The Estates at Excelsior

    515 Division St, Excelsior, MN, 55331
    3.5 · 27 reviews
    • Independent living
    • Assisted living
    • Memory care
    • Skilled nursing
    AnonymousLoved one of resident
    1.0

    Neglectful, unsafe care despite staff

    I had a deeply mixed, mostly negative experience. A few people - therapy staff, a helpful social worker (Johnny), Kendra in the business office, and some activity/housekeeping staff - were compassionate and helped my loved one socially and in rehab. But too many caregivers were rude, inattentive or neglectful: missed or refused meds (including insulin and heart/pain meds), filthy rooms, poor hygiene, skin tears, infections, doctored records/false claims, and terrible communication and staffing shortages that made the place unsafe. Because of the serious safety and care inconsistencies, I cannot recommend this facility.

    Pricing

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    Amenities

    Healthcare services

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

    Healthcare staffing

    • 12-16 hour nursing
    • 24-hour call system
    • 24-hour supervision

    Meals and dining

    • Diabetes diet
    • Meal preparation and service
    • Restaurant-style dining
    • 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
    • Dining room
    • 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

    3.52 · 27 reviews

    Overall rating

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

      2.8
    • Staff

      3.3
    • Meals

      2.0
    • Amenities

      2.0
    • Value

      3.5

    Pros

    • many reviewers praise caring, compassionate, and attentive staff
    • specific staff members recognized (e.g., helpful social worker Johnny, business office manager Kendra)
    • welcoming, family-like atmosphere reported by multiple families
    • engaging social activities and events organized by staff (barbecues, activities, meals)
    • strong therapy services noted (excellent PT, on-site speech therapy, good rehab outcomes)
    • improvements in resident cognition and social engagement reported
    • friendly head of nursing and professional nursing staff acknowledged
    • excellent housekeepers cited in some reviews
    • delightful dining room cook mentioned
    • staff and administration described as professional, pleasant, and problem-solving in some accounts
    • pleasant grounds and setting (pond across from property, leafy neighborhood, flowering trees, front deck)
    • memory care unit praised by some families
    • residents made friends and participated in meaningful activities
    • facility seen as resilient and responsive by some reviewers
    • well-staffed and helpful staff cited in certain stays

    Cons

    • serious allegations of neglect (missed bathing, laundry, hygiene lapses)
    • multiple reports of medication errors or missed medications
    • poor management communication and dismissive administrative responses in several accounts
    • missing personal belongings and ignored inventory concerns
    • delays or refusal of necessary medical treatment (e.g., delayed insulin, ambulance delays)
    • reports of infections and hospitalizations linked to facility care
    • extreme cleanliness issues (filthy rooms, bad odors, bed full of urine, soiled linens)
    • reports of skin tears, poor mouth care, and basic grooming neglected
    • allegations of doctored records and false reporting (e.g., false 'no falls' claims)
    • instances of rude or inattentive staff behavior (including aides on phone during meals)
    • food quality complaints and temperature/TV/comfort issues in rooms
    • staffing shortages cited repeatedly as a root cause of problems
    • serious safety incidents reported (overmedication, chokehold/police involvement, removal against medical advice)
    • lack of clear medical updates or doctor visits and poor family communication
    • refusal to provide heart or pain medications reported
    • delayed or inadequate follow-through on hospital discharge recommendations
    • language barrier issues during communication with family
    • inconsistent care quality between different shifts/units
    • locked kitchen and restrictions causing limited resident access (per reviews)
    • some reviewers strongly advise avoiding due to unsafe care

    Summary review

    Overall sentiment across the reviews for The Estates at Excelsior is strongly mixed, with a substantial number of glowing reports about individual staff, therapy programs, activities, and the pleasant grounds, balanced against numerous and serious allegations of neglect, poor clinical care, and unacceptable cleanliness. Many reviewers explicitly praised frontline caregivers and named administrative staff who were helpful (notably a social worker identified as Johnny and a business office manager named Kendra). Positive experiences emphasize a welcoming, family-like atmosphere, engaging social events, strong therapy services (on-site speech therapy, good PT), and improved resident well-being such as better vocabulary, social engagement, and mood changes. The property itself is described as attractive and peaceful by multiple reviewers (pond across from the property, leafy neighborhood, flowering plantings, front deck), and some families reported excellent housekeeping and a delightful dining cook.

    However, juxtaposed with those positives are repeated, detailed reports of clinical failures and neglect that are concerning. Multiple reviewers allege missed or refused medications (including dangerous diabetes management practices), delays in calling ambulances, hospitalizations from infections thought linked to facility care, and poor follow-through on medical recommendations after hospital discharge. There are accounts of residents being left without showers for many days, basic grooming and mouth care being neglected, bed linens and rooms soiled with urine or feces, skin tears and missing basic supplies like bandages, and even reports of water in oxygen tubing and pee bags on the floor. Several reviewers described the facility as extremely dirty and smelling of feces, and some said residents were crying or begging for water—clear indications of severe lapses in hygiene, supervision, and infection control.

    Management and communication emerge as inconsistent themes. Some families found management to be problem-solving, cheerful, and proactive; others experienced dismissive administrative responses, ignored inventory or personal belongings, language barriers during calls, or no clear medical updates or doctor visits. Named staff received praise in some reviews, while the same or other staff were described as rude or inattentive in others. Staffing shortages are repeatedly cited as a likely driver of the inconsistent care: reviewers link insufficient staffing to missed medications, skipped checks, and reduced ability to respond to medical events. There are also very serious allegations beyond neglect—claims of doctored records (e.g., falsely recorded 'no falls'), overmedication, police involvement related to physical restraint or removal, and at least one death described in the context of poor care—issues that, if accurate, indicate systemic failures rather than isolated lapses.

    On dining, activities, and rehabilitation: several reviewers highlight meaningful activities, good meals prepared by a liked cook, and effective therapy services that led to measurable resident improvements. Activities and a welcoming dining room environment were recurrent positives. At the same time, other reviewers complained about terrible food, cold rooms, malfunctioning TVs, and that PT directives were not always followed—again reflecting inconsistency between shifts, units, or time periods.

    Patterns across reviews point to a facility with strong individual staff members and some effective programs, but with uneven execution and serious risk areas. The most frequent positive themes are compassionate direct caregivers, helpful and professional therapy staff, and a pleasant campus setting. The most frequent negative themes are lapses in basic hygiene and grooming, medication and clinical management failures, poor communication and accountability from management, and cleanliness/sanitation problems. Staffing shortages are frequently cited as an underlying cause of many negative events.

    In sum, while there are clear examples of quality care, positive interpersonal connections, and effective rehabilitation at The Estates at Excelsior, the reviews also contain multiple, detailed, and severe complaints about clinical neglect, hygiene, medication errors, and management failures. The overall picture is one of highly variable care quality: some residents thrive and families are grateful, while others experienced significant harm or distress. Anyone considering this facility should weigh both sets of information, ask specific questions about staffing ratios, infection control, medication administration protocols, incident reporting and record-keeping, and seek up-to-date references or regulatory inspection reports to understand whether the concerning patterns have been addressed.

    Location

    Map showing location of The Estates at Excelsior

    About The Estates at Excelsior

    The Estates at Excelsior sits in a neighborhood right off HWY 7 in Excelsior, MN, and has space for up to 45 residents, with private or semi-private furnished rooms that have cable TV, telephone, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and private bathrooms, and some rooms come with kitchenettes. Monarch Healthcare Management operates this community, which focuses on providing care that centers on residents, tenants, and families while also wanting to change how healthcare is delivered. The staff includes Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Nursing Assistants, Cooks, and Dietary Aides, with someone always there for residents if they need anything day or night. The place has assisted living to help with daily activities like bathing, dressing, medication management, and transfers, and it also has specialized memory care for people living with dementia, with a secure setting that includes Wanderguard safety features and round-the-clock supervision.

    Rehabilitation services, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and wound care are all available, and care can be short-term for people recovering from surgery or illness or long-term if someone needs ongoing help. The community supports both independent living and continuing care retirement community (CCRC) needs, making room for a variety of care styles and changing levels of health. Amenities on-site include a dining room with meals made by a professional chef who can handle special diets like diabetes and allergies, and there's all-day dining options, so meals fit different routines. Residents can join in activities like daily programs, movie nights, music, arts and crafts including art classes, resident-run events, spiritual services, and outdoor activities, with paths, gardens, a fitness room, library, and even a movie theater all in the mix. There's a spa/wellness room too, and the staff encourages everyone to get involved.

    Housekeeping, laundry, move-in help, and transportation make it easier for residents and their families, while a 24-hour call system offers safety, alongside other security features. The Estates at Excelsior makes sure residents can keep as much independence as they can while getting the daily support and health care they might need, and the staff forms close bonds with those living there, which helps with feeling comfortable and at home every day.

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