Refund Plans: 50% of Entrance Fee; Non-Refundable Plan (Price: 68% avg. of Entrance Fee); 90% Refund (Price: 78% of Entrance Fee)

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

A friendly security guard welcomes visitors to Springhouse Estates. Once inside the complex, sidewalks chisel through the spacious lawn and garden areas, leading to the individual apartment wings. The glossy sheen of mountain laurel leaves contrasts pleasantly with the petunias that populate the grounds. Tall trees provide shade. Willowbrooke Court and Oakbridge Terrace, the skilled nursing and assisted living buildings on campus, create the feeling of a real community. Springhouse Estates' front door is flanked by benches and a covered patio. Inside, photo albums grace the coffee tables in a large sitting area. Couches extend an invitation to sit for a spell. A gas fireplace and grand piano intimate warmth, but the complimentary coffee service tangibly delivers it. A TV relays the day's menu and activities. Plants add a fresh scent and look, and birdcages and aquariums abound. A mostly resident-run convenience store and a bank introduce a neighborhood feel.Residents' neat and spacious apartments get a great deal of natural light. Covered balconies boast enjoyable views of the lawn and garden. Additional storage is available. Large windows in the covered Club House Café hint at its previous incarnation as an outdoor patio. The effect lends a resort-like and outdoorsy feel to this dining area. Tables, booths and counters provide numerous seating options. The large formal dining area is used exclusively for dinner. Each apartment wing has its own country kitchen. Five entrée choices are available at every meal. During our visit, the choices included beef, salmon and vegetarian options—and the desserts looked divine! Hospitality carts with cocoa, coffee and tea can be found throughout the facility. Outdoor spaces abound—all with an eye for detail: the benches, pathways and fences all seem to have been placed by a master landscaper. A large grassy area with a putting green is located in front of the main building. Bingo, crafts and sing-alongs may be par for the course, but the facility's pool room with a shuffleboard table and a woodshop exceed expectations. Field trips include shopping excursions, museums, picnics and theatre performances. One resident is an active member of the board of directors, while others lend their strengths in various other ways. In fact, during our tour we heard about one ninety-five-year-old resident who moved into Springhouse Estates' independent living quarters nearly twenty years ago; through moving into assisted living and skilled nursing, she has continued to volunteer within the facility as she has since she first joined the community.