Overall impression: Reviews for The Ridge an Encore Community are predominantly positive, especially around the community's memory-care focus, compassionate caregiving, and attractive, home-like environment. Many families emphasize that staff are warm, respectful, and invested in residents' well-being; multiple reviewers explicitly call out particular nurses, activities staff, and aides by name for going above and beyond. The facility's design elements and amenities — including a town square, comfortable living rooms with pianos, enclosed outdoor areas, an Italian-plaza-like lobby, and nicely appointed dining rooms — are frequently praised and contribute to a sense of dignity and normalcy for residents.
Care quality and staffing: A recurring theme is strong, specialized dementia and memory-care expertise. Reviews often note trained memory-care staff, an on-site Registered Nurse, low staff turnover, and consistent, attentive care that keeps residents engaged and medically stable. Families report good clinical responsiveness, thorough nursing oversight, and individualized attention that honors residents' life stories and preferences. That said, reviews are not uniformly positive: several significant negative reports describe inconsistent caregiver competence, occasions of neglect, and at least one serious allegation that a caregiver harmed a resident. There is also mention of a death attributed by a reviewer to failure to thrive while at the community. These contrasting accounts indicate variability in day-to-day care quality — many families feel reassured and supported, while a minority have experienced or observed lapses that they consider serious.
Management and communication: Communication is another mixed area. Numerous reviewers praise management for being responsive, engaged, and quick to answer questions; they call out strong leadership and proactive staff who involve families and encourage visitation. The community's pandemic response and efforts to keep residents connected to families were highlighted positively. Conversely, multiple reviews criticize management as inexperienced, profit-driven, or inattentive to resident welfare after a management change; some families report poor follow-through (unanswered emails) and an apparent decline in care and oversight since a company transition. These polarized perspectives suggest that experiences vary over time and by which team or manager a family interacts with.
Safety, security, and incidents: The Ridge receives credit for physical safety features — locked memory-care units, emergency response systems, secured outdoor areas, and attentive staff presence. However, serious concerns appear in a subset of reviews: missing personal items, with at least one report of staff joking about taking belongings, and other reports of lost purses or items. Such allegations about property security and staff behavior are notable and erode trust even where clinical care is strong. Families should weigh these accounts carefully and ask the community about lost-and-found processes, staff screening, and incident investigation practices.
Facilities, dining, and activities: Facility upkeep and amenities are praised extensively. Many reviewers call the community immaculate, odor-free, and beautifully designed, with large private or double rooms and full bathrooms. Activities programming receives high marks for variety and engagement, from concerts and holiday events to sing-alongs and pet visits; activity staff receive repeated accolades. Dining is generally described as good, with accommodations for diet needs and family-invited meals, though a few reviewers complained about food quality (fatty meat cuts and a sugary beverage likened to kool-aid). Overall, the social and environmental elements are consistently presented as strengths that enhance residents' quality of life.
Cost, location, and practical issues: Cost is raised by several reviewers as expensive, though many feel the value matches the price. The community's location is convenient for some but is remote or a long drive for others. Practical operational issues mentioned include limited front-desk coverage on weekends and occasional lapses such as vacuuming or laundry inconsistencies. While most families report positive administrative interactions, a minority report unprofessional or disorganized behavior from staff or management.
Patterns and recommendations: The dominant pattern is a community with a strong memory-care identity, many compassionate and skilled caregivers, rich programming, and attractive facilities that create a family-like atmosphere. However, there are repeated, specific concerns that merit attention: inconsistent care experiences (including at least one serious harm claim and a reviewer-attributed failure to thrive), reports of missing items and troubling remarks by staff, and variability in management responsiveness, especially after a reported change in company leadership. These negative reports are less frequent than positive ones but are consequential. Prospective residents and families should consider touring the community, asking for details about staff training and turnover, management stability, incident-reporting and property-loss procedures, weekend administrative coverage, and recent inspection or enforcement records. Checking references from current residents' families and clarifying financial and care-continuity policies (for example, remaining in the same room if Medicaid becomes necessary) would help form a balanced, informed decision.
Bottom line: The Ridge is repeatedly described as a warm, engaging, and professionally staffed memory-care community with strong programming and attractive facilities, delivering excellent experiences for many residents and families. At the same time, a smaller but serious set of reviews raise concerns about inconsistent care, managerial inattention in some cases, property loss, and a perceived decline after management change. Families who value specialized dementia care, activities, and a homelike environment may find The Ridge an excellent fit, but they should probe the reported inconsistencies during visits and contractual negotiations to ensure the specific concerns raised in reviews have been addressed.
