Neville Place at Fresh Pond, Assisted Living & Compass Memory Support sits right off the Fresh Pond rotary in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with quiet wooded grounds, mature trees, and a public walking path that goes around Fresh Pond, so residents really do get to enjoy nature when the weather's good. The main building has spacious apartments, some furnished, with options for both short-term and long-term stays, and there's a special residential Compass Memory Support Neighborhood® for people living with Alzheimer's and other kinds of dementia, so folks can age in place even as their needs change. The place has elevators for easy movement, but some folks who aren't comfortable using elevators by themselves might find activities are mostly held on the level below the lobby, so that's something to think about, especially if someone is visually impaired.
The community strives to keep people social, with a regular calendar full of educational and fun activities, arts and crafts, game rooms, communal fireplaces, and a sunroom-some folks really like sitting in there when it's sunny outside. There are community gardens where residents can stroll, and walking paths for anyone who likes to keep active or just get some fresh air. They allow pets, which some residents find lifts their spirits.
When it comes to dining, they provide restaurant-style meals in a dining room with a professional chef, and they do their best to meet special diets like gluten-free, low sodium, or low sugar meals, which is important for a lot of folks. Meals for guests and international cuisine are also on the menu sometimes, and there's a private dining room for special occasions. If family visits overnight, residents can have them stay in their apartments as guests.
For people who need help, staff assists with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and medication, though there's a self-administered drug program that has had some inconsistency in administration, so good to ask about that if it's a concern. Residents get complimentary transportation for things like shopping or appointments, and services like housekeeping, laundry, dry cleaning, and even on-site beauty and barber services are available. There is a nurse on staff, and the team includes people trained to care for memory loss, with programs that aim to keep minds sharp, minimize wandering, and reduce confusion.
Neville Place at Fresh Pond is managed by Senior Living Residences and overseen by a private, nonprofit organization, aiming to make care both high quality and affordable for older adults. They offer both assisted living and memory care, so residents who need more help as time goes on can usually stay without moving elsewhere. Health monitoring, tailored care plans, and different therapy or rehab services, including physical, occupational, and speech therapies, are part of what's available, which helps some residents feel like they can keep on doing as much as possible by themselves. For people who want spiritual support, there are devotional services both onsite and offsite.
There are lots of spaces for people to gather, visit, and make friends-common rooms, a meeting room, a bistro café, a game room, and plant-filled patio gardens. Guest parking is available, and the place is reachable by public transit, which can make it easier for loved ones to visit. Neville Place is part of the Neville Communities campus, with the nearby Neville Center offering short-term rehab and long-term care, so the community really tries to support every stage of aging. The campus is pet-friendly, and folks can sign up for trial stays, including after a hospital visit.
Neville Place ranked #1 on The Boston Globe's 2024 Top Places to Work in Massachusetts and earned a 2023 Great Place to Work certification. The climate is meant to be welcoming and supportive, with a focus on compassion, independence, and dignity as people grow older. For local seniors considering assisted living or memory care, Neville Place at Fresh Pond offers a peaceful spot with plenty of opportunities to stay active, social, and engaged.
