Refund Plans: 50%; Non-refundable (Price: 68% avg. of Entrance Fees)

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

William H. Dunwoody, a Philadelphia executive, envisioned a community in which respect for life and kindness were paramount. In allegiance to his vision, the board of trustees responsible for his will oversaw the erection of Dunwoody Village in 1974. The community spans the eighty-three acres of land that once surrounded Dunwoody's home. Walkways, gardens and gazebos adorn the exterior. Low stone buildings with tiled roofing occupy the rest of the land. Assisted living residents live in two separate parts of the main building, each offering the same level of care and private, cozy accommodations. Informal dining rooms in both areas are also used for activities. Wooden floors and tables add a homey charm. One of the assisted living areas connects four apartments with a small living room; the other lacks common rooms, but these residents have a comfortable outdoor seating area. This facility contains a unit for residents with mild dementia where residents enjoy a light activity schedule tailored to their abilities; watching old movies on the A&E channel is a favorite pastime of these residents, who enjoy the memories this programming evokes.The skilled nursing facility is far from institutional, with homey elements like carpet and wallpaper. Built in 1992, this wing contains a compact dining room and an activity room with a piano. Residents can access the entirety of Dunwoody Village via a series of enclosed walkways, allowing them the same ease of movement afforded their independent and assisted living peers. The skilled nursing facility has a second dementia unit. Residents who need intense individual attention and monitoring live here in private rooms and engage in sensory stimulation activities. Medical staff includes a podiatrist, dentist, psychologist and two psychiatrists in addition to primary care physicians. Local high school students serve meals to independent living residents in either of the two main dining rooms. Men wear jackets for dinner in the more formal dining space, as per the rules outlined by the residents themselves. The dress code is much more lax in the casual dining room. Two chefs prepare meals on-site, offering three entrées to choose from, as well as substitutions for side dishes. Coffee and tea are served twice daily.All residents can enjoy an abundance of common areas including: several lounges, a pottery and ceramics studio, a game room with a pool, ping-pong and poker table, woodshops, a fitness center staffed by a trainer, and a fully stocked library. A lifeguard monitors the heated swimming pool six days a week. Residents can purchase small household items at the onsite Flea Market store. Trips to the theater and outside entertainers who visit the facility are both popular. Residents lead active lives and are highly involved in governing their community, as evidenced by over thirty resident committees. Four residents are on the board of directors, and many maintain jobs beyond Dunwoody Village.