The reviews of Mary Agnes Manor are strongly polarized, revealing two distinct patterns of experience. A substantial number of reviewers praise the facility for its caring, compassionate staff, pleasant views, private-room options, activity programming, and convenient downtown location. Multiple reviewers singled out individual staff and administrators (including admissions personnel) for exceptional service, describing a family-like culture where aides and nurses 'go the extra mile,' residents form supportive relationships, and particular supervisors and case managers provide attentive, effective oversight. Positive comments frequently mention a clean facility, a solarium with a lake view, transportation to appointments, a dining/breakfast area, and a variety of recreational activities (movies, bingo, exercise, puzzles). The facility's willingness to accept Medicaid and the perception of reasonable value were also listed as advantages by some families.
Conversely, an equally strong set of reviews describes serious and systemic problems tied to staffing, safety, and basic maintenance. Complaints include reports of staff asleep or absent from floors, too few staff per shift, no registered nurses on site, and unqualified or unprofessional aides. These staffing issues are linked in the reviews to concrete safety incidents: residents left to wander unsupervised, a lost resident who was not retrieved unless payment was made, multiple falls, a reported brain hemorrhage, and residents left sitting in their own waste. Several families describe neglectful care, clogged or overflowing toilets, filthy rooms that smell of urine, broken furniture, and theft of residents' belongings. These accounts paint a picture of inconsistent or inadequate daily care and risk of harm for vulnerable residents.
Facility condition and atmosphere also attract contradictory impressions. Some reviewers describe clean, quiet floors with beautiful views and a welcoming atmosphere; others describe an outdated, sterile, hospital-like interior that is unwelcoming, or outright filthy conditions with broken furniture and insufficient linens or curtains. Complaints about environmental controls (no air conditioning in parts of the building, freezing drafts at secondary entrances) and maintenance failures (clogged toilets, broken furniture) recur in the negative reviews. Dining and food quality are mixed as well: while the facility has a dining room and meal options, some reviews state the food is terrible.
Management and communication emerge as another bifurcated theme. Many reviewers praise specific administrators and describe management as supportive and resilient during emergencies (blizzards, COVID). Admissions staff receive positive mention for being helpful and accommodating. At the same time, numerous reviews accuse administration of poor communication, unresponsiveness, lack of coordination of care (including not returning calls from mental health providers), and even harassment or threatening behavior toward family members. Some families report that administration denied care to disabled or mentally handicapped individuals or failed to intervene in safety incidents.
Activities and social life are described as adequate to good by some residents and families, who cite a variety of programs and a friendly resident community. However, other reviewers report limited social life, misrepresentation of available activities, or that advertised programming did not actually occur. This inconsistency suggests that the quality and availability of activities may depend heavily on staffing levels, specific shifts, or unit assignment.
A clear pattern in these reviews is variability: many positive reports coexist with severe negative accounts, often from different families or possibly different time periods or units. This suggests that experience at Mary Agnes Manor may be highly dependent on which staff are on duty, which floor the resident is placed on, and the responsiveness of particular supervisors or administrators. The most serious recurring concerns are related to staffing adequacy, clinical oversight (absence of RNs), resident safety (elopement and falls), hygiene and cleanliness, and inconsistent management communication.
For prospective residents and families, these reviews indicate the importance of an in-person, focused tour and direct questions. Ask about current staffing ratios, RN coverage and availability, protocols for elopement and emergency response, housekeeping schedules, laundry and linen procedures, policies on unauthorized visitors, theft and resident property protection, medication and clinical oversight, and documented incident reports. Request references from recent families who visited in the last 30–90 days and, if possible, seek information about any regulatory inspections or complaints. While many families report excellent, compassionate care and a supportive community at Mary Agnes Manor, the number and severity of negative reports—particularly those highlighting safety and neglect—warrant careful, specific inquiry before making a placement decision.
