Overall sentiment across the reviews of Franklin Manor is mixed, with strong and repeated praise for the physical facility, select staff members, on-site amenities, and accessibility, counterbalanced by serious and recurring concerns about consistency in staff quality, food service, safety, management, and billing practices. Many reviewers highlight the property as attractive and well-suited to older adults: wide halls and accessible layouts, garden seating areas, courtyards, front porch, and pleasing views are frequently mentioned. Room configurations and in-room amenities (full bathrooms with showers, mini fridge, microwave, multiple unit sizes including two-bedroom units) are repeatedly noted as positive features. The facility's central location near shopping and a hospital, security entrances, and the presence of nurses and proactive health monitoring are additional commonly cited strengths that appeal to prospective residents and families.
Care and staff quality emerge as one of the most divisive themes. Numerous reviews describe staff as caring, attentive, stable, and knowledgeable, with specific praise for helpful liaisons, a compassionate manager, and named staff members (Cristy Hawersmith was singled out positively by several reviewers prior to a leadership change). Activities staff and nurses are also credited for proactive health monitoring and medication support in some accounts. Contrasting sharply with these positives are several reviews alleging uncaring or even disrespectful behavior from staff, reports of unskilled cooks, and serious accusations regarding medication administration practices (claims that medication was given improperly or illegally, and an example of pills being given while a resident was lying down). This inconsistency suggests that the staff experience varies by shift, unit, or timeframe, and that recent leadership changes may have affected morale and quality for some residents.
Dining and activities are similarly polarized. A number of reviewers describe the dining experience as resort-like, with inviting presentation, many meal choices and substitutions, and even an on-site ice cream parlor. Conversely, other reviewers call the food terrible or merely fair/medium, and some say cooks are unskilled. COVID-19 protocols affected dining and activities for some residents — reports of one-person-per-table dining, at-door rapid testing, limited entry/visits, and activities largely on hold indicate that pandemic-era restrictions impacted social life and communal programming. Where the activities director is active, activities like cornhole, exercise classes, dominoes/cards, and painting nails are appreciated; where programming is reduced, residents and families report frustration.
Safety, theft, and maintenance concerns are significant patterns that deserve attention. Several reviewers allege dangerous decor or layouts that pose hazards for residents using canes and walkers and cite specific resident injuries (hip, neck, and cuts). Additionally, allegations of theft (clothes, linens, cash) and reports of dirty rooms appear in multiple summaries. These issues, combined with reports of short-staffing and conflicting accounts about cleanliness, create red flags about supervision, loss prevention, housekeeping consistency, and environmental safety in some parts of the facility or during certain periods.
Management, cost transparency, and policies show mixed feedback. Some reviewers praise a kind and sympathetic manager and recommend Franklin Manor without reservation, while others criticize leadership changes, say the director never greets them, or feel the facility has declined after leadership turnover. Financially, reactions vary: some consider Franklin Manor a great value, while others find the price range too high and complain about add-on charges and perceived 'nickel-and-diming' for extras. Visitation policies also appear inconsistent across reviews — some report strict COVID-era entry limits and at-door testing, others mention no guest visitation limits — suggesting either policy changes over time or uneven enforcement.
In summary, Franklin Manor presents itself as a well-located, attractive, and accessible facility with many amenities that match the needs of older adults, and multiple reviewers attest to caring, stable staff and good clinical supports in many cases. However, there are nontrivial and recurring concerns about inconsistent staff behavior and competence, food quality, safety hazards that have allegedly led to injuries, reports of theft, management instability following leadership changes, and unclear billing/add-on charges. These mixed signals recommend a careful, current, and specific vetting process for prospective residents and families: during an in-person tour, request to speak with current residents and families, ask for a recent incident and staffing report, verify medication administration policies and nurse coverage, inspect room housekeeping and communal areas, inquire about theft-prevention measures and fall-prevention strategies, and obtain a complete written breakdown of all fees and add-on services. Doing so will help determine whether the facility’s strong physical environment and the positives reported by many outweigh the inconsistencies and risks raised by other reviewers.
