Overall sentiment across the reviews of Oswego Place by Bonaventure is highly polarized: many reviewers praise the frontline caregivers, cleanliness, and social environment, while a substantial number report systemic issues around staffing, management, and reliability of care. Positive accounts repeatedly highlight warm, caring staff, attentive nurses and health directors, bright and comfortable apartments, flavorful made-to-order meals, and an active activity program (live music, outings, Veterans observances, therapy dog visits). Several reviewers describe the facility as having a small, resort-like atmosphere with good grounds, secure environment, and helpful move-in/placement support. These positives suggest that when staffing and leadership are stable, residents experience good personal attention, solid medication management, and a pleasant community.
However, a strong and recurring theme is chronic understaffing and high turnover. Many reviewers describe frequent use of agency or temporary staff, shifting caregiver assignments, and caregivers being absent from shifts. Consequences reported include missed showers or only one shower per week for some residents, residents doing their own laundry, long wait times for call lights (one report of about 30 minutes), and missed evening trays. Several reviewers reported serious care lapses — including bedsores that led to hospitalization — which indicate that staffing shortages have at times translated into clinically significant neglect. Staffing instability also prevents residents from forming lasting relationships with caregivers, which many families value.
Management and administrative issues appear to vary widely by time and person but are another frequent source of negative feedback. Multiple reviewers note management turnover, unresponsive corporate communication, rude or indifferent managers (including accounts of a new manager who is unapproachable or appears angry), and receptionists with poor attitudes. There are also reports of misplaced or outdated care plans and failures to update or communicate changes. Billing and contractual problems are mentioned repeatedly: one reviewer cited a very high monthly bill (~$6,000), another reported a $2,133 monthly rate increase without prior notice, and others described improper billing. These administrative inconsistencies compound worries about transparency and advocacy for residents.
Dining and activities receive mixed but specific comments. Many reviewers praise the dining staff, flavorful soups, made-to-order meals, healthy options, and friendly servers. Conversely, several reviewers called the food salty, bland, repetitive, or lacking diabetic-friendly options and fresh fruit. Activity programming is highlighted as a strength by many (full calendars, live music, outings, social events), but other reviewers report frequent cancellations, late or nonexistent monthly calendars, and little evening stimulation after 6 p.m. This suggests that program quality is sensitive to staffing levels and leadership in activities.
Facility condition and safety are generally praised — the building is described as clean, bright, and comfortable; rooms and bathrooms are roomy and accessible; and grounds are pleasant. Yet there are isolated but serious safety concerns: an open window left with screens off during cleaning near a busy street, reports of theft (decor and petty cash), and at least one account mentioning violent residents and injuries that staff allegedly ignored. Infection control has been noted in the context of a Norovirus lockdown where residents were confined to rooms, which some families found distressing. These incidents emphasize the need to verify current safety protocols and incident response procedures.
Taken together, the reviews paint a picture of a community with strong potential and many instances of excellent personal care, pleasant facilities, and meaningful activities — but one whose quality is uneven and highly dependent on staffing stability and the competency and attitude of current management. For prospective residents and families, important due diligence steps should include: asking about current staffing ratios and use of agency staff, nurse hours per day, how care plans are maintained and updated, recent turnover among leadership, specific examples of incident handling, details of billing and any recent rate changes (including required notice), dietary accommodations (diabetic options), sample activity calendars, and safety protocols (window/security, theft prevention, infection control). Visiting during a shift change or meal time, speaking directly to unit staff, and requesting references from current family members can help gauge whether the positive reports or the concerning patterns are more representative of the community at present.
In summary, Oswego Place offers many features families appreciate — a clean, attractive environment, caring frontline staff when present, good meal options, and active programming — but caution is warranted due to recurrent reports of understaffing, managerial instability, administrative/billing problems, and occasional serious care lapses. The facility may be a reasonable fit for residents with lower, predictable care needs who value a small-community feel and social programming, provided families confirm current staffing stability and management responsiveness. For residents requiring higher levels of continuous clinical oversight or guaranteed caregiver continuity, families should thoroughly verify consistency of nursing and aide coverage and monitor for recent adverse incidents before committing.
