Overall sentiment in the reviews for Fairway Knoll is highly mixed, with a strong split between effusive praise for the physical campus, amenities, and many staff members, and deeply concerning reports about care quality—especially in memory care and assisted living. Many reviewers emphasize that the facility is new, attractive, and luxurious, offering a country-club atmosphere with elegant common spaces. Positive comments repeatedly call out the impressive gym and fitness facilities, movie theater, on-site hair salon, library, chapel, cocktail lounge, large community rooms, and scenic views. Independent living apartments are described as spacious with good floor plans, sunrooms, handicapped-accessible features, and roll-in showers. A variety of activities, classes, volunteer opportunities, and social events (happy hours, meal dining with neighbors) contribute to a lively community feel that many residents and families appreciate.
Dining and amenities receive generally favorable feedback: breakfasts and other meals are often described as good or delicious, and reviewers praise the convenience of services such as the salon, chapel, and on-site maintenance. COVID-era responses were noted as limiting tours and group sizes, but some reviewers commended staff effort to maintain engagement and safety during that time. Admissions staff and individual employees are singled out positively in several reviews by name (for example, Dannene Hirsch and Dawn Graham), who are described as helpful, honest, and compassionate. Many reviewers describe staff as warm, caring, professional, and family-like in their interactions, which supports a strong interpersonal environment for many residents.
Contrasting sharply with those positives are multiple, specific, and severe complaints related to care quality—most prominently in memory care and assisted living services. Several reviewers report that care plans, physician orders, and therapist recommendations were not followed; medication errors or unsafe medication storage (reports of meds hidden in drawers and failure to verify ingestion) are mentioned. There are alarming accounts of residents left unsupervised (including being found outside a locked memory care unit), delayed pendant/alarm responses, after-hours unavailability, and at least one death connected in reviewers’ accounts to lapses in care. Families allege inefficient medical assessment, poor follow-up, and situations where inadequate care led to hospitalization and a worsening of dementia symptoms. These reports describe staff lacking appropriate training or experience with dementia/Alzheimer’s care, high staff turnover, and behaviors that family members interpreted as neglect, lack of dignity, or disrespect toward vulnerable residents.
Management and administrative themes are similarly mixed and polarized. While some praise admissions and front-desk staff for honesty and help, other reviews call out administration for not following through on promises, inadequate communication, and pushy financial practices such as high-pressure upfront payment requests. There are explicit allegations of broken promises, denial of placement after a one-time medication event, and an assessment nurse who failed to visit as expected. Questions also arose about transparency (rent pricing and pet policies) and the sincerity of faith-based claims—some reviewers describe a Christ-centered mission and loving community, whereas others question the religious affiliation or accuse management of operating like a money-focused organization. Several reviewers also flagged inconsistencies in the enforcement of policies (for example, dog policy) and complaints about unprofessional behavior from certain staff members and kitchen personnel.
Patterns to note: praise for the physical environment, social life, and many individual caregivers is common; however, the most serious and recurring negative themes center on memory care and clinical oversight. Issues like medication handling, failure to follow care plans and medical orders, leaving residents unsupervised, delayed alarm responses, and poor after-hours coverage were reported multiple times and represent red flags that prospective residents and families should investigate thoroughly. Because the reviews are polarized—some families report excellent, attentive care while others report neglect and medical mismanagement—it appears that experiences may vary considerably by unit, staff on duty, or over time (e.g., linked to staff turnover).
If you are evaluating Fairway Knoll, consider an in-person, targeted inquiry into care processes: ask specifically how memory-care plans are followed, how medication administration and verification are documented, pendant/alarm response times and after-hours staffing levels, staff training and turnover rates for dementia care, and how management handles incidents and family communications. Tour the memory care and assisted living areas, request recent staffing reports, ask for references from current families with residents in memory care, and seek written explanations of refund/upfront payment policies and pet rules. Balance the facility’s strong amenities, social programming, and many positive staff reports against the documented and serious care-related complaints; these tradeoffs are central to deciding whether Fairway Knoll will be a good fit for a given resident’s clinical and safety needs.
