Testimonials

What are people saying?

“The staff are extraordinarily kind, warm, and dedicated that one could wish for. We feel that they care about us, and that is so pleasant, especially during this time when visiting is limited.” — Joan LeBaron

Residents at the Summit since July 2019, Joan and Dave LeBaron and their miniature poodle Satchi made the move from their Whitefield home to one of the independent living apartments in the new complex for a variety of reasons.

Joan had been a visitor to Whitefield since 1975 and fell in love with the area. She built a home here in 1980, and after marrying Dave, she and her husband built a vacation home in 1992, visiting on weekends and holidays from their permanent residence in Montreal.

“I introduced him to Whitefield and he loved it, too, and we came here permanently in 1995.”

“We were at a point where the chores, upkeep, and worries of a home and five acres and our ability to maintain and enjoy that part of our life was waning. All of the apartments have kitchens and even though the Summit provides meals, I like to cook some of our food. Summit also takes dogs. Those factors were attractive to us. Also, we’re still part of the community and able to live in one of the best places in the world! 

“The location is very attractive, close to town, with medical and dental offices just across the road,” notes Joan. “We’re on a hill with beautiful views, there’s always a breeze and the paths on the property are very pleasant to walk.”

Joan and David LeBaron – Summit Independent Living

 


“We realized we would be much happier at Summit with someone looking after our well-being as we age.”  — Len Reed

 Joan and Len Reed met at a dance at West Point, married, raised four children, and lived a life of travel and adventure around the world during Len’s military career. In 1978, they retired to Bethlehem where Len, with Joan’s assistance, established his second career as a public relations specialist for resorts like The Balsams, and the couple became active members of many community organizations. After selling their home and living in a condo apartment for several years, they made the move to an independent living apartment in the senior living community at the Summit.

Although the pandemic has restricted visits from family and friends and they don’t have as much freedom as they previously did, they recommend the Summit for the quality of the management and staff and the excellent accommodations, which are designed in several configurations to appeal to different needs.

“The staff is fabulous,” says Joan, “and I love our apartment, which has two bedrooms, two baths, a den, a great kitchen, and a patio.”

Joan and Len Reed, Summit by Morrison Residents

 


“I chose to start my recovery at The Morrison following my Ulnar Nerve Transposition to correct the pain in my elbow, because of the reputable staff. I was privileged to work with two of the finest therapists, receiving impeccable care and I made progress quicker than anticipated. Less than three months after my surgery I was fully cleared to return to athletics and my normal routine. I am thankful for the positive experience The Morrison provided and would highly recommend their outpatient therapy.”

Maddy Crane, Age 15, White Mountains Regional High School Sophomore


They serve from their hearts, not their paychecks.” — Irene “Sunny” Just, Sartwell Place Assisted Living resident says of the staff.

 After Massachusetts resident Sunny Just had issues with falling, she knew the time had come to move to assisted living. She chose Sartwell Place Assisted Living because it was close to doctors and to nearby friends.

The decision has paid off,” says Sunny, whose upbeat and enthusiastic personality spills over in all her interactions with staff and residents, both in Sartwell Place and the Morrison Skilled Nursing wing.

I love to make people laugh,” she admits, and likes nothing better than to open “Sunny’s Closet” and pull out her wildest outfits that include accessories like wigs and feather boas! “I get such a good response. I get such a thrill out of it. It gives me a purpose and brightens their day.”

She has high praise for the staff, from laundry, cleaning and kitchen to maintenance, nursing and administration, for the personal level of care they provide. “They serve from their hearts, not their paychecks.”

Sunny Just, Sartwell Place Assisted Living


I like the quiet, simplified life here. I love the mountains and the scenery. I have a great room and the excellent staff looks after me so well. The food is good and the other residents are fun to be with.”  

One of Summit’s original residents, Ed Walkonen toured a couple of assisted living communities near his hometown of Lunenburg, Massachusetts, including one near his son, before choosing Whitefield and Summit as his new residence. His daughter and son-in-law live in nearby Twin Mountain.

It’s the way life should be. It’s a great environment, a great place to be. It only took me two days to settle in. Now this is my home.” 

Ed retired after a 39-year career as an elementary school teacher and 40 years as an auxiliary police officer. He served a term on the local school committee and drove a snowplow for the town of Lunenburg. Some eight years after his wife passed away household tasks began to take their toll. It was getting harder and harder to bend down, carry groceries into the house, keep up with the house cleaning, and take care of the lawn and snow removal. Now that he lives at Summit, he doesn’t have those worries.

The main thing is the people are nice, very genuine, and down to earth. Real people. I marvel that there are still places like this.”

Ed Walkonen, Summit by Morrison Resident


“The security is the best thing for me about living at Sartwell Place. When you’re my age that’s what you need. If you fall or get sick, the staff will take care of you and they have a very good physical therapy department. — Ethel Cooper

Ethel Cooper had been living in Wells River, VT for nine years when she broke her hip. Following a successful operation, she chose The Morrison Skilled Nursing Facility for rehabilitation. After completing her rehab at The Morrison, she moved upstairs to Sartwell Place Assisted Living and could not be happier!

Born and brought up in Littleton, she has lived in the region most of her life, raised a family and worked at jobs as varied as New England Telephone Company, Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank, and in Littleton’s Planning and Zoning office. A wonderful piano player, she often volunteered at the Grafton County Nursing Home, Littleton Regional Hospital, and Horse Meadow and Littleton’s Senior Centers, sharing her love of music with others. Now, she can share her talents with her new friends at Sartwell, where once a week she plays her keyboard, and everyone sings along to the old songs that they love.

Sartwell Place is a great place to be. I would recommend it to anyone. The residents and staff are friendly, there are many activities, the meals are good, and they do our laundry.”

Ethel Cooper, Sartwell Place Assisted Living Resident


Thank you for everything you did to help Mom get through her short stay at Sartwell Place. She could not have been in a safer, mare caring environment. I never for a moment thought that she was not getting proper care. Please thank all the caregivers who provided assistance and guidance to help her get through each day. I got to know many of them by first names and looked forward to seeing them when I visited Mom. They are good people. I can see why Morrison Nursing Home/Sartwell Place family always rates five stars.

Doug Frizzel
Whitefield, NH


We are so impressed with your dedication and devotion at Morrison. We appreciate the care and love (and the above and beyond) effort given each day.

Ray Conway and Family
Jefferson, NH


I want to live independently, but I am excited that we will have a community where there are friends nearby, and where we will have options to remain in the community, but receive assistance when the time comes. The North Country is a wonderful place to live, and Summit by Morrison offers a great location for people who wish to live here.

Anna Rioux
Littleton, NH


Summit by Morrison is a dream come true. My husband, David, and I, strong supporters and admirers of The Morrison for years, congratulate the members of the board and staff who have put years of work into seeing this beautiful, unparalleled senior community come to life. This will rejuvenate the town of Whitefield by welcoming newcomers and locals, be they residents or staff, to our lovely village.

Elaine Dana
Whitefield, NH


The planners did a masterful job creating The Summit by Morrison. They seem to have thought of everything: a main building that is beautiful with a huge two story auditorium, a two story dining room, a store, meeting rooms, library, game room, and most importantly, medical facilities for a wide range of health and physical issues. There are huge windows everywhere! Not only are the windows in the public areas, but each apartment has what seems to be walls of windows, including a beautiful bay window. There are one or two bedroom apartments and individual homes available. Finally, its location, across the street from the physicians’ offices and the police and fire departments adds a real sense of security. Immense thought and planning has gone into every detail of this wonderful venue. Well done!

Dolly McPhaul
Sugar Hill, NH


Wow! The attention to detail, the quality of construction, and the entire layout of this project were so impressive.

…the nearly finished cottages…pleasantly surprised at just how “homey” they all felt. Comfortable, roomy, and beautifully designed and decorated. (In the main building), …the fireproof building materials, the extensive use of sound deadening materials, the brightly lit hallways and recessed door openings … the list just went on and on. Large dining areas served by a central kitchen, and a very roomy meeting or conference open area were there to really make this building a vibrant living center.

When we left, both of us could not stop talking about the Summit and how impressed we were by what we saw. This is really a village of its own … a village within the town of Whitefield.

Stan and Sandy Holtz
Whitefield, NH