Overall sentiment across reviews of The Arbors at Taunton Assisted Living and Memory Care is mixed but leans positive when focusing on direct care, community life, and the physical environment. The most consistent strengths described are the staff and the social environment: many reviewers emphasize kind, compassionate, and attentive caregivers and nursing staff who build personal relationships with residents, ‘‘go above and beyond,’’ and make families feel comfortable. Executive leadership (several reviewers named Patti/Pattie/Patti Ricketts and other directors) is frequently cited as responsive and hands-on. Reviewers repeatedly praise the smooth transitions into memory care, the presence of knowledgeable nursing staff, and the sense of safety provided by 24/7 assistance and hospice accommodations when needed.
The facility and amenities receive strong positive mentions: the building and grounds are described as beautiful, well-maintained, and clean; many residents enjoy apartment-style one-bedroom units with kitchenettes that preserve privacy and independence. The Arbors offers a broad range of communal spaces (formal and informal dining rooms, activity rooms, lounges, library, rentable party room, outdoor gardens) that foster a lively social life. Activity programming is a standout: bingo, exercise, pet therapy, musicians, visiting dance groups, outings to restaurants and shopping, happy hours, and many special events are highlighted repeatedly. Families note that these activities help residents form friendships and stay engaged.
Dining and food receive more mixed feedback. Numerous reviews praise the dining experience, social dining rooms, and the overall dining setup — several reviewers said the food was good and that their relative enjoyed meals. However, an important and recurring negative theme is dissatisfaction with the food service: complaints about cold meals, small portions, a lack of homemade-style cooking, and inconsistent meal quality appear multiple times. Some reviews also said leftovers or preferred options were not offered. This split suggests dining quality may vary over time, by shift, or by individual expectations.
The largest and most serious cluster of concerns centers on staffing, medication handling, and security. Multiple reviewers report chronic understaffing and caregiver turnover, which they link to lapses in attention and service. There are several allegations of medication mishandling (meds not being given, medication packages inappropriately placed in a microwave, or timing issues), and these reports are strong red flags cited by families. Separately, multiple accounts of thefts or missing personal items — sometimes affecting multiple residents overnight — and perceptions that management was dismissive or enabling of those problems were recurring and troubling. While many families found staff and administration responsive, these safety and security complaints appear frequently enough to warrant direct inquiry during visits.
Operational inconsistencies are another theme: reviewers mention laundry problems, onboarding orientation gaps, hair-washing or personal-care regimen variability, and occasional maintenance issues (a broken refrigerator, leaking brown water). Some families felt certain units, particularly the memory care floors, lacked the same amenities available to assisted living residents (reports that memory care ‘‘only has rooms’’), while other reviewers specifically praised the dementia unit for consistent high-quality care. Language access was raised: a couple of reviewers indicated a shortage of Portuguese-speaking staff for residents who need it.
There is also a divide on cost and value. Several reviews describe the community as expensive and note ‘‘sticker shock,’’ while others say fees are fair or reasonable. This suggests pricing perceptions differ by resident needs, unit type, or expectations of included services. COVID-19 effects are mentioned as having limited activities and outdoor time at times, but many of those complaints are contextualized as pandemic-related and not unique to the community.
In conclusion, The Arbors at Taunton appears to offer a high-quality physical environment and robust social programming with many staff members who are caring, skilled, and family-focused. However, recurring, specific concerns about staffing levels, medication handling, reported thefts, and some operational inconsistencies create significant risk areas that prospective residents and families should investigate further. Recommended actions for an in-person visit or evaluation: ask for current staffing ratios and turnover statistics, request the medication administration policy and incident records, inquire about theft-prevention protocols and specific corrective actions taken, sample meals if possible and ask about portioning and food sourcing, tour both assisted living and memory care floors to compare amenities, and speak with current family members or residents about recent experiences. These targeted questions will help determine whether the strong caregiving culture and amenities are consistent and sustained in the present staffing and management environment.
