Whitewood Gardens

Whitewood Gardens sits in Gresham, right outside Portland, in the northwest part of Oregon where you'll find plenty of trees and a bit of quiet, not too far from the Columbia River. The place is a Residential Care Facility with 39 beds and offers assisted living and Memory Care services, which means some residents come for help with daily tasks like bathing and dressing, while others get special care when memory problems show up, and there's a safe, secure setting for anyone who needs it. The staff stays on-site day and night, everyone's trained, and you'll see them helping residents right through the day with care or just kind words. The facility stays clean and has a simple scent, not that heavy perfume or strange hospital smell you get in some places. Meals get cooked in the kitchen and served in a dining room that feels a bit like a restaurant, and there's lots of fresh fruit and organic vegetables on the menu, which is good if you care about healthy eating. There's a bistro up on the second floor, and families can gather in a second dining room if they want to spend time together for special events, or use the upstairs kitchen together, which isn't something you'll see everywhere. The activity calendar stays full-exercise classes, arts and crafts, games, creative writing, music therapy, and devotionals all pop up regularly, so there's always something to do if someone's looking to stay busy or make friends, and sometimes they even bring in therapy bunnies, which always puts a smile on folks' faces. People enjoy walks outside or sit by the koi pond in the courtyard, while on nice days there's space out back with a deck, and the grounds have plenty of room for families to visit in the summer. There's a beauty and barbershop right there on site, so getting a haircut or a little pampering is easy, and a library and DVD area make it simple for residents to trade books or movies with each other. Whitewood Gardens celebrates holidays, big and small, and there's almost always soft music playing, which helps with the peaceful mood. Staff treat residents respectfully and do seem to care about their happiness and well-being. The facility has had complaints over the years and data is tracked by the Oregon Department of Human Services, but the rating stands at 4.6 out of 5 from a handful of reviews, which is pretty decent, and the place gets described as both loving and comfortable without smelling like cleaner or neglect. Their website's at whitewoodgardens.com if you're curious to learn more about any programs or want to take a closer look at what's offered.