He felt confident, relaxed, and well supported. His unit size was roomy, clean, and comfortable. Being a private person who might never leave his own unit if given the chance, the staff did an excellent job of drawing him out without being overbearing. The staff gently insisted he thicken his drinks and eat purred food as per his doctor's instructions without embarrassing my dad in any way. We had visited numerous assisted living facilities prior to finding Orchard Hill, and this seemed to be the best option for us.

My mother has been at Orchard Hill for five months. She left her condo reluctantly and slowly adjusted to her new environment. Now she is very happy to have made the move. The staff is very friendly, helpful and accommodating. She is making friends and enjoying activities, especially the exercise classes. The building is beautiful and very well maintained. She is looking forward to sitting on the porch or outside benches to enjoy the sun, fresh air and lovely grounds now that the warm weather is almost here. My mother is from Sudbury and is very happy to be close to all that is familiar to her: church, her bank, pharmacy, restaurants and friends, Her children are all relieved that she is in a safe place where all her needs are met and she is not spending her days alone. All six children are thrilled that she is at Orchard Hill.

After visiting a couple of assisted living facilities in the area, my dad decided he really liked the feeling at Orchard Hill the best. He has now been living there 6 months and we are both positive it was the right decision. He is the happiest he has been in well over 10 years and feels a strong sense of community and caring at Orchard Hill. Dad is taking full advantage of all the activities, whether it's playing bingo or another game with his neighbors, visiting a museum or attending a jazz concert - and most of all, he LOVES it! He has been more active in the past 6 months than he has in the last decade... honestly. All the staff members are friendly and truly care about the residents.

It was really very nice. It was a toss up between this and another place. I probably would have gone with Orchard except that the other place was near my dad and it would be easier to manage both of them if I wasn't going in completely opposite directions.