Overall sentiment in the reviews for The Sheridan at River Forest is mixed, with a strong split between positive experiences centered on frontline caregiving and community life, and significant concerns focused on memory-care operations, management, and consistency. Many reviewers praise the warmth, sincerity, and attentiveness of caregiving staff: caregivers are frequently described as caring, respectful, and knowing residents by name. Multiple families note that residents are well groomed, vibrant, and encouraged to participate in activities. The facility itself is described as attractive and comfortable, and several reviewers explicitly recommend the community to other families, citing good overall quality of care and an engaging calendar of programs (games, movies, art room, varied activities). Dining earns positive comments from numerous reviewers — three meals a day with healthy, mindful options — and some families consider the community good value for money.
However, the positive day-to-day experiences are tempered by recurring operational and safety concerns, particularly in memory care. Several reviews depict the memory care program as inadequately staffed or structured for residents with advanced needs, with comments that there are too many residents to maintain a calm environment. Staff turnover is frequently mentioned and is linked to lack of continuity in nursing care. Serious issues are alleged around medication management — including missed medications and reconciliation problems — and delayed responses to call buttons. Reviewers also report malfunctioning motion detectors and instances where families felt compelled to hire private aides to get promised levels of assistance. These problems raise safety and quality-of-care alarms that contrast with the otherwise positive impressions of individual caregivers.
Management and communication are another recurrent theme. While some family communication is described as respectful and helpful, others report difficulty reaching administrative staff, overpromising from management, and an overall sense that the facility may prioritize financial considerations over resident-centered care. Specific complaints include bedsheets not being changed when needed, room-cleanliness issues, food left in rooms or served in small portions, and uneven availability of activities — some reviewers praise the activity program as phenomenal, while others say there is a lack of activities or insufficient memory-care-specific programming and physical exercise opportunities.
Taken together, the pattern is one of contrasts: a strong, often excellent frontline caregiving ethos and engaging resident life for many, paired with operational weaknesses that disproportionately affect memory-care residents and those requiring consistent clinical oversight. The most frequently mentioned strengths are the caring staff, quality of resident presentation, engaging activities, and an attractive facility. The most significant concerns are staffing levels and turnover, medication and safety-system failures, inconsistent communication from administration, and perceived prioritization of business/efficiency over individualized resident needs.
For families considering The Sheridan at River Forest, the reviews suggest weighing the evident positives — compassionate caregivers, strong social programs, and a pleasant environment — against potential risks related to memory-care staffing, clinical consistency, and management responsiveness. Prospective residents or families should ask specific, documented questions about staffing ratios in memory care, protocols for medication administration and reconciliation, response times for call systems, maintenance of safety devices (like motion detectors), laundry/housekeeping schedules, and how the community handles staff turnover and continuity of care. Observing a meal service, attending an activity, and speaking directly with both caregiving and administrative staff about recent turnover and concrete quality measures will help families assess whether the community’s strengths align with their loved one’s needs and whether the noted operational concerns have been addressed.
