205-956-2184Become a trailblazer! Help us kick-start this project with a one-time donation toward the resident gardens, the garden pavilion, and clearing and paving walking trails around campus, including the trail to the Cahaba River.
The Kirkwood Nature Society is a group of donors and volunteers who prioritize residents’ well-being by contributing toward outdoor living spaces and walking trails on Kirkwood’s campus. Our location on 120 acres on the Cahaba River is ideal for enjoying God’s creation. With your help, we can provide safe spaces for residents to walk, garden, and spend time in the great outdoors.
Become a trailblazer! Help us kick-start this project with a one-time donation toward the resident gardens, the garden pavilion, and clearing and paving walking trails around campus, including the trail to the Cahaba River.
Annual giving will allow us to guarantee all trails and outdoor amenities are well-kept season by season.
We are looking for individuals and organizations willing to provide manual labor, including clearing brush, trees, and debris, for our trails.
Please fill out the form below or Contact Sarah Sexton at
205-873-9045 or ssexton@kirkwoodbytheriver.com with any questions.
Our residents come from different backgrounds and bring their unique qualities, talents, and life experiences to complete the Kirkwood community. Here are just a few reflections from some individuals who call Kirkwood their home.
My time at Kirkwood was spectacular; they taught me how to walk again. The staff was outstanding, and the care was beyond reproach. When I arrived, I had a long way to go. I was very sick. The first night, they had to lift me as I could not move by myself. When I left, they were chasing me down the hallway. They taught me how to perform the activities of daily living again. It was the best care I could have prayed for, and on top of that, the food was spectacular.
I fell in love with the cottage and the view from my back porch. I am excited to have a yard for Ginger, my poodle, to play in and my own garage, all within an established retirement community!
My husband and I looked at a number of places when deciding to move to a retirement community. For the most part, we found communities that said, ‘We’re going to take care of you.’ But Kirkwood was different. It wasn’t just about taking care of us. It was also about having fun, having friends, and living life to the fullest. The attitude at Kirkwood was positive and the atmosphere was comforting. We simply couldn’t resist. Without a doubt, the location was ideal. The Cahaba Room that overlooks the river, the mountains, the trails – there were just so many things about life. The community was lively. It was alive.
We realized we were approaching an age where we might need more assistance than what just downsizing could provide. Knowing we have my sons nearby and the levels of care should we need it is comforting, and the beautiful hillside, river, and the woods makes it that much more appealing. We don’t know of any other community that has the woods, the various levels of care, and so many different amenities.
We were moving my parents down from the Cleveland area to be near us. I looked at almost every retirement place in the Birmingham area. The second I turned into Kirkwood’s drive and drove up the hill, I knew that I’d found the perfect place for my parents to live in Alabama. In the six years that my parents have been at Kirkwood, I have always felt nothing but love and helpfulness from every staff member. Everyone is always helpful with a pleasant attitude. You can truly see and feel the family atmosphere. I’m happy that my parents can call Kirkwood their home.
When we learned that Cedar Ridge was being developed, that seemed to fit our needs very well. It is the ideal place for the next phase of our retirement.
One thing that we feel is very important here at Kirkwood by the River is the relationship that we have between the staff and the residents. They are dedicated to making our life here as safe and secure and pleasurable as possible. That goes a long way.
The community's cottage living surrounded by a wooded, natural environment with access to future healthcare services is what attracted us to Kirkwood!