Overall sentiment across the reviews for Benedictine Living Community-At The Shrine is strongly positive about the people and setting, with consistent praise for the staff, spiritual life, activities, and the campus environment. Many reviewers describe the community as warm, welcoming, and family-like; staff are repeatedly characterized as professional, compassionate, personable, and knowledgeable. Care teams — including nurses and therapy staff — receive high marks for attention, experience, and communication with families, and many reviewers explicitly state they trust the care provided. The community’s spiritual dimension (daily Mass and a beautiful chapel) and focus on body-mind-spirit are frequently cited as important strengths that contribute to residents’ wellbeing.
The physical campus and grounds are another major positive theme. Reviewers repeatedly call the landscaping gorgeous, tranquil, and resort-like; references to wooded walkways, indoor walking areas, patios with views, and features such as an aviary and community garden emphasize a strong connection to nature. Many note spotless cleanliness in common areas, well-maintained grounds, and a safe, secure environment. The community being a life-plan campus with independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing is valued for continuity of care and long-term planning. Amenities (library, computer classes, bake room, beauty parlor, and regular transportation) and an active calendar of events, field trips, and entertainment contribute to residents’ social life and engagement.
Dining and activities are generally seen as strengths but show mixed feedback. Numerous reviews praise excellent, fresh, inventive, and well-prepared meals and first-class events. At the same time, a subset of reviewers express disappointment with menu rotation and food quality — specific complaints include repetitive breaded proteins, mushy vegetables, and a desire for healthier options. The impending or actual departure of a popular chef is noted as a concern by some residents who fear a decline in meal quality. Activities receive uniformly positive comments: programs, exercise classes, chair volleyball, ice cream socials, and spiritual activities are highlighted as abundant and meaningful.
Despite these many positives, several recurring concerns merit attention. The most frequent negative theme is the condition of parts of the physical plant: multiple reviewers describe aging buildings, very small apartment layouts (tiny kitchens, refrigerators, bathrooms, and closets), deterioration in some areas, and reports of water damage that raise mold concerns. There are specific reports of inadequate hot/cold water in a bathroom and noticeable smells in certain units or hallways. Staffing issues are another consistent worry: some reviews reference chronic staffing shortages (with weekends particularly affected), reports of staff not answering calls, residents left in wheelchairs in hallways, and a perceived decline in standards or supervision. A few reviews recount lapses in clinical communication or post-operative care (for example, missed post-op garments or lack of masking during transport), which, while not the dominant narrative, are serious when they occur.
Management responsiveness and administration quality present a mixed picture. Many reviewers praise flexible, hands-on administration that substitutes for housekeeping or dining when needed and note attentive, helpful front-desk and maintenance teams. However, other reviews describe management as unresponsive to complaints, delayed refunds, or inadequate resolution of issues, creating frustration for residents and families. This divergence suggests variability in experiences — some residents find leadership supportive and present, while others feel complaints are not addressed and standards have slipped over time.
In summary, Benedictine Living Community-At The Shrine is consistently appreciated for its compassionate staff, strong spiritual programming, engaging activities, and beautiful, tranquil grounds. These strengths create a welcoming community atmosphere and high satisfaction for many residents and families. The principal areas for improvement identified by multiple reviewers are the aging physical infrastructure (including small apartment sizes and specific maintenance problems), mixed experiences with dining and the impact of chef turnover, ongoing staffing shortages and occasional lapses in responsiveness, and uneven management follow-through on complaints or financial issues. Prospective residents should weigh the community’s strong people- and environment-focused benefits against potential concerns about unit size, building condition, and variability in operational responsiveness. For current leadership, priorities to sustain and enhance reputation would include addressing physical plant repairs/renovations, ensuring stable dining leadership, strengthening staffing coverage (especially weekends and direct-care responsiveness), and improving complaint resolution and communication transparency.
