Northland Heights: Assisted Living & Memory Care in North Hills

    4859 McKnight Rd, Pittsburgh, PA, 15237
    4.6 · 50 reviews
    • Independent living
    • Assisted living
    • Memory care
    AnonymousLoved one of resident
    4.0

    Mostly positive with staffing caveats

    I moved my mom into the newly renovated Northland Heights and overall I'm pleased - it's spotlessly clean, hotel-like, full of amenities (dining, activities, shuttle, ice cream parlor) and staffed by friendly, caring people - Kylee, the Activities Director, is upbeat and goes above and beyond. New management has noticeably improved things with 24/7 nursing and plenty of social options, but there are still staffing turnover and training gaps: expect occasional housekeeping lapses and be vigilant about meds and care. I recommend visiting, asking about current staffing, and monitoring closely before deciding.

    Pricing

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    Amenities

    4.64 · 50 reviews

    Overall rating

    1. 5
    2. 4
    3. 3
    4. 2
    5. 1
    • Care

      4.2
    • Staff

      4.4
    • Meals

      4.0
    • Amenities

      4.4
    • Value

      4.5

    Pros

    • Brand-new or recently renovated facility
    • Very clean and well-maintained common areas and rooms
    • Private apartment-style rooms with private bathrooms
    • Spacious, hotel-like units with included furniture options
    • All-inclusive rent model with meals and many services included
    • Restaurant-style dining with multiple entree options and three meals/day
    • Housekeeping, linens, and in-room laundry services included (often)
    • 24-hour accessibility and nurses stations on each floor
    • Memory care offered alongside independent and assisted living
    • Engaged activities program (bowling, bingo, movies, ice cream parlor, outings)
    • On-site amenities: movie theater, beauty salon, ice cream parlor, community rooms, patio/gardens, gym/pool (reported)
    • Transportation and shuttle services for local shopping and doctor visits
    • Helpful, friendly, and welcoming staff reported in many reviews
    • Admissions process described as thorough and seamless by some reviewers
    • Reasonable and competitive price point
    • Positive resident socialization — friendships forming and active community
    • Pet-friendly policy (cats allowed reported)
    • Good maintenance and prompt responses to requests

    Cons

    • Staffing shortages and frequent turnover reported
    • Inconsistent quality of care across reviews (some report poor or unsafe care)
    • Housekeeping lapses reported by some families (no clean towels, beds not made)
    • Food quality inconsistent — some praise meals while others report poor food/cook quit
    • Medication management errors or missed meds reported in some accounts
    • Administrative confusion or unfriendly new staff reported by some reviewers
    • Facility still undergoing renovations in places; some floors or elevators incomplete
    • Backlog of tasks or limited services attributed to newness/COVID
    • Limited availability, long wait lists, or no current openings
    • Small resident count raised financial viability concerns by at least one reviewer
    • Service outages and operational problems reported (TV service down, other issues)

    Summary review

    Overall sentiment across the reviews of Northland Heights: Assisted Living & Memory Care is mixed but leans positive, with many reviewers highlighting the property as a modern, clean, and well-equipped community that provides a hotel-like living environment and robust amenity set. Repeated strengths include a newly renovated or brand-new building, spotless common areas and rooms, private apartment-style units with their own bathrooms, and a broad suite of on-site amenities — dining room with restaurant-style service and multiple entree options, ice cream parlor, movie theater, beauty salon, community/activity rooms, outdoor patios/gardens, and reported fitness/pool space. The community offers independent and assisted living plus a memory care unit, with nurses' stations on each floor and round-the-clock accessibility noted by several reviewers. Many families described the pricing as reasonable and all-inclusive, covering meals, housekeeping, linens, and in-room laundry in most cases, which contributes to perceived value.

    Care quality and staffing produce the largest range of reactions. Numerous reviews praise staff as friendly, caring, professional, and engaged — examples include activities staff praised for inclusive programming (multiple mentions of the activities director Kylee), admissions staff noted for being thorough and seamless, and front-line caregivers described as proactive and attentive. Several reviews reported a good staff-to-resident ratio, quick responses to requests, and personalized attention that led to peace of mind for families. At the same time, a nontrivial subset of reviews report serious problems: staffing shortages, high turnover, poor training, missed medications, and inconsistent or unsafe care. Specific complaints include medication not being given properly, rooms not being cleaned or towels not supplied, a cook quitting and food quality declining, TV service outages, and in one extreme case a family reporting the resident passed away within a month with allegations of inadequate nursing knowledge. These negative reports contrast sharply with many positive accounts and suggest variability in care quality that may relate to staffing instability and the community's newness.

    Facilities and operations show both strong positives and some in-progress limitations. The building is frequently described as bright, attractive, freshly painted, and hotel-like, with many reviewers noting that certain floors or areas were still completing renovations, elevators being modernized, or certain tasks temporarily backlogged due to the community being extremely new and/or COVID-related constraints. Several reviewers explicitly called out excellent maintenance and a quick-response maintenance team, but others mentioned that because the community is new, some services were lagging or some floors were not fully opened. Availability is another operational theme: multiple reviewers said there were no openings or long wait times (one cited an eight-month wait), and at least one comment raised concern about the small resident census and potential financial viability.

    Dining and activities receive generally positive marks but with exceptions. Many residents enjoy varied, well-prepared meals with choices and three-meal service included; the dining room atmosphere and special touches like an ice cream parlor were frequently praised. Activities are described as plentiful and varied — bowling, bingo, movies, religious study groups, outings, computer/Zoom rooms, and organized trips — and the activities team is often singled out for creating an engaging social environment that helps residents form friendships. However, some reviewers reported declining food quality after staff changes or that housekeeping and meal service diminished, indicating operational inconsistency.

    Management and trends show a narrative of change: several reviews describe improved administration and a positive transformation under new management, reporting livelier atmosphere and stronger caregiver performance. Conversely, other reviews note that original staff left and replacements were unfriendly or inexperienced, leading to gaps in care. This split suggests the community has been through staffing transitions that have produced both improvements and setbacks depending on timing and which reviewers encountered it.

    In summary, Northland Heights presents as a modern, amenity-rich community with many hallmarks families seek: clean private apartments, robust amenities, inclusive meal and housekeeping plans, on-site memory care, and an active social program. The biggest caution from the reviews is variability in staffing and care consistency — staffing shortages, turnover, and operational growing pains (renovations, backlogged services) have led to serious negative experiences for some families, while others report excellent, family-like care. Prospective residents and families should weigh the strong facility features and positive staff reports against documented instances of service lapses. Practical recommendations before committing would be to request recent staffing and turnover metrics, ask about current completion status of renovations, inquire specifically about medication management protocols and nurse coverage, verify housekeeping and laundry service details, and, where possible, speak with current residents or families about recent trends since the community appears to have changed over time.

    Location

    Map showing location of Northland Heights: Assisted Living & Memory Care in North Hills

    About Northland Heights: Assisted Living & Memory Care in North Hills

    Northland Heights: Assisted Living & Memory Care in North Hills sits on McKnight Road in Pittsburgh and offers a wide range of services for older adults who want some help with daily life, memory care, or a more independent living situation-there's nine independent living apartments, ninety-two assisted living beds, and eighteen beds for memory care needs, so folks can find a spot that fits their needs, whether they're looking for just a little help or more support, and for those who need it, respite care is available for short stays or for family caregivers needing a break, which can be a big help. The facility opened in 2020 and has a newer feel, but the focus stays on comfort and warmth, with spacious private apartments that include private bathrooms and showers, and the buildings have lots of inviting indoor spaces plus patios and gardens outside where residents can sit and enjoy the fresh air, which really seems to encourage people to get out and connect with neighbors.

    There's always a licensed nurse on-site, and registered nurses are available 24/7 for both assisted living and memory care residents, so that means residents have help right when they need it, whether it's a medical need or just daily assistance, and memory care is more than just a locked door-it's a secured, purpose-built part of the community with a focus on programs to help maintain cognitive abilities and provide custom-tailored care plans for people living with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia, with care staff always nearby. When it comes to meals, three home-cooked, chef-prepared dishes are served each day in a restaurant-style dining room, and friends and family can join for a meal if they'd like, and there's an Ice Cream Shoppe and a private family dining room for birthdays or special gatherings, which makes celebrations easy, plus menus are approved by a dietitian, so nutrition gets covered.

    Residents have plenty to do with a bustling activities program running round the clock, live entertainment, fitness classes, outings to parks or local restaurants, movies in the theater room, trips out in the facility's transportation with staff always on board, and lots of social events in common rooms or the activities room on the first floor. There's a technology room for folks who want to stay connected, plus therapy services right on site to help with movement or recovery after illness. For independent seniors there's a smaller area devoted to maintenance-free apartments, allowing for age-restricted community living while still staying involved in everything that goes on. The staff prides themselves on making things easy for residents, whether that's help with bathing and meals or just making sure there's something to enjoy every day, and the facility remains family owned with a strong emphasis on a personal touch. Northland Heights supports residents and their families in long-term care planning and offers guidance about things like caregiving and long-term care insurance. It's a place that brings together all levels of care in one location, has strong safety and wellness programs, and aims for a simple, safe, and engaging everyday life.

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