Overall impression: Reviews of New Perspective Minnetonka (Sunrise Minnetonka and related mentions) are mixed but tilt positive in many areas. A substantial number of families and residents praise the staff as caring, compassionate, and attentive; they highlight individualized attention, staff who go above and beyond, and many specific instances of excellent end-of-life and adaptive care as residents’ needs change. The community's warm, home-like atmosphere, bright and nicely decorated common areas, and active calendar of events are repeatedly noted. Many reviewers explicitly recommend the community and report good outcomes for their loved ones.
Care quality and staffing: The facility receives frequent commendation for direct caregivers and nursing staff who are kind, knowledgeable, and engaged. Multiple accounts describe competent medication management, good follow-through in emergencies, and staff greeting residents by name. However, a recurrent and significant concern is understaffing and overwhelmed aides, which manifests as long wait times (including for toileting), interim or rotating staff, and inconsistent levels of care. Memory care receives particularly polarized feedback: some reviews praise the specialized programming, relaxation rooms, pets and meaningful engagement, while other reviews raise serious concerns about neglected grooming, missed showers, infrequent diaper changes, and under-skilled aides. These inconsistent experiences point to variability across shifts or units and suggest staffing stability and training vary over time.
Management, communication and billing: Communication is described as excellent in many reports — families appreciate newsletters, photos, updates, and staff who keep them informed. Yet other reviewers report poor communication, missed phone calls, front-desk rudeness, and slow responses, indicating inconsistent customer service. Billing and pricing issues are another frequent theme: reviewers cite initial misinformation about price, surprising upfront payment requirements (e.g., two months), unclear cost explanations, and occasional large bills or rate increases. While some billing issues were resolved satisfactorily, the recurrence of these complaints suggests the admissions and billing processes could be made more transparent and consistent.
Facilities, layout and accessibility: The building and grounds generally receive praise: clean, bright, well-decorated dining rooms, large windows, wooded views, patios and gardens, and pleasant common areas. Many apartments are described as spacious with hardwood floors and walk-in showers. Still, several reviewers note small or cramped rooms, narrow hallways, awkward layouts that make accessing gathering spaces difficult, and accessibility challenges for certain room locations (staircase, elevator access issues). Some areas are described as older in feel, and occasional maintenance issues were reported (slow maintenance responses, vacuuming left to family, faulty security systems).
Dining and activities: Dining is frequently highlighted as a strength — reviewers mention varied menus, nourishing choices, desserts (ice cream, chocolate sauce), accommodating special diets, and an involved chef. Portions and occasional variability in meal satisfaction are noted, but overall food quality is often rated positively. The activity program is another clear strength: there are many daily offerings (music, crafts, bingo, exercise, Tai Chi, religious services, outings to malls/restaurants/casinos), a proactive activity director, seasonal events, and programming that engages memory-care residents (live musicians, reminiscence activities, pets and dolls). This robust programming contributes to the consistently reported home-like and socially engaging environment.
Safety, cleanliness and notable concerns: While many reviewers describe the community as clean and peaceful, there are troubling reports of lapses: urine left in urinals, poor grooming in memory care, and spotty cleanliness in some cases. More serious are several safety-related concerns: at least one reviewer reported employees smoking marijuana in cars on-site during lunch breaks and long-standing complaints about it, and there are isolated reports of security escapes from memory units and faulty security systems. These issues, while not universal in the reviews, are serious and were flagged repeatedly enough to warrant attention from prospective families.
Staff culture and variability: Reviews frequently highlight individual staff members by name and praise their warmth and professionalism. This personal connection is a major strength. At the same time, reviewers often contrast excellent caregivers with overwhelmed or less-skilled staff, suggesting variability by shift and higher turnover. Some families describe improvements over time and responsiveness to feedback, while others report persistent problems blamed on management or insufficient training. The dichotomy suggests that day-to-day resident experience may depend heavily on which staff are on duty and the current staffing levels.
Value and recommendations: Many families feel the community offers good value, especially given the range of activities, dining, and the overall supportive culture; several reviewers call it worth the cost and highly recommend it. Conversely, cost and upfront payment policies are cited as stressors, with some feeling prices were higher than anticipated or not explained clearly. For memory-care residents or those needing high levels of daily hands-on care, reviewers are divided — some find the memory program excellent and engaging, while others would not recommend it due to grooming and incontinence concerns.
Bottom line: New Perspective Minnetonka/Sunrise Minnetonka is often described as a warm, well-appointed community with strong programming and many devoted caregivers. Prospective residents and families can expect good dining, active engagement, welcoming spaces, and many compassionate staff. However, consistent red flags include understaffing, variability in memory-care quality (especially personal grooming and toileting), occasional cleanliness/maintenance lapses, confusing billing/pricing practices, and some serious safety and management concerns reported by multiple reviewers. Those considering this community should tour in person, ask specific questions about staffing ratios and turnover, request written pricing and payment policies, and probe how memory care issues, security concerns, and recent complaints have been addressed.
