7211 Granby St, Norfolk, VA 23505
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Anonymous
Child of resident/client
Feels like visiting home
I love that the Ballentine facility overall doesn't feel medical. There is a homey feel to the architecture and décor that makes it feel like a traditional apartment. The whole place feels welcoming and homey
Read all reviewsCommonwealth Senior Living at the Ballentine
Established in 1896, Commonwealth Senior Living at Ballentine is Norfolk’s premier senior living community, offering independent living, assisted living, and memory care services in a single, timelessly designed home. Whether you’re seeking long-term care or a short-term stay, Commonwealth promises a dedicated group of caregivers committed to providing the very best service to residents and their families.
With bathing, dressing, and medication management being just a few convenient services residents receive, Commonwealth is here to lend a helping hand any way they can. In addition to on-site therapy and healthcare, their caring staff also provide assistance with things like maintenance and housekeeping services so your time is truly your own.
Exclusive programs set Commonwealth apart from the rest. Dining experiences deliver fresh local flavors like seafood and produce from local farms! A professional chef prepares and serves unique cuisine for residents to enjoy any time of the day, whether that be in the distinguished restaurant-style dining area or via room service.
By practicing person-centered care, the community encourages residents to engage with life at their own pace. Experience different lifestyles through their exceptional activities program, which delivers new culture, music, food, and international art right to residents’ doorsteps. Or simply enjoy...
Commonwealth Senior Living at the Ballentine
Total monthly costs depend on room type, select services, and the level of care needed
*Prices quoted are monthly rental charges and are provided by the communities themselves. Actual prices may differ due to one-time fees, timing and care services required. Speak with your Senior Living Advisor to learn more.
8.8 out of 10 Review Score50 reviews | 9.7 out of 10 Review Score42 reviews | 9.1 out of 10 Review Score222 reviews | 8.8 out of 10 Review Score108 reviews |
Studio Starting at $X,XXX/moStarting at $4,331/mo | Studio Starting at $X,XXX/moStarting at $5,400/mo | Studio Starting at $X,XXX/moStarting at $3,195/mo | Studio Starting at $X,XXX/moStarting at $3,800/mo |
1 Bedroom Starting at $X,XXX/moStarting at $5,917/mo | 1 Bedroom Starting at $X,XXX/moStarting at $3,050/mo | 1 Bedroom Starting at $X,XXX/moStarting at $4,595/mo | 1 Bedroom Not available |
2 Bedrooms Not available | 2 Bedrooms Starting at $X,XXX/moStarting at $4,400/mo | 2 Bedrooms Not available | 2 Bedrooms Not available |
Active promotion No | Active promotion No | Active promotion No | Active promotion
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Pet friendly Yes | Pet friendly Yes | Pet friendly Yes | Pet friendly Yes |
Care types offered 2 Assisted Living, Memory Care | Care types offered 3 Assisted Living, Memory Care, Independent Living | Care types offered 2 Assisted Living, Memory Care | Care types offered 2 Assisted Living, Memory Care |
A Place for Mom has scored Commonwealth Senior Living at the Ballentine with 8.8 out of 10 using our proprietary review score based on 9 reviews in the last 2 years. Over all time, Commonwealth Senior Living at the Ballentine has 50 reviews with an average "overall experience" of 3.8 out of 5.
Anonymous
Assisted LivingFamily/friend
September 21, 2026
I love that the Ballentine facility overall doesn't feel medical. There is a homey feel to the architecture and décor that makes it feel like a traditional apartment. The whole place feels welcoming and homey
Kathleen B
Assisted LivingResident/client
September 2, 2026
Last week I had a bit of an incident at the Ballentine. [name removed] came to my rescue!!!! She was quick, calming, and right on point!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE HER!!! THANK YOU [name removed]!!! You are an exceptionally hard and dedicated worker.
Lauren T
Assisted LivingFamily/friend
April 17, 2026
The management staff handled our situation and stressed feelings with great care and concern. The general staff treat our mom like their own family and always greet us with updates or stories. The activities and amenities (like the hair salon) are super convenient for keeping mom engaged in "normal" activities.
Anonymous
Assisted LivingFamily/friend
March 4, 2026
All of the staff, from aides to administrative to activities to maintenance have been genuinely warm and welcoming, presenting as a unified team.
Anonymous
Assisted LivingFamily/friend
February 19, 2026
My mom, who dies in April of last year, btw, was there for about three months. She eventually decided to move to an independent living community, because in spite of having and paying for a high level of need, she felt it was necessary to keep personal staff person with her during the days. This was something a number of residents had to do, telling me that the care was insufficient. Trying to get laundry done was a nightmare. The dryer didn't work properly and laundry was sometimes returned very wet. When her staff did the laundry they were restricted as to the days or hours (I don't remember which) that they could do the washing. Mom needed her sheets changed daily and also went through several changes of clothing per day. The staff were ok. One lady in particular was very bossy. She took a potted plant that I brought for Mom without permission and put it in the common hallway, but put it in a place that my mom never went to, so she never saw it. I took it back and put it onto her room and told the staff person not to move it again. That was one of many incidents. The food was just ok. Pretty bland and soft. I joined her for a few meals and was not particularly impressed. When people would die, the staff would vie with one another to get some of the person's belongings if the family let it be known that they didn't want to take them. It's fine if th family don't mind the staff taking things but it was very obvious what was going on and in rather poor taste in my opinion. When my mom moved out the people who moved her left behind a table, thinking it belonged to the facility. Literally a few hours later I returned to get it and one of the staff had taken it. I did get it back but I had to make inquiries to do so. On the positive side, the facility itself was nice and the common areas were clean and nicely kept, especially given the age of the building. The company contracted to do therapy was great. I think the overall experience was probably better for people who were able to be more independent and didn't need to rely on the staff so heavily. If Mom hadn't had such a high turnover of laundry I would have taken it home to do it but that was impractical.
Anonymous
Assisted LivingFamily/friend
December 1, 2025
What we like the most about the community is the friendly staff and the location. Yes, we would recommend the community to other families.
Anonymous
Assisted LivingFamily/friend
June 25, 2025
Most of the residents who can afford it bring in their own staff people to help them. My mother did and she was not the only one. She did not get sufficient attention from the staff there and since she brought in her own people she got even less, yet they were charging us full rate for hands on care. The laundry services that she paid for were terrible. The dryer barely worked. A load left in for two hours was returned to her still damp. When her staff tried to do her laundry they were told they could only do so on a specific day. Mom ran through 1-2 sets of sheets per day. That was insufficient. Even Mom's staff complained about the care there. The PT services was good but we had issues with the billing with them.
Anonymous
Assisted LivingFamily/friend
June 23, 2025
My mom says its the best place. She enjoys the workers, and the residents. Mom is in a studio room. I'm not sure about the activities.
Cindy A Rhodes
Assisted LivingFamily/friend
June 11, 2025
Everyone is friendly, kind and caring. They know your name when you come to visit. I'm very happy to trust my 98 year mother with their care. I highly recommend having your loved ones to live there. My mother is very well cared for in this facility.
Anonymous
Memory CareFamily/friend
September 27, 2024
There is not enough parking for staff and visitors, but the staff at the community is very good and we would recommend Commonwealth Senior Living to other families who may need a place for their loved ones.
M
Assisted LivingResident/client
August 27, 2024
My mother went to this facility when she became significantly debilitated after a hospitalization. She and I are both arms. She required assistance with all ADLs, which we were assured would be provided by the staff and had planned to phase her home caregivers out after a couple of weeks. We ended up keeping them on and extending their hours to ten per day. The aides complained often about the poor care. Against her wishes, my mother was put in bed shortly after 8:00 pm most nights. When staff arrived at 8:00 am she was still in bed most mornings. PRN medications for pain were often not provided when she requested them. There were other problems with medications as well. We did have fantastic results with the PT and OT staff, who helped her regain quite a bit of her mobility. She will be moving to a very nice but less expensive Independent living community with a live-in aide, where we will not have to pay for the assisted living fee and where we can handle her medications.
Anonymous
Assisted LivingFamily/friend
August 23, 2024
We had a staff member steal money from my Dad's wallet and replace it with a new empty wallet while he was asleep Staff did nothing Police were contacted. We moved
Ann D
Assisted LivingFamily/friend
August 16, 2024
This place will be a great place for your loved ones. The people employed here are fantastic. This place holds a special place in my heart due to [name removed] exceptional care for my aunt, who has passed away. In this place, my aunt was in a peaceful state.
Ruby D
Memory CareFamily/friend
April 26, 2024
Overall me and my family were very satisfied with his care. Their staff was caring and friendly and very professional. I think they genuinely cared. Food could be improved on. My loved one was not able to participate in any of the activities that they had going on.
Anonymous
Assisted LivingFamily/friend
March 28, 2024
Always clean, staff warm, welcoming, interested in residents. It is an excellent choice for assisted living. Other facilities recommended to me by the hospital were nice but twice the price almost which was not sustainable for us. I am very sorry that he now has a condition which precludes him going back to the Ballentine.
Sally H
Assisted LivingFamily/friend
February 29, 2024
We are very satisfied. We chose this facility over others because of the good vibes, affordable, and location Very caring, patient, and knowledgeable staff.
Gordon G
Assisted LivingResident/client
July 13, 2023
The staff at Commonwealth Senior Living at the Ballentine really care about the residents and they do a great job of taking care of them. The room sizes and amenities offered to residents are okay. I would overall recommend this community to others looking. It is a great place to live.
Penelope
Memory CareFamily/friend
July 3, 2023
The staff was all very caring and friendly and got to know my father personally. The director of nursing called me on a few occasions when necessary. The facility is older but is clean and well maintained. I felt like my father mattered.
Charles
Memory CareFamily/friend
February 8, 2023
I've actually waited a couple of years to write this so that my emotions about the passing of my family member (which was natural) would not interfere with my assessment of The Ballentine. So at this point, I can clearly share how much I regret choosing this place. It began with the small discrepancy between what I was told in our initial visit and how my family member's first day unfolded, followed immediately by a lot of clothing and personal possessions disappearing within 24 hours, and also a second time. There were a lot of other things also, and whenever I tried to address them, the double-talk was so evident. I felt I needed to be present to make sure had what she needed, fortunately, I could be there regularly. I am appreciative however of some of the staff who were really good.
anonymous
Assisted LivingFamily/friend
January 10, 2023
Overall I think it's a good place compared to so many others. Every place goes through attrition, and with the economy it's hard to keep people hired. When we first began, the care was a lot better. But they have lost a lot of manpower. They are shorthanded more than I would like to see. If they could hire more staff, I think the care would be great. The food is good, as were the activities with the old activities director. They hired a new one, so we'll see how that goes. Overall we're still excited for our loved one to be there. We just hope they're able to hire more staff for quicker response times. If we had to choose again, we would still choose Commonwealth. We have not been disappointed. And I would encourage other families to come check them out.
Commonwealth Senior Living at the Ballentine
Safety is a primary concern when seniors and their families look for Assisted Living. To ensure that a community meets your needs and expectations, we recommend that seniors and family members:
Know Virginia’s regulations for memory care. Each state has its own laws and inspection processes to ensure seniors reside in a safe environment. Depending on your state, you may even be able to look up inspection reports for the communities you’re considering. Learn more about Virginia’s regulations for memory care and download the Guide to Senior Living Licensure and Inspection Reports.
Tour the location. Touring allows you to speak to current residents and staff, and it helps you confirm the accuracy of the community description and photos. Use our touring checklist to help guide your visit.
Confirm the availability of required services. Before committing, make sure that the community offers all the services your loved one needs, and that those services can be provided within your budget.
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The features and amenities that are displayed on this page contain marketing information provided by the community. A Place for Mom has not confirmed the completeness of the provided information, and cannot guarantee its accuracy. If you become aware of any information that should be updated or noted, please contact A Place for Mom. A Place for Mom uses the term “assisted living” to indicate that the community provides some level of assistance with daily living activities. It does not indicate that the facility meets official state requirements for level of care.
