The Gardens at St Elizabeth sits in northwest Denver in the Highlands neighborhood and offers wide 360-degree views of the city, with a big red-brick chapel from 1897 right on campus, and they've kept it well-maintained, even adding Christmas decorations inside every winter. The place has gone through more than $10 million in renovations since 2019, so you'll notice things look pretty up-to-date across the high-rise buildings. It's a faith-based community run by Catholic Health Initiatives, with daily Catholic Mass, weekly inter-denominational services, and a mission-centered approach, so folks who want spiritual life nearby have that kind of support, and there's always in-house religious services and a nurse-run foot clinic, plus on-site doctor house calls.
There are independent living apartments in one-bedroom and two-bedroom designs-these have full kitchens and are for people who don't need much help with daily stuff-while assisted living units include studios, efficiencies, or one-bedrooms with kitchenettes, and memory care options for those with Alzheimer's. You'll see a strong focus around making life easier, like apartment maintenance, reserved parking, housekeeping, laundry facilities, and an emergency call system in every unit, and, if someone's in assisted living, they get three meals a day with snacks, medication help, bathing and dressing help, bed-making, grooming, and care planning overseen by a licensed nurse. The place can help with incontinence, simple wound care, and non-wandering memory care, plus they let outside home health agencies come in for skilled nursing if needed, though there's no secured environment for those who wander. People with diabetes do need to self-administer insulin, but staff can help with setting the correct dose.
Residents can bring small pets like birds, cats, and dogs under 40 pounds, as long as management approves and a one-time fee is paid, and the building is non-smoking. They allow adults aged 55 and older, with month-to-month leases and a thirty-day notice required. There's a big garden area and an English garden, walking paths, an enclosed courtyard, a sun porch, and a bistro coffee bar for takeout. There are two libraries, a movie theater, community and game rooms, a fitness studio, and a salon and spa, so plenty of places to gather or spend quiet time. Social events are popular here, with daily activities, a resident newsletter, fitness classes, scheduled outings, scenic drives, Friday entertainment, health talks, and community games.
Transportation is available for errands, doctor appointments within ten miles, group outings, and individual rides too. Though there's not full-time skilled nursing on-site, residents can arrange visits from home health agencies and get help with physical, occupational, or speech therapy. The dining setup offers four different areas including a restaurant and pub on the 14th floor, where you can see the city and mountains while you eat, and staff provide three meals a day in assisted living. They've got private apartments, semi-private units, and even some adult day services, so options are flexible. The Gardens at St Elizabeth emphasizes a mix of independence, support, and social connection, with an honest effort to help residents feel purpose and comfort during everyday life.
