Overall sentiment: Reviews for The Arbors Assisted Living Communities at Westbury are strongly mixed but trend positive around staff warmth, social programming, and a home-like atmosphere. A large proportion of reviewers emphasize the community’s welcoming culture: staff are described repeatedly as caring, attentive, personable, and dedicated. Many families credit Arbors with improving their loved ones’ social engagement and outlook; residents frequently report making friends, participating in frequent activities, enjoying communal meals, and feeling at home. Multiple reviewers highlight long-tenured employees, a personable front desk, and individual staff members (wellness managers, admissions personnel, and specific nurses or directors) who create a family-like environment.
Care quality and medical services: Clinical care impressions are mixed and appear to depend heavily on the resident’s acuity level. Numerous reviews praise on-site medical support, name specific physicians (e.g., Dr. Rattner), and note convenient medical specialty visits that reduce family transport burdens. Therapy services (OT/PT) and on-site rehab are reported as available and helpful. Conversely, a recurring and serious concern is the community’s variable capacity to manage higher-acuity needs: several reviewers describe refusals to readmit residents after hospitalizations, lack of nursing availability in some cases, and poor outcomes for residents who require substantial assistance or are prone to falls. Night shift reliability is called out specifically by multiple reviewers. The pattern suggests Arbors is generally well-suited to independent or minimally assisted residents but may struggle with consistent care transitions and higher-level medical needs.
Staffing, responsiveness, and management: Praise for frontline staff (caregivers, activities teams, wellness coordinators, maintenance) is widespread: they are characterized as compassionate, attentive, and actively engaged with residents. However, many reviews also report staffing shortages, overworked employees, and instances where family advocacy was required to ensure basic care (checking diapers, managing dentures, or timely assistance). Administrative and management issues show up frequently in the negative comments: some reviewers describe rude or poorly trained administrators, inconsistent follow-through on promises, billing disputes, and problematic admissions experiences (upfront charges not refunded, service promises unfulfilled). Communication lapses are another prominent theme — families sometimes report slow or inadequate notification about hospitalizations, COVID exposure, or service changes. These mixed reports indicate an operational inconsistency: strong direct-care staff performance can be undermined by administrative or staffing weaknesses.
Dining and food service: Dining receives both strong praise and criticism. Many residents and relatives commend the chef and describe gourmet, social meals, three-course options, and restaurant-style dining that enhance resident life. Meals are for some a highlight — reasons to recommend the community. At the same time, other reviewers report poor food quality (dry chicken, canned vegetables, repetitive menus), limited options, and occasional attitude problems from kitchen staff. This variability suggests food experience depends on timing, individual preferences, or possibly changes in kitchen staffing or management over time.
Activities, social life, and amenities: Activity programming is one of Arbors’ most consistently lauded strengths. Reviews repeatedly mention an active calendar with 8–10 activities daily (bingo, Rummikub, chair volleyball, music, dancing, arts and crafts), seasonal events, outings (grocery trips, theater, restaurants), religious services, pet therapy, and small-group engagement that alleviate isolation. Facilities and amenities noted favorably include multiple gardens and courtyards, a decorated lobby/Great Room, hair salon, library, movie room, 24-hour cafe, and daily housekeeping. These offerings support a lively, social environment and are especially valued by residents who are mobile and socially engaged.
Facilities, cleanliness, and maintenance: Many reviewers report clean, well-maintained rooms, updated studios, and responsive maintenance. However, there are also repeated complaints about deferred maintenance in parts of the building, narrow hallways, small room sizes (especially shared rooms), and troubling reports of housekeeping failures in some cases (missing linens, soiled rooms, odors from shared rooms). Isolated but serious incidents involving pests (ants, cockroaches, and reports of bedbugs) are mentioned and should not be overlooked. Several reviewers note a perceived decline in cleanliness or service quality after staffing changes or during/after COVID restrictions.
Financial transparency, pricing, and suitability: Arbors is commonly described as offering all-inclusive pricing and reasonable value for Long Island; many markets and families appreciated predictable flat-rate fees and inclusive amenities. Nonetheless, numerous reviews mention annual price increases and extra charges for services that some families felt were billed incorrectly. Several complaints focus on sales and admissions practices — promised services not delivered, billing disputes, and difficulty obtaining refunds. These financial and admissions concerns often color the overall perception for families who experienced those issues.
Patterns and who Arbors fits best: A clear pattern emerges: The Arbors tends to excel for residents who are socially active, mobile, and require low-to-moderate assistance. Its social programming, communal dining, attentive day staff, and home-like environment make it an excellent fit for seniors who want engagement and companionship. Conversely, reviewers repeatedly caution that families should be careful if a prospective resident has high medical needs, frequent hospitalizations, or requires robust clinical oversight; readmission after hospital stays and overnight care quality are recurring pain points. The mixed reports on management and billing suggest prospective residents should verify promises in writing, clarify readmission and clinical policies, and understand fee structures before committing.
Final assessment: Reviews show many heartfelt endorsements centered on staff compassion, active programming, and a welcoming community feel. At the same time, there are meaningful and recurring operational concerns — particularly around care consistency for higher-acuity residents, administrative communication, billing disputes, and occasional cleanliness/pest-control incidents. Prospective families should weigh the Arbors’ strong social, culinary, and wellness strengths against identified risks: confirm clinical/readmission policies, inquire about current staffing levels (especially overnight), document included services and charges, and, if possible, speak with current residents or families whose loved ones have similar care needs. For seniors seeking an engaged, social assisted-living environment with good activities and a warm staff, Arbors can be an excellent choice; for those requiring more intensive medical oversight, proceed with caution and thorough due diligence.
