Overall sentiment across the reviews is mixed and highly polarized: many reviewers praise the facility’s physical environment, amenities, and individual staff members, while a substantive minority report serious care and safety concerns. Positive comments frequently highlight a pleasant, condo-style living environment with private baths and kitchenettes, secure entry, well-maintained grounds, and a variety of common spaces such as a library, game/recreation rooms, chapel/auditorium, and multiple dining areas. Many families and residents describe staff who are caring, friendly, and compassionate; specific praise is given to employees who go above and beyond, festive/decorative communal spaces, and active social programming (bridge, get-togethers, hot chocolate/cookies events). The presence of a continuum of care and on-site rehab/long-term services, laundry, attached garage, and meals delivered to rooms are cited as conveniences that some families appreciate.
Despite these strengths, a consistent and significant theme is variability in care quality driven by chronic understaffing and turnover. Numerous reviews report that while some staff are "amazing," others are inattentive, rude, or neglectful. Specific and troubling allegations include missed personal care (residents not showered), oral hygiene being ignored (teeth not brushed; toothbrush left unopened), dirty clothes or socks being left on residents, food residues on clothing, unclean ears, and improperly handled dentures. Several reviews recount slow or nonresponsive call-light responses, and some describe resident falls that were not properly documented or followed up on—raising safety concerns. Night-shift gaps are also mentioned (for example, staff failing to assist with BiPAP equipment), and some reviewers explicitly stated that a loved one worsened or fell after a stay, describing rehab results as worse than expected.
Management, transparency, and workplace culture appear to be other notable fault lines. Multiple reviewers describe a dismissive Director of Nursing or administration that is not forthcoming about incidents and care quality. There are reports of HR and upper management not treating employees well, which reviewers link to overwork, burnout, and underpayment of staff—conditions that likely contribute to the inconsistent resident experience. Some family members say they were left in the dark about their relative’s care or isolation status, and a few accounts describe reception lapses (letting visitors in out of turn) and perceived staff favoritism. Masking and COVID policy enforcement was cited as inconsistent: staff sometimes wore masks improperly while stricter rules were imposed on residents and visitors, causing frustration.
Dining and food safety receive mixed reviews. Many residents enjoy the cafeteria-style dining and flexible seating/delivery options; some reviewers praise the food quality. However, there are explicit food-safety concerns, including reports of expired beverages with very old best-by dates (one review cited a 2012 date). Such incidents amplify family worries about operational oversight.
Physical space is generally praised for cleanliness and maintenance, but reviewers frequently note small apartment or bathroom sizes and limited in-unit features (e.g., lack of towel racks). The facility’s security (locked doors) and pleasant surroundings are positive selling points, yet they do not fully offset the safety and care concerns cited by multiple families.
In sum, Shepherd of the Valley - Howland presents as a well-appointed and organized senior living community with many amenities and pockets of excellent, compassionate care. However, the reviews collectively reveal serious inconsistencies in caregiving quality, staffing levels, management responsiveness, and certain operational practices (call response, night nursing, food safety). These patterns suggest that the resident experience can vary widely depending on which staff are on duty and how effectively management addresses staffing and training. Prospective residents and families should weigh the facility’s strong physical environment and some exemplary staff against repeated reports of neglect and safety lapses, ask specific questions about current staffing ratios and night coverage, review fall logs and incident reporting procedures, inquire about staff turnover and training, and carefully monitor food-safety and hygiene practices during visits and after move-in.
