Hawthorn Senior Living, LLC

This community didn't speak to me the same way. Not even close. It seemed less "alive" and vibrant. The staff was nowhere to be seen. The ambiance felt more ... stale. This isn't very exact language I realize but overall New Horizons was the first community I walked into and had that immediate positive reaction. Which was sustained throughout a very long, windy journey of signing a contract and getting my folks moved in. The staff are EVERYWHERE there and a lot of them have stayed there for a very long time. I didn't get that sense of community and commitment from the staff anywhere else I looked, Fairview included. I was ignored for about 15 minutes while the woman was on the phone. Few other people in the front office. No one asked if I needed help.

The transportation manager-driver and the housekeeping team are absolutely outstanding. The company is in the middle of revising its management strategy for this facility. The assistant management team should be highly commended for the efficacy and compassion that they have shown during this time of transition. They are very kind people. This facility is very nice for people who are in their 80s and 90s or hundreds. They seem to do well also with people with very mild dementia.

We did not have a good experience at Stoneybrook Lodge. The director was very unfriendly and overcharged us for several things without discussing it first. My mom broke her hip in the laundry room and laid on the floor screaming for help until a neighbor heard her and helped. The employees never came to her help. After that fall, my mom's health went down quickly and she passed away last March. She never recovered from that accident.

Positive: it's a lovely facility decorated to feel like a hotel. The planned activities, from outside excursions to in-house entertainment, are well done. The staff were always friendly, helpful, and available. The cleaning and maintenance staff do a good job of maintaining the facility, including in-room cleaning if required. The facility transportation is friendly, reliable, and knowledgeable about the area. There is the option of having doctors do house calls for well check-ups, if a ride to a medical facility can't be arranged, but it almost always can be. Negatives: staff turn-over is constant, including 4 changes of managers in one year and a revolving door on wait staff in the dining room and kitchen. The food has been questionable at times. Once, enchiladas were served to senior citizens, some of whom can't tolerate spicy or diary heavy food. In fact, healthier dietary options should be offered for those needing to mind their diets for health reasons. Sometimes they did not have enough wait staff to get food warm to the tables. At one point the chef resigned and there was not a replacement chef for a week or two. Of course all this happened as the country was still rebounding from Covid and food prices were fluctuating wildly, so I give some grace for that. But it is a concern worth noting. Hopefully this will be corrected in the near future. I should clarify that staff turn over is limited to managers and the kitchen and wait staff. The maintenance, cleaning, facility bus driver, and activities staff was constant.

Things that have been disappointing to my mother-in-law: Much time is spent in the dining room. There do not seem to be enough servers and it takes a long time to get served. She has lactose intolerance so it has been hard for her to find things that she can eat. Many dishes have cheese or are milk-based. There does not seem to be flexibility in providing dairy-free options. If she wants to eat in her room she has to go down to pick up the food or else she is charged $5.00 for it to be delivered. We have heard the most complaints about the food and dining room. Another frustration was trying to get the maintenance man to fix an issue she had with her sink. It took a few weeks of waiting. She also complains that the water in her shower is not very hot. She has someone who cleans her room once a week. Sometimes they do not have time to vacuum. Sometimes the bed sheets are stained or do not fit properly. Some positives: She has made some friends and had more social interaction. She is benefitting from the physical/occupational therapy that is available there. They have been kind to her and helped her by referring her to doctors, etc. She is getting more exercise than she was when she lived on her own.

Shads Landing has had a lot of renovations so the community itself is just beautiful - it is so nice, bright, and inviting and we absolutely love it. Their greatest asset is the people - the residents are very very friendly and very helpful. The staff members are very helpful as well and our loved one enjoys being around them . We would say the only improvement they could make would be the meals - they could have more options for those with dietary restrictions.

I would offer 2 suggestions for improvement: on-site activities and the food (menu/offerings/overall quality).

Parker place has had some turnover. We feel that while PP doesn't "kick" residents out when their level of care needs goes up, some residents should not be there and rather need to be in a place with a higher level of care. PP is not an assisted living or high care facility. If a resident wants to attend off site activities but isn't allowed because of cognitive skills, then that resident needs to be in a place other than a retirement community with limited assisted living help.

Very nice place, lots of cool amenities, but the population is older than expected. The environment is not vibrant with activities, still seems a bit sterile. The grounds are beautifully kept. The male manager can be condescending to staff and at times residents, others very friendly. The biggest complaint has been the food. The sense of community is not really there. Someone proactive and into organizing things could probably help that.

It was lovely but an older facility. They had a shared washing machine and dryer, and the air conditioner was in the wall.

The food was not appealing. The rooms were a good size but it was not a good fit for my loved one.

I toured this community and it was ok. It was a little dated and for the price it didn't seem to stand out.

I did not like the rooms or the location but it was a nice environment.

We toured with Linwood Estates and it was a nice place but was not going to fit my loved ones needs. They did not offer 3 meals a day, 5 days a week which is something we were looking for. They also did not offer a free gym membership which was an amenity we wanted.

Very interested in how the showers are handicapped friendly

Apts not cleaned between residents. Food is mediocre, small in quantity, and heavy on carbs. Management very laisse fair. The activities are geared to the lowest cognitive denominator. Poor communication.

It seemed dated. The staff were really nice.

My loved one, is not happy with the food because the portions are small and it's very bland. The staff is friendly. It's a very nice apartment, which is set up very well. She's starting to make friends. Overall, it is kind of expensive.

They did not have care services that mom needed.

Williams Place is strictly independent living. Some independent living facilities have medical staff on site, but that is not the case here so it is more like senior apartments. If your loved one has a medical emergency, they have to call the ambulance and take them to the ER. The manager does live on site. The residents here seemed "cliquey".