Overall sentiment in the reviews for Keestone of Lawrenceburg is mixed but leans positive for residents who require standard assisted living services and are ambulatory or have mild needs. A large number of reviewers praise the caring, friendly staff and highlight a pleasant, well-maintained physical environment: many mention clean rooms and common areas, attractive front lobbies, spacious apartment-style units, a large movie theater, and well-equipped gathering spaces. Dining is consistently cited as a strength — reviewers describe delicious meals, attentive lunch service, and family-friendly practices like inviting loved ones to dine with residents. Several reviews call the community a good value, noting competitive pricing, a TennCare partnership (no long private-pay requirement), and recent facility upgrades and additions.
Care quality receives both strong positive remarks and significant criticisms. Multiple families report that nurses and aides are compassionate, perform regular two-hour checks, administer medications on time, and treat residents like family. These accounts emphasize thoughtful staff and management, punctual clinical care, and visible attentiveness. Conversely, other reviewers report that staff are overworked and undertrained, with frequent staffing shortages that leave nights and weekends minimally covered (reports of one staff member covering entire shifts). These shortages are linked to slow response times, unanswered phones after hours, and an overall sense that management is not consistently addressing operational problems.
Safety, especially for residents with dementia or significant cognitive impairment, is the single most serious and recurring concern. Multiple reviews explicitly warn that the community is not secure for persons who wander: alarms have been reported as turned off, exterior doors and yard gates left unlocked, and facility layout described as easy to walk through or walk out of. Reported incidents include wandering halls and not finding staff at appointments. Several reviewers stated there are no fire drills and questioned emergency preparedness. Because of these patterns, several families explicitly advised that Keestone is unsuitable for residents with dementia or confusion. This contrasts sharply with other reviews that describe high-quality dementia care — indicating inconsistent protocols and enforcement rather than a uniformly safe environment.
Management and communication themes are similarly mixed. Some reviewers praise an “amazing” or thoughtful director and describe management as easy to work with; others report management issues, broken promises about care, intimidation tactics (emotional abuse and eviction threats), and deceptive impressions during tours. Several reviewers noted that move-in impressions can be misleading: tours and daytime presentations appear pleasant, but evenings, nights, and weekends reveal understaffing and unlocked areas. After-hours phone unavailability and poor responsiveness to family concerns recur across reviews and amplify safety and trust concerns.
Activities and social life also receive mixed feedback. Many reviewers list a wide variety of programming — bingo, exercise classes, entertainers, visiting programs, and many daily activities — and say residents are socially engaged and happy. Yet some families felt activities were lacking or inconsistent and recommended hiring or improving an activities director and adding common entertainment (e.g., lobby TV). These differences may reflect variability in staffing or scheduling, or different expectations among families.
Sanitation and smells are minor but recurring issues for a subset of reviewers. While many call the facility clean and fresh-smelling, a few note hallway odors and hygiene or sanitation concerns. Financial and contractual points come up in a number of reviews: monthly costs reported around $2,195–$2,495+, an extra roughly $500 activity fee mentioned by at least one reviewer, and a 30-day notice to leave. Reviewers also note that Keestone is not Medicare funded, so some costs are out-of-pocket, though the TennCare partnership mitigates this for qualifying residents.
In summary, Keestone of Lawrenceburg appears to offer appealing amenities, good dining, and a caring culture under some shifts and management circumstances. Many families and residents express strong satisfaction, praising staff warmth, the facility’s appearance, and the social environment. However, there are repeated, specific safety and staffing concerns — particularly for residents who are prone to wandering or need heightened supervision — and inconsistent management and communication that prospective families should investigate. Before making a placement decision, reviewers’ comments suggest verifying security protocols (door locks, wander/exit alarms), staffing ratios at nights and weekends, after-hours communication procedures, emergency drills, contractual fees and notice periods, and dementia-care policies. Visiting at different times (evenings/weekends), asking for documented safety/incident records, and speaking with current residents’ families are prudent steps given the mixed but important red flags reported alongside many positive experiences.
