Friends House Retirement Community

    17340 Quaker Ln, Sandy Spring, MD 20860
    • Independent Living
    • Assisted Living
    • Memory Care
    • Skilled Nursing

    Compassionate care and excellent rehab

    I stayed here and was impressed by the compassionate, professional staff and truly excellent PT/OT rehab. My private room and bathroom were comfortable and very clean, and the garden, porch and walkable grounds made for a peaceful, nature-focused setting. There are plenty of activities, on-site medical support, responsive maintenance, and a warm, family-like community that made me feel well cared for. I happily recommend it - great care and amenities with a values-driven, welcoming staff.

    Current/former resident
    Jul 2026

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    Amenities

    Healthcare services

    • Activities of daily living assistance
    • Assistance with bathing
    • Assistance with dressing
    • Assistance with transfers
    • Medication management

    Healthcare staffing

    • 24-hour call system
    • 24-hour supervision

    Meals and dining

    • Diabetes diet
    • Meal preparation and service
    • Special dietary restrictions

    Room

    • Air-conditioning
    • Cable
    • Fully furnished
    • Housekeeping and linen services
    • Kitchenettes
    • Private bathrooms
    • Telephone
    • Wifi

    Transportation

    • Community operated transportation
    • Transportation arrangement
    • Transportation arrangement (non-medical)

    Common areas

    • Beauty salon
    • Computer center
    • Fitness room
    • Gaming room
    • Garden
    • Outdoor space
    • Small library
    • Wellness center

    Community services

    • Concierge services
    • Fitness programs
    • Move-in coordination

    Activities

    • Community-sponsored activities
    • Planned day trips
    • Resident-run activities
    • Scheduled daily activities

    Reviews

    3.88·(51)

    Overall rating

    1. 5
    2. 4
    3. 3
    4. 2
    5. 1
    • Care

      3.7
    • Staff

      3.9
    • Meals

      3.3
    • Amenities

      3.9
    • Value

      2.5

    Pros

    • Compassionate, skilled caregiving staff
    • Strong physical and occupational therapy programs
    • Effective in-house medical and physician support
    • Clean, well-maintained grounds and nature-focused setting
    • Active resident-led activities and committees
    • Rotating dining menu with daily entrée options
    • Independent-living apartments with kitchenettes
    • Responsive maintenance team
    • Welcoming admissions process and community orientation
    • Frequent social events and recreational programming
    • Shuttle/transportation services and nearby amenities
    • Ongoing renovations and new cottage construction
    • Quiet, walkable campus with gardens and pond views
    • Dedicated volunteers and community engagement
    • Well-equipped rehabilitation and therapy spaces

    Cons

    • Inconsistent staff conduct and communication tone
    • Variable staffing levels and caregiver turnover
    • Gaps in administration–family responsiveness
    • Inconsistent medication-management practices
    • Weak care-transition and transfer-safety procedures
    • Billing and contract-administration delays and disputes
    • Variable meal quality and occasional service interruptions
    • Institutional or dated interior areas in older buildings
    • Pest-control concerns in some units
    • Restrictive visitation and outing policy flexibility during infection-control
    • Perceived price–value imbalance
    • Inconsistent housekeeping and room-turnover during short stays

    Summary of reviews

    Friends House presents as a nature-centered, Quaker-influenced senior community with many strengths, particularly in rehabilitation, therapy, and campus amenities. Families and residents commonly praise the physical and occupational therapy teams, an on-site physician presence, and a maintenance staff that responds promptly. The campus and grounds are frequently described as attractive and peaceful, with gardens, pond views, and a walkable layout. Independent-living options with kitchenettes, ongoing renovation projects, shuttle service, and proximity to local shops add to the community appeal.

    Care and direct staff interactions receive mixed but often positive assessments. Numerous accounts highlight compassionate, professional caregivers, attentive nursing during many stays, and strong relationships formed between staff and residents. Rehabilitation services (PT/OT) are a consistent strength, and social workers and admissions staff earn favorable notice. However, reviewers also describe variability in bedside conduct and responsiveness, uneven staffing levels, and turnover among caregivers. There are recurring operational concerns around medication-management consistency and monitoring during transfers; families should seek clarification about staffing ratios, medication protocols, and fall-prevention practices during tours.

    Dining and activities are generally well developed. The dining program offers a rotating menu with daily selections, a pleasant dining area, and social events such as ice cream socials, games, and movies. At the same time, some stays are described as experiencing inconsistent food quality or limited seating during higher-demand periods. Resident-led committees, ArtSpace programming, and frequent recreational options contribute to a strong sense of community and engagement for many residents.

    Facility condition is a dual picture: common outdoor areas and many renovated spaces are well cared for, while parts of older buildings show institutional or dated interiors that some find less inviting. Maintenance responsiveness is repeatedly praised, but there are isolated pest-control concerns noted. Ongoing construction and cottage additions indicate investment in upgrades; prospective residents should inspect both renovated and older units to assess condition and layout preferences.

    Management and administrative performance are an important area to evaluate in person. Several accounts cite delays or gaps in administrative communication, billing issues, and slow contract-clarification processes. There are also descriptions of operational weaknesses around care transitions and documentation. There is an isolated allegation concerning interference with hospice processes; for clarity, families should ask how the community coordinates with hospice and end-of-life providers. Overall, the community offers substantial strengths in therapy, a caring staff culture in many units, and an attractive campus, but it also shows patterns of variability in staffing, communication, clinical administration, and some facility areas. Prospective residents and families would benefit from focused questions about staffing consistency, medication and transfer protocols, billing and contract terms, and inspection of both renovated and older living areas during a visit.

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    Medicare Ratings

    5·/ 5
    • Overall

    • Health Inspection

    • Staffing

    • Quality Measures

    Ratings from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (Care Compare). View on Medicare.gov

    Location

    Map showing location of Friends House Retirement Community

    Friends House Retirement Community is located at 17340 Quaker Ln, Sandy Spring, MD, 20860.

    About Friends House Retirement Community

    Friends House Retirement Community sits in a quiet area and was founded in the 1960s as a nonprofit Life Plan Community based on Quaker values like equality, integrity, and simplicity, and it provides independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, hospice care, and memory care, with a reputation for affordability and welcoming people from many backgrounds. The campus has a community library, a movie theater, fitness room, and a greenhouse where folks enjoy summer-like warmth all year, and gardens and beautiful walking paths let residents get out in the sunshine while the community garden and several activity zones bring everyone together for art, crafts, music programs, movies, and daily events. Maple Lodge, Walnut, and Dogwood Apartments are available with only one of each open now, and new duplexes opened for reservations in 2020, giving more choices, and all rooms include private bathrooms, air conditioning, kitchenettes, cable TV, and high-speed internet access, and you get housecleaning, help with laundry, and move-in coordination too. The dining choices are flexible-residents can eat in a restaurant-style setting or enjoy all-day dining, with menus that support many special diets including diabetic, allergy-sensitive, and others, and if you don't want to cook at all, staff takes care of all meals. Folks who need a little extra help get assistance with daily activities and medication management, with 24-hour supervision in specialized care areas, and the community uses Montessori Certified dementia care and has staff like their own geriatric pharmacist, Rick Parker, and on-site therapy that covers physical, speech, and occupational needs, plus short- and long-term skilled nursing and a center for elder rehabilitation and recovery. Resident-led committees run activities, and folks stay busy with crafts, movie nights, wellness programs, gardening, and music, and there's always something on the calendar with both staff-planned and community-sponsored events that encourage socializing in shared rooms, community spaces, or outdoors. Friends House tries to nurture independence and personal growth, bringing people together in a safe and caring place, though there can be communication challenges, especially in the assisted living area. The multicultural, inclusive community is always looking for new residents and offers both employment and membership options for those who want to join, and you can schedule visits to see the gardens, activity rooms, and common spaces, and experience the friendly campus where people say friends are always welcome. Parking, transportation, Wi-Fi, and a variety of support services round out what residents can count on, while the committee structure and range of amenities means it's easy to find your place and get involved if you want, and there's always a focus on community, respect, and simple living.

    People often ask...

    Friends House Retirement Community offers independent living, assisted living, memory care, continuing care retirement community, and skilled nursing.

    There are 18 photos of Friends House Retirement Community on Mirador.

    Yes, Friends House Retirement Community allows residents to age in place and adjust their level of care as needed.

    The full address for this community is 17340 Quaker Ln, Sandy Spring, MD 20860.

    No, Friends House Retirement Community does not offer respite care. Respite care in assisted living communities provides temporary, short-term relief for primary caregivers by offering professional care for their loved ones. It allows individuals to stay in an assisted living community for a limited time, giving caregivers a break while ensuring residents receive necessary support and assistance with daily activities.

    Safety & Compliance

    In Maryland, the Department of Health's Office of Health Care Quality licenses assisted living programs and publishes the results of its surveys and complaint investigations.

    License number249
    Facility typeAssisted Living Level 3
    Capacity24 residents
    EffectiveFebruary 1st, 2006
    Special certificationAlzheimer's Care: Mild, Moderate
    View the official license record

    Disclaimer

    Mirador Living is not affiliated with the owner or operator(s) of Friends House Retirement Community. The information above has not been verified or approved by the owner or operator. For exact information, please contact Friends House Retirement Community directly. There is no cost for this service. We are compensated by the community you select.

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