Mill Pond

    1201 SE Mill Pond Ct, Ankeny, IA, 50021
    4.4 · 30 reviews
    • Independent living
    • Assisted living
    • Memory care
    • Skilled nursing
    AnonymousLoved one of resident
    4.0

    Pleasant facility, caring staff, location

    I placed my mom at Mill Pond and overall I'm very pleased - the staff are caring, professional and helpful, the facility is clean, modern and well-kept, and there are lots of activities, good food and rehab/transportation services. Tours were informative (though virus restrictions limited access to rooms at times), and the pond views and atmosphere are pleasant. Drawbacks: some apartments are small or not fully wheelchair-friendly, it isn't close to our doctors/family, and there were a few leadership/staff hiccups. All told, I feel my mom is well cared for, but be aware of space, access and location considerations.

    Pricing

    Schedule a Tour

    Amenities

    Healthcare services

    • Activities of daily living assistance
    • Assistance with bathing
    • Assistance with dressing
    • Assistance with transfers
    • Medication management

    Healthcare staffing

    • 24-hour call system
    • 24-hour supervision

    Meals and dining

    • Diabetes diet
    • Meal preparation and service
    • Special dietary restrictions

    Room

    • Cable
    • Fully furnished
    • Housekeeping and linen services
    • Kitchenettes
    • Private bathrooms
    • Wifi

    Transportation

    • Community operated transportation
    • Transportation arrangement
    • Transportation arrangement (non-medical)

    Community services

    • Fitness programs
    • Move-in coordination

    Activities

    • Community-sponsored activities
    • Resident-run activities
    • Scheduled daily activities

    4.40 · 30 reviews

    Overall rating

    1. 5
    2. 4
    3. 3
    4. 2
    5. 1
    • Care

      4.5
    • Staff

      4.6
    • Meals

      4.3
    • Amenities

      4.1
    • Value

      4.0

    Pros

    • Clean, modern, well-kept facility
    • Pleasant smell and ambiance with ponds and fountains
    • Attached continuum of care: independent living, assisted living, and nursing/rehabilitation
    • Shared and private room options with some pond views
    • Many daily and monthly activities (Wii Bowling, baseball, ice cream socials, tea parties, movie nights, cards, games)
    • Strong music programs, church services, and Bible studies
    • Daily physical therapy and rehabilitation services
    • Caring, kind, and compassionate staff across departments
    • Staff who provide frequent updates and good communication
    • Examples of above-and-beyond nursing care (named staff praised)
    • Family-like atmosphere and supportive environment
    • Good dining quality with generous portions
    • Laundry and reliable van/transportation services
    • Safe, relaxing outdoor access and opportunities to go outside
    • Informative tours (when available) and accommodating admissions staff
    • Excellent cleanliness and infection-control measures noted
    • Helpful transition support from home into facility
    • Residents described as friendly and happy
    • Active monthly activity calendar and scheduling
    • Positive rehabilitation outcomes reported (e.g., recovery after surgery)

    Cons

    • Limited access and visitation during virus restrictions impacted tours and viewings
    • Some units/apartments are very small
    • At least one unit not wheelchair accessible / difficult to maneuver into bedroom
    • Ongoing renovations (carpet removal, construction) in some areas
    • Not close to doctors or some family members for some reviewers
    • Pricing and proximity considered barriers by some families
    • Occasional leadership confusion or inconsistent management communication
    • Reports of at least one rude or belligerent staff member
    • Door access/security issues noted
    • Perception that assisted living can feel like a nursing-home environment for some residents
    • High dependence on staff for daily functioning noted as a concern by some families
    • Some minor errors or service lapses reported

    Summary review

    Overall sentiment across these review summaries for Mill Pond is strongly positive, with frequent praise for the facility’s cleanliness, modern appearance, and pleasant campus ambiance. Multiple reviewers emphasize the attractive grounds, ponds, fountains, and a generally pleasant smell and atmosphere. The campus is repeatedly highlighted as a comprehensive continuum-of-care community with independent living, assisted living, and a nursing/rehabilitation wing attached, which reviewers found convenient and reassuring for potential changes in care needs.

    Care quality and staff performance emerge as the most consistently praised aspects. Reviewers repeatedly describe staff as kind, caring, compassionate, and family-like. Several accounts note excellent nursing and rehabilitative care, including daily physical therapy and good outcomes (for example, a relative recovering from shoulder surgery who had a positive stay). Specific staff members were called out for above-and-beyond care, and families appreciated frequent phone updates and overall helpful communication. Laundry service, van transportation, and supportive services are also cited as reliable and valued by residents and families.

    Activities and programming are another strong theme. Mill Pond offers a robust schedule of daily and monthly activities—Wii Bowling, baseball, ice cream socials, tea parties, movie nights, cards and games, music programs, and religious services such as church and Bible study. Reviewers note a visible activity calendar and many opportunities for social engagement, which contributed to residents’ happiness and successful transitions from home. The facility appears to place emphasis on social, spiritual, and recreational offerings that support resident quality of life.

    Dining and amenities receive generally positive notes: multiple reviewers report good, generous meals and pleasant dining service, along with a clean and modern dining area (though some distancing measures during virus periods impacted seating). Facilities maintenance and housekeeping are praised—residents and families describe the community as neat, new-looking, and well-maintained. Some positive operational details include helpful tours (when permitted), accommodating admissions staff, and a sense of safety in the community.

    Despite the largely favorable picture, several recurring concerns and mixed points should be noted. COVID-related restrictions limited access, tours, and in-person room viewings for some reviewers, leaving families unable to inspect rooms; distancing also affected dining and visitation experiences. A few reviewers raised accessibility concerns: small apartment sizes and at least one unit that is not wheelchair friendly, making movement within the unit difficult for some residents. Renovations (such as carpet removal and flooring work) were in progress at times, which may have temporarily affected the environment. Location and cost were practical drawbacks for certain families—some reviewers wished the community were closer to doctors or family members and mentioned pricing as a consideration.

    There are a few notable negative reports amid the many positives. Some families perceived an initial leadership confusion or inconsistent management communication, and a handful of reviews mentioned minor errors or service lapses. A small number of stronger criticisms exist: at least one reviewer reported a rude, belligerent staff member and door access issues, and another urged others to avoid the community based on their negative experience. A few reviewers also felt that assisted living could feel too much like a nursing-home environment for some residents, and some commented on a high dependence on staff for resident functioning—observations that suggest a need to match prospective residents carefully with the appropriate level of care.

    In summary, Mill Pond’s reviews paint a picture of a modern, clean, and active senior living campus with a strong emphasis on compassionate staff and robust programming. Strengths include rehabilitation and therapy services, numerous activities, friendly residents, solid dining, and helpful support services like laundry and transportation. Prospective residents and families should weigh these strengths against potential drawbacks: pandemic-related access restrictions (where applicable), apartment size and accessibility limitations, ongoing renovations at times, location relative to medical providers or family, occasional management inconsistencies, and isolated reports of poor staff interaction. For many reviewers the positives—especially the quality of care and the staff’s dedication—outweighed the negatives, but families should request up-to-date tours, verify unit accessibility, and discuss pricing and care approaches before making a placement decision.

    Location

    Map showing location of Mill Pond

    About Mill Pond

    Mill Pond sits at 1201 S.E. Mill Pond Ct. in Ankeny, Iowa, and it's what people call a retirement community, so if someone's looking for different kinds of care, they can probably find it there-like independent living, assisted living, memory care, transitional care, and long-term care, all set up in apartments right on the grounds, and the memory care units are made to help folks with dementia or those needing extra support. The place has private apartments, and you're likely to see outdoor spaces like gardens, walking paths, and even a pond that's stocked for catch-and-release fishing, which is nice for folks who want to get out for a stroll or try their luck with a line, plus there's a patio so people can sit and talk or just relax. Dogs and cats can come along too, because Mill Pond's pet friendly, which isn't always true of other places, and people can enjoy amenities like a private theater, a library for quiet reading, a fitness center to get some exercise, a billiards room for a few games, a little general store for small needs, and guest suites if someone's got family coming in from out of town. Staff can help with housekeeping and maintenance so residents don't need to worry as much about chores. There's a health center on the grounds for rehabilitation, both short-term and long-term, and they help with transition after someone's been in the hospital. Folks can get meals and guest dining is available so people can eat with their visitors, and there's even a salon for haircuts and such, which is convenient. Mill Pond has sponsored resources for older adults, like a POAMN Older Adult Ministry Guide, and they offer information about affordable housing and disaster recovery, plus there are dementia-friendly resources and other support for aging and health. The recent redevelopment added more apartments, including independent living, assisted living, and memory care, so there's some new space around, and people can choose what works best for them whether they're looking for a little bit of help or need more care.

    People often ask...

    Nearby Communities

    • Exterior view of a large, multi-story residential building with balconies and a tower-like structure at one corner, surrounded by landscaped greenery and walkways with people walking and sitting nearby during dusk.
      $7,071 – $9,192+3.6 (26)
      Semi-private • 1 Bedroom • Studio
      independent, assisted living, memory care

      Marvella

      825 Mount Curve Blvd, St. Paul, MN, 55116
    • Front exterior view of Harmony Gardens Senior Living facility showing a large, multi-section building with multiple windows, a covered entrance with an American flag in front, and a parking lot with several cars parked.
      Pricing on request4.4 (30)
      suite
      independent, assisted living, memory care

      Harmony Gardens Senior Living

      1438 County Rd C E, Maplewood, MN, 55109
    • Front exterior view of the American House Town and Country senior living facility with a circular driveway, landscaped greenery, and an American flag on a flagpole under a wooden entrance canopy.
      $5,000+3.9 (61)
      suite
      assisted living, memory care

      American House Town and Country

      1020 Woods Mill Rd, Town and Country, MO, 63017
    • Exterior view of a large, modern three-story senior living facility building with a covered entrance driveway, surrounded by green lawns and trees under a partly cloudy blue sky.
      $5,633 – $7,322+3.9 (69)
      Semi-private • 1 Bedroom • Studio
      assisted living, memory care

      Alto Grayslake

      1865 E Belvidere Rd, Grayslake, IL, 60030
    • Exterior view of Belmont Village Senior Living Glenview building at dusk, showing a large covered entrance with white columns, well-maintained landscaping with bushes and trees, and a multi-story brick and siding facade with lit windows.
      $3,965+4.6 (121)
      Semi-private
      independent, assisted living, memory care

      Belmont Village Senior Living Glenview

      2200 Golf Rd, Glenview, IL, 60025
    • Evening view of the entrance area of Belmont Village Senior Living Lincoln Park, featuring brick walls, decorative lighting fixtures, a circular chandelier on the ceiling, and a sign with the facility's name visible near the street.
      $5,506 – $7,157+4.5 (131)
      Semi-private • 1 Bedroom • Studio
      independent, assisted living, memory care

      Belmont Village Senior Living Lincoln Park

      700 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL, 60614
    © 2025 Mirador Living