Overall sentiment across the reviews is strongly mixed but leans positive with many enthusiastic endorsements. The dominant positive themes are warm, welcoming staff; a broad, engaging activities program; a modern, attractive building with abundant natural light and outdoor green space; and generally high marks for the dining experience and social atmosphere. Multiple reviewers specifically highlight staff members and departments (e.g., Dining Director, activity coordinators, move-in advisors) by name and describe smooth admissions, thoughtful move-in gifts, and personalized greetings that foster a family-like community. Many residents and families cite quick maintenance turnaround, ample amenities (movie theater, salon, gym, patios), and useful services like transport to medical appointments.
Care quality and staffing are recurring, nuanced topics. Numerous reviews praise the nursing team, memory care programming, and overall caregiving as compassionate and attentive; reviewers describe excellent nursing care, good collaboration with nurse practitioners, and staff who know residents by name. The facility's multidisciplinary services—independent living, assisted living, and memory care—are frequently mentioned as strengths. However, an important counterpoint appears in several serious negative reports: concerns about staff being overworked, high turnover, perceived lazy or inattentive staff, and instances where management was unresponsive. These negative accounts include descriptions of neglect, poor supervision (residents roaming halls), and families reporting a lack of outreach following adverse events.
Facility, cleanliness, and safety feedback is also mixed. Many reviews describe a very clean, well-kept community with beautiful landscaping, lighted walking trails, private and public gathering spaces, and well-appointed apartments (washer/dryer, utilities included, inside parking). Conversely, some reviewers reported alarming cleanliness and safety incidents: blood-stained sheets left unaddressed, allegations of bed bugs, meals left on trays for hours, and a COVID-19 outbreak tied to a large indoor event where masking/precautions were reportedly not enforced. Security issues were cited in isolated reviews—front desk intermittently unstaffed, alarms sounding with no staff to respond, concerns about unauthorized entry, and reports of vaping/teen trespassing—creating safety and trust concerns for some families.
Dining and activities receive a lot of praise but are not universally lauded. Many reviewers celebrate the restaurant-style dining, fresh flowers on tables, accommodating meal options, and enthusiastic dining staff. The activities program is repeatedly mentioned as robust and creative—bingo, singing groups, crafts, outings, exercise classes, and speakers—contributing to resident engagement and satisfaction. Yet there are negative critiques: some describe cafeteria-quality or burnt meals; complaints about extra meal charges or unfulfilled meal delivery promises; and COVID-related restrictions that have limited activities at times. These mixed comments suggest variability over time or by meal/service shift.
Management, communication, and value perceptions vary widely. Several reviewers commend clear communication, supportive leadership, and staff who go above and beyond. Specific staff in admissions and leadership (several named repeatedly) receive praise for patience and professionalism. At the same time, multiple reviews express frustration with management responsiveness, accusations that leadership hid from complaints, and concerns about marketing tactics (alleged coerced positive reviews and the use of former employees in commercials). Price and value are also contentious—some find fees reasonable and inclusive of utilities, while others describe the pricing as expensive, with additional medication or meal charges reducing perceived value. A few reviewers noted difficulties placing loved ones and waiting lists for admission.
In summary, The Knolls Senior Living appears to offer many hallmarks of a high-quality senior community—an attractive, modern campus; varied amenities; a lively activities calendar; and many staff members who are described as warm, professional, and responsive. These strengths underpin the many positive testimonials and recommendations. However, there are non-trivial, recurring concerns raised by multiple reviewers that should not be ignored: episodes of poor cleanliness or care lapses, at least one COVID-related mismanagement incident, variable dining quality, occasional security and staffing shortfalls, and frustrations with management transparency and turnover. Prospective residents and families should weigh the overwhelmingly positive atmosphere and amenities against the reported operational inconsistencies. Recommended next steps for decision-making include scheduling multiple visits at different times (meal time, evening shift), meeting unit-specific caregivers and nursing leadership, asking for details on staffing ratios, turnover, infection-control protocols, security coverage, and requesting clear written policies on extra fees and incident reporting. This balanced approach will help validate the many positive experiences while clarifying whether the isolated but serious concerns have been addressed by current leadership.
