Merrill Gardens at Rancho Cucamonga

Boyd Zack

2 months ago

When we were looking for a care facility for my father at the beginning of 2026, we visited a number of facilities here in Rancho Cucamonga. Several of the facilities seemed very nice with assisted living generally upstairs and memory care downstairs. Although my father’s mind is still mostly intact, he needs a lot of care in order to make sure that he is eating and bathing and toileting on a regular basis. Because of this, we determine that he needed to be in a memory care facility. We chose Merrill Gardens and their Garden House here in Rancho Cucamonga for several reasons. We like that the Garden House memory care facility was its own freestanding building with a lot of light and a very nice garden area. We also like the fact that the assisted living was very nice and airy and a potential place for another family member in the future. We very much liked the layout and the room they had available for my father. It is very clean and simple with lots of natural light. At the time of this review, my father has been in the facility for almost 3 months and I really could not be happier. The staff is absolutely amazing and not enough good things can be said about them. They all seem to truly love what they’re doing and get great joy out of assisting their residence. Madeleine is the resident LVN and in charge of the caregivers. She has a very nice way about her and does a great job with building a superior team. As with the caregivers, it is apparent that she loves what she does and truly puts her best into it. Although I would like to give a shout out to each and everyone of the caregivers, I know my words could not convey the love and energy that they put towards their residence. The smiles on the faces of the residence in the Garden House says so much about how well the facility is run and what great care they take of our loved ones. I am there multiple times per week, taking my father golfing as well as visiting and it’s always the same - smiles all around and happy residence and caregivers interacting. I am truly happy that we decided Merrill Gardens Garden House was the right place for my dad.

Jeanette Manno

5 years ago

My Mom has lived here since October 2018. Merrill Gardens is an upscale Independent/Assisted Living Apartment Complex. It was a wonderful place for her and hopefully will be again. Covid 19 has been a very trying time for all of us but, even more so for the seniors who live in Senior communities everywhere. Total lock down for each resident. No outside visitors except through glass. I have only seen my mother to take her to Dr appointments. In the last few months of this pandemic they have implemented small group activities and rotating meals in the dining room at a safe distance. I only hope that not too far in the future my Mom will be living the life she did the first year and a half she lived there. (The short day trips, lunch & dinner with her group, cards in the afternoon, pool aerobics, and general enjoyment of the other people she became close with while living there. Merrill Gardens is lucky to have such a wonderful Activity Director, Jakina Tate. She has been a shining light through this trying time. Her fun ideas to make each day enjoyable and entertaining for the residents is unsurpassed. Recently the staff have implemented three different electronic programs (apps) for residents and their families to join to keep up-to-date on info and daily things going on in the community. Of course we get a lot of info from our family members who live there but these new apps are filling in the blanks of what is planned on a daily basis. Since March all meals have been delivered to each apartment. Learning to function during the pandemic has been trying for the staff. Everything changed overnight. Menus have had to be rethought for home delivery. During normal times in the dining room, the menu would have 2 different main entrées and monthly regular menu items to choose from. They have now made available the same type of menu for in room pre-ordering their meals. Jakina and the staff have made a point to visit each resident to brighten each day. The ice cream truck, hall doorway activities and workouts keep people involved. Just in the past week residents have been able to go walking in and just outside the complex. My Mom was used to walking outside the building every morning with another resident. March stopped that. She's 91 years old and is enjoying the walking and comraderie of the others. 91 for Mom is not what the norm is. She uses her iPad, Smartphone and other electronics like the pro she is. For others that are not as computer literate, Jakina Tate set them up to FaceTime with family and friends separately, just another great idea from Jakina. I think all the staff have been extra helpful and kind to the residents. God bless all of you for being there while we families can't. Merrill Gardens Rancho Cucamonga is a great place to live!