The reviews present a mixed but prominent pattern: many reviewers praise the direct care and everyday environment, while a small number of very serious complaints raise concerns about safety and management. Most comments emphasize positive resident-facing aspects — staff are repeatedly described as welcoming, respectful, attentive, and adaptable. Multiple reviewers note that caregivers often "go above and beyond," and that the facility provides reliable, good-quality day-to-day care. The facility itself is frequently described as clean, organized, and generally well maintained despite being older.
Activities and social life receive consistent positive mention. Reviewers list a range of daily programs such as bingo, crafts, and bible study, and several highlight the involvement of volunteers, suggesting active engagement opportunities for residents. Tour experiences are also generally favorable; prospective families encountered helpful and friendly tour staff, which supports the notion that front-line interactions are a facility strength.
However, there are significant facility and safety concerns that appear in multiple reviews. Poor lighting and "dark hallways" are noted, which can impact resident safety and comfort. Specific hazards were called out — torn carpet in interior areas and ice on the sidewalk — creating potential trip-and-fall risks. These maintenance/safety items are particularly important given that the building is identified as an older facility; while the property is overall described as maintained and clean, aging infrastructure and localized hazards warrant attention.
Understaffing is an especially serious theme: one review explicitly reports a ratio of one caregiver for 19 residents. Whether this example reflects routine staffing levels or an isolated shift, the claim points to a vulnerability in staffing coverage that could affect care responsiveness and resident safety. That concern ties directly to the safety items noted above: inadequate staffing can make it harder to monitor residents and respond to environmental risks.
The most disruptive and potentially decisive negative reports concern management conduct. An owner is described as unprofessional — publicly reprimanding employees in front of visitors, yelling at family members, and being rude to residents. Those allegations are severe because they speak to leadership tone and culture, which shape staff morale, retention, and ultimately the quality of care. Reviewers indicate these incidents were serious enough to prompt reporting to the state and calls from some to shut the facility down. Even if such reports are not representative of everyday operations, they are red flags that should prompt verification.
In summary, the prevailing sentiment is that Fair Havens offers many strengths in resident care: welcoming and attentive staff, clean and organized spaces, and meaningful activities supported by volunteers. These positive elements suggest a facility that can provide a warm daily environment. Counterbalancing that are critical concerns about safety, staffing levels, and especially management behavior. Prospective residents and families should weigh the favorable daily-care and activity environment against the reported safety hazards and serious complaints about leadership. Before making decisions, it would be prudent to (1) tour the facility at different times to assess lighting and cleanliness, (2) ask about typical staffing ratios and how emergencies are handled, (3) inspect known hazard areas (entrances, carpets, walkways), and (4) request information on any state inspections or complaints and how management addressed them. These steps will help determine whether the positive direct-care reports reliably outweigh the safety and governance issues raised in the reviews.
