Overall sentiment across reviews of Cedar Lake Assisted Living and Memory Care is predominantly positive, with recurring praise for the staff, activities and modern facilities, but tempered by a notable minority of serious concerns around staffing stability, communication and consistency of clinical care. Many reviewers emphasize that the facility is clean, bright and well-equipped; apartments are comfortable and often include desirable in-unit amenities such as washer/dryer and kitchenettes. The community offers a wide array of on-site amenities (movie theater, salon, fitness center, bistro/coffee shop, garden/courtyard) and a robust activities calendar — reviewers reference a creative “Department of Fun,” regular bus excursions, gardening, baking, brain games, live music, happy hours and religious services. These programs are a recurring strength and are credited with improving residents’ emotional wellbeing, social engagement and cognitive stimulation.
Care quality and staff behavior are focal themes with a split in experiences. A large number of families report compassionate, attentive, and skilled caregiving staff; many specifically call out nurses, aides, activities directors, and front-desk personnel for going above and beyond. Several reviews note 24-hour nursing coverage, on-site gerontologists, and clean state-survey results (no faults over three years), which bolster confidence in the clinical infrastructure. Families frequently describe clear communication, helpful plan-of-care meetings, and staff who remember residents’ names and meal preferences. For many residents the move to Cedar Lake brought improved physical health, emotional comfort, and peace of mind for families.
However, this positive picture is offset by recurring reports of inconsistency. High staff turnover and many short-tenured caregivers were repeatedly mentioned; reviewers link turnover to training gaps, variable skill levels with dementia care, and continuity problems across shifts. Several families describe communication breakdowns between sales, nursing, and administrative teams that led to inappropriate admissions, misunderstandings about care needs, and mismatched expectations. Language barriers and limited English among some caregivers were cited as contributing to communication problems with residents (particularly those with hearing or memory impairments). In the most serious accounts, families reported medication errors, improper administration, falls that may have been preventable, and insufficient fall monitoring (e.g., alarms not allowed, lack of pads or other fall risk measures). These reports suggest that while many residents thrive, others have experienced clinically significant lapses that required escalation or transfer.
Dining receives mixed but specific commentary. Numerous reviewers praise well-planned, hot, and nutritious meals, dietary accommodations, and dining staff who remember preferences. Several note recent improvements under a new food director. At the same time some families describe repetitive menus, limited dining options, and occasional poor meal quality; a handful find the dining experience not worth the high cost. Financial concerns are a prominent negative theme: the community’s pricing is described as relatively high by some reviewers (one specific figure of Rent + Care $7,370 appears in the summaries), with ongoing rent increases, extra charges for additional services, and periodic rate re-evaluations creating anxiety for certain families. A few reviewers accused the community or parent company of bait-and-switch practices or opaque fee policies, so prospective residents should scrutinize contracts and escalation clauses closely.
Management and operations elicit both praise and criticism. Many families compliment responsive local management, transparent billing in positive cases, helpful move-in support, good communication, and a warm, small-community feel. In contrast, a minority of reviews describe poor upper-management, inadequate oversight, denied family access in disputes, charged or hidden fees, and unpleasant move-out experiences. Housekeeping and room-cleanliness were usually adequate, but occasional lapses were mentioned. Shift-change communication gaps are repeatedly noted as a practical area for improvement, and some reviewers describe being told divergent information by sales versus clinical teams.
Safety and dementia-specific programming show mixed signals. The community is credited with a true memory-care program, dedicated memory-care staff and specialized activities; a number of families felt the dementia programming helped residents. Yet others say the therapeutic approaches were limited and caregivers lacked patience or skill with advanced dementia, prompting moves to higher-level skilled nursing facilities. Safety concerns were raised in multiple reviews — including falls, understaffing on certain shifts, and inconsistent application of fall-prevention protocols — and these reports deserve careful vetting by prospective families.
In conclusion, Cedar Lake Assisted Living and Memory Care frequently delivers on the promises families want: a modern, well-equipped building; a rich activity schedule that fosters engagement; many genuinely compassionate staff members; and clinical resources such as 24-hour nursing and gerontology oversight. These strengths translate into improved quality of life for many residents and high recommendations from numerous families. That said, consistent and documented issues — especially high staff turnover, occasional clinical errors, departmental communication breakdowns, variable meal experiences, and concerns about pricing/transparency — recur enough to warrant due diligence. Prospective residents and families should (1) observe multiple shifts (including evening/weekend), (2) ask for current staffing ratios and turnover statistics, (3) review medication and fall-prevention protocols, (4) confirm all fees and rent-increase policies in writing, (5) sample multiple meals, and (6) speak directly with memory-care staff about dementia-specific interventions. Doing so will help determine if Cedar Lake’s many strengths align with a particular resident’s clinical needs and family priorities.
