(Provided by Gilbert Guide's on-site reviewer)

The clean lines and light green façade of Lakeside Park are striking. The home boasts a prime location, with lovely Lake Merritt just across the street! Guests appreciate the convenience of a parking garage. Comfortable sofas, delicious cookies and freshly brewed tea welcome residents' loved ones in the entry. A walkway encircles a charming outdoor area, complete with shaded patio furniture, which is accessible from the second floor.

Residents' small rooms are sunny and furnished. Dutch doors respect residents' privacy, while allowing staff to check on them in an unobtrusive manner. We visited one room adorned with belongings that the resident had collected during her years in the Peace Corps. The resident also keeps a small dog. Numerous activities occur throughout the week, including exercise, bingo, movies, outings and performances by guest entertainers. A large crossword puzzle, which was partly finished, hung in an activity area. Staff members keep a daily log of residents' activities, including their eating and sleeping patterns. Any changes are immediately reported to medical personnel and residents' families. Residents are given nutritional supplements when they do not finish their meals.

One resident, a retired nurse, showed a photo of her in a nursing uniform, standing next to her husband, who still practices medicine. Another resident's daughter utilizes the in-house beauty salon to do her mother's hair! Although each floor features its own dining room, some of the common areas are also furnished with dining tables so that residents and their loved ones can take meals together; the intimate setting evokes family dinners at home.