Overall sentiment: The reviews for Lakewood Senior Living are predominantly positive, with repeated praise for the staff, cleanliness, meals, and activity programming. Many reviewers emphasize a family-like atmosphere driven by long-tenured, attentive caregivers who know residents’ preferences, provide responsive nursing support (including on-call assistance), and go above and beyond to create a comfortable, reassuring environment. The facility is frequently described as clean, well-kept, and homey, and several reviewers mention specific staff and leaders by name (for example, Amber and Chef Dan) as contributors to a positive culture and consistent care.
Care quality and staff: Care and staffing are the standout strengths. Reviews repeatedly highlight genuinely caring, compassionate, and professional employees who treat residents like family, remember residents’ likes and dislikes, and provide personalized attention. A high staff-to-resident ratio is cited, and families note smooth transitions, proactive communication, and instances where staff met or anticipated needs promptly. The activities director and recreation team receive specific commendations for engagement, creativity, and follow-through; reviewers mention music programs, therapy animals, special performances, and collaborations with music students. The Daylight respite program and other daytime stay options add flexibility for families. While the vast majority of comments about staff are extremely positive, a small number of serious negative reports allege neglectful behavior, roaming residents, theft, and unresponsiveness from leadership or corporate — these are outliers but noteworthy and suggest the importance of investigating incident procedures and recent staffing history during a tour.
Activities, social life, and memory care: Lakewood’s programming is a frequent highlight. Residents are offered a wide array of daily activities — bingo, board games, cards, sing-alongs, church visitors, themed parties, and off-site trips and lunches. Live piano and performance areas receive repeated positive mention, and therapy animals and community outings increase resident engagement. Memory care is also available in a locked Alzheimer’s unit (Arbors), and multiple reviewers indicated that this unit was appropriate and reassuring for dementia care. Families frequently cite improved socialization and happiness as outcomes of the activity calendar, and the recreation team is credited with creating a lively, social environment.
Dining and meals: Dining is another strong point. Several reviews single out the chef (Chef Dan) and describe meals as delicious, hearty, and varied, with snacks available between meals. Free visitor meals during visits were mentioned as a pleasant perk. A few reviewers requested more menu options, indicating that while the food quality is generally high, there may be opportunities to expand variety or accommodate certain dietary preferences.
Facilities and accommodations: Facility cleanliness and upkeep inside are often praised, but there are consistent comments about the physical plant being older and some rooms being small, dark, or cramped. Private rooms are frequently described as small; semi-private arrangements are available and can feel crowded (two twin beds, limited furniture). Common areas and the cafeteria/lobby are described as homey rather than luxurious; some reviewers preferred a fancier lobby at other facilities. Outdoor maintenance issues such as dead shrubs and sidewalk repairs were noted, as were location-related concerns (near a busy street and not a fully enclosed campus). A few reviewers pointed out specific room-level cleanliness issues (carpets) and occasional heating problems at night.
Safety, consistency, and isolated concerns: Most reviewers say the facility feels safe and secure, and many families felt peace of mind after moving a loved one in. However, isolated but serious accounts allege safety lapses, theft, and poor incident response from management and corporate. These reports contrast sharply with the majority opinion and suggest variability in resident experiences or past incidents that may have been addressed for many but not all. Prospective residents and families should ask about recent incident reports, security protocols, staff training, and how the facility addresses lost-item/theft complaints when touring.
Administration, logistics, and cost: Administrative interactions are generally described positively: staff are helpful, communicative, and supportive during the move-in process, and several reviewers praised specific administrators. That said, there are mentions of billing issues and appointment-scheduling problems for some families, and one reviewer felt discouraged by front-desk comments about affordability. Pricing is described by multiple reviewers as slightly higher or expensive compared with comparable options, though several families felt the quality justified the cost. Medicaid acceptance was noted as planned, which may influence affordability for some families.
Community fit and recommendations: Many reviewers characterize Lakewood as a smaller, homey, family-oriented community where residents form friendships and staff-to-resident familiarity is high. This environment is a very good fit for families seeking personalized attention, active programming, and strong dining offerings. A minority of families found the style or atmosphere not suitable for their parents, or experienced issues (rooming, personality fit, or serious safety/management concerns), indicating that fit is ultimately personal and may vary by resident needs. Given the generally strong praise but presence of a few serious complaints, potential residents should tour the facility, ask about room dimensions and roommate policies, review security and incident response procedures, inquire about recent maintenance work (outdoor and HVAC), and discuss billing and scheduling processes before deciding.
Bottom line: Lakewood Senior Living receives consistently high marks for staff quality, engagement, cleanliness, meals, and activity programming, making it a compelling option for families seeking a warm, active, and attentive community — especially for memory care needs. The main trade-offs are smaller room sizes, an older building appearance in places, some outdoor maintenance and logistical issues, and a few isolated but significant reports of safety or administrative lapses. For most reviewers, the positives outweighed the negatives; however, prospective residents should perform an in-person tour and ask targeted questions about safety, room availability and size, billing practices, and recent corrective actions to ensure it is the right fit for their needs.
