Overall sentiment across the reviews is mixed but centers heavily on the quality and character of the staff contrasted with notable operational, maintenance, and management issues. The majority of reviews emphasize caring, compassionate, and personable direct-care staff who create a family-like, homey atmosphere. Numerous respondents praise staff for going above and beyond, offering individualized attention, warm reception at the front desk, helpful maintenance, meaningful activities, and an environment that encourages social engagement. Many families explicitly say they would recommend the community and note that residents are active, engaged, and well-treated. Multiple reviewers highlight strong aspects such as a variety of activities, caring memory-care personnel, and positive interactions with owners and managers.
Despite these positive elements, a substantial number of reviews report problems that materially affect resident experience and safety. Cleanliness and maintenance are inconsistent: while some reviewers describe the building as very clean and attractive, others report dirty floors, dented walls, nail holes, and unpleasant odors on multiple floors — with memory care odor specifically noted. Exterior upkeep concerns include missing gate pieces, siding issues, and landscaping problems. Practical safety issues were raised, including a three-level staircase seen as a fall risk and the absence of a private, secure patio for residents. These physical shortcomings are recurring themes and appear to be concentrated in specific areas or floors according to some reviewers, creating uneven experiences depending on where a resident lives in the community.
Dining and laundry experiences are also mixed and a recurring source of dissatisfaction. Several reviewers praise the meals — citing good quantity, variety, and occasional excellence — while others describe food as terrible, bland, or insufficiently nutritious. Some reviewers reported that only two meal options were available on certain days and one reviewer alleged that meals are prepared in a basement kitchen and kept in hot boxes, suggesting potential quality and food-safety concerns. Laundry problems (clothes shrinking from hot-water cycles) were mentioned and contribute to families’ unease about the level of operational care.
Staffing and direct care issues show a clear pattern of inconsistency. Many families laud specific caregivers, nurses, and aides for prompt, compassionate care and good medication management. At the same time, numerous reports describe chronic understaffing, long call-light response times, weekend staffing shortages, reliance on agency/external staff, and instances where residents were forgotten or not put to bed. Allegations in a few reviews are particularly serious — including claims of staff drinking on the job and specific incidents of neglect or poor medication administration. These incidents appear isolated but are significant because they point to variability in supervision and quality control. Several reviewers said staffing pressures leave staff overworked and underpaid, which may be contributing to variability in care.
Leadership and communication receive both praise and criticism. Some reviewers report excellent, approachable management and owners who are actively involved, with good communication and organized leadership. Conversely, other reviewers strongly criticize the Director of Nursing (DNS), accusing them of dishonesty, refusal to perform or facilitate physical assessments for potential residents, misalignment with CDC guidance, and poor communication. Specific complaints include deceptive evaluation processes, inconsistent testing policies, and alleged improper care decisions tied to inadequate assessment. These administrative concerns are prominent, with calls from some families for removal of the DNS due to perceived mismanagement. At the same time, other reviewers praise particular staff members or managers who handled transitions, assessments, and follow-up well — indicating inconsistency in administrative performance depending on the person or shift.
Activities, social life, and the general community atmosphere are among the most consistently positive aspects. Many reviews describe a lively calendar of activities, group outings, opportunities for socialization, and caregivers who encourage participation. These elements contribute to a sense that the place can be warm, joyful, and intimate for residents who fit well with the community. Several reviewers describe the setting as non-institutional and homey, and multiple comments point to residents making friends and being happy with the social environment.
Patterns suggest that experiences vary significantly by floor, time, and individual staff on duty. The strongest and most consistent positive theme is the compassion and personal investment of many staff members; the strongest negative themes are inconsistent cleanliness and maintenance, inconsistent food quality, staffing shortages with occasional missed care, and concerning leadership/communication problems centered on the nursing office. Because of this mixture, prospective residents and families should weigh priorities: those who place highest value on engaged, compassionate staff and an active community may find Bloom at Kessler an excellent fit, while those prioritizing pristine facilities, consistent leadership practices, and guaranteed staffing levels may want to seek clarifications or consider alternate options.
If evaluating this community in person, consider asking for specifics about: staffing ratios (including weekends and the use of agency staff), protocols for assessments and testing (and how the DNS implements them), recent maintenance and odor-control measures, kitchen operations and food sourcing, laundry procedures, and examples of how missed-care incidents are handled and prevented. Also request a tour of multiple floors (including memory care and the third floor mentioned negatively), meet the DNS and care team, and request written policies on assessments and infection control so you can reconcile the mixed reports and determine if the community’s strengths align with your loved one’s needs.
