Overall sentiment across the reviews for Highgate at Paoli Pointe is mixed but leans positive with important and recurring caveats. The single strongest consistently praised theme is staff: many reviewers describe the caregivers, aides, therapy and activity staff as caring, attentive, and personally invested in residents. Multiple reports highlight long-tenured employees who know residents by name, go out of their way to help, and provide families with peace of mind. Admissions and move-in experiences are frequently described as smooth and supportive, with specific staff members (for example, Reese Castellano-Lowy and several named caregivers) receiving repeated praise. Families also emphasize good communication with staff, particularly around medical issues and partnerships with hospice and rehab providers, which some reviewers say provided exceptional support during end-of-life or complex care situations.
Facility and accommodations are another positive area in many reviews: numerous families describe apartment-style units with separate living areas, kitchenettes or full-size refrigerators, spacious layouts, and a pleasant, home-like décor. The grounds, courtyard and gazebo are appreciated, and many reviewers find the community clean, well-kept, and comfortable. Memory-care features and dementia-focused programming are noted as strengths in several accounts; reviewers cite dementia-friendly design elements, staff trained to engage residents with dementia, and tailored safety measures in dedicated units.
Dining and activities receive largely favorable comments with some variability. Many residents and families praise the food — described as well-prepared, balanced, and improved under a newer chef in some reports — and enjoy communal dining as a social highlight. There is a broad program of activities across the community (music events, arts and crafts, exercise classes, puzzles, outings, pet therapy, birthday celebrations, and religious programs) that many residents enjoy and that help foster friendships. That said, several reviewers report limited or inconsistent programming at particular times or in certain units (notably some memory care reports that cited little to no activities). There are also a few comments about specific dietary accommodations being handled poorly at times (for example, diabetic meals not always offered as expected).
The most serious and recurring negatives center on staffing levels, management turnover, and inconsistent standards of care. Multiple reviewers report chronic understaffing (especially on later shifts), heavy reliance on contracted or temporary staff, and high turnover of both administrative leaders (several noted multiple executive directors in a short period) and front-line workers. These staffing issues are associated in reviews with inconsistent care quality, moments when call buttons are not monitored, and nights or weekends when front desk coverage or nursing presence is thin. Several reviewers raised safety concerns related to these operational gaps (unsafe shower procedures, unsecured terrace access, and instances of poor monitoring). Cleanliness and maintenance are other recurrent problem areas for some families: while many find the facility clean, specific reports cite urine odor in hallways, bathrooms not cleaned regularly, dusty vents, and maintenance issues such as leaks and heat loss — sometimes tied to renovation work or deferred repairs. These issues coexist with other administrative problems like billing disputes, late payments, overbilling, and a perceived lack of responsiveness from newer directors or billing staff.
Taken together, the reviews paint a picture of a community with many strong, compassionate caregivers and many features families value (apartment-style rooms, a pleasant dining experience, engaging activities, and good hospice/rehab partnerships), but also with operational vulnerabilities that materially affect some residents’ experiences. Patterns suggest that when long-tenured staff and good leadership are in place, families feel highly satisfied and secure. When turnover, understaffing, or management inattention occur, care quality, cleanliness, activity programming, and responsiveness to billing and safety concerns decline for those residents.
For prospective residents and families, these reviews suggest several practical considerations: (1) ask specifically about current staffing ratios for the unit and shifts that will most affect your loved one (evenings/nights/weekends); (2) check recent maintenance history and whether any renovations are underway that might impact living conditions; (3) confirm how dietary restrictions and medication management are handled and how billing disputes are processed; (4) observe activity programming in the specific unit you are considering (memory care programming varied across reports); and (5) meet and, if possible, speak with long-tenured caregivers who will likely be the most consistent point of contact. Overall, many families recommend Highgate at Paoli Pointe based on the compassion and dedication of the staff and the community amenities, but several caution that experiences can differ substantially depending on current management stability and staffing on particular shifts.
