Overall sentiment across the provided reviews is mixed: several reviewers praise River View Assisted Living for its attractive physical environment, included services, and aspects of staff professionalism, while others report serious care and safety concerns that led them to strongly advise against the facility. Positive remarks focus on the facility’s appearance and packaged services, whereas negative remarks concentrate on inconsistent caregiving, communication failures, and significant safety incidents.
Care quality and safety is the most polarizing theme. On the positive side, the presence of an RN on staff five days a week and statements of “positive care assurance” suggest a level of clinical coverage that some families find reassuring. However, multiple reviews describe concrete safety failures: ignored requests, abandonment by staff, forced walking, poor wheelchair assistance, multiple falls, and at least one instance of a hip fracture that required hospitalization and from which the resident had not recovered. These reports indicate potentially serious lapses in supervision, fall-prevention practices, and resident handling. The juxtaposition of clinical staffing (RN five days) with these incidents suggests either variability in day-to-day caregiving or problems with implementation, training, or staffing levels at certain times.
Staff behavior and communication emerge as another key divide. Several reviewers describe staff as caring, friendly, and professional, contributing to a positive impression. At the same time, other reviewers say the caring demeanor is “a front,” detailing specific episodes where CNAs or other staff failed to respond to calls, claimed not to understand requests, or did not call family members as promised. This pattern points to inconsistent performance among staff or inconsistent communication practices between staff and families. The presence of both positive and negative staff reports raises concern about variability in staff training, accountability, or turnover.
Facilities and living spaces are generally viewed positively. Multiple reviewers remark that the apartments are nice, some calling them “cute” and noting larger rooms. Hallways are described as clean and bright. Amenities included with residency (utilities, meals, cable, washer/dryer, housekeeping) and the lack of buy-in costs are frequently listed as advantages, and one reviewer noted a good location. A downside among facilities-related comments: a pool that once existed is “not filled anymore,” which may matter to some prospective residents. One reviewer also mentioned that the facility is relatively far from the VA in Milwaukee, which could be important for veterans or families relying on VA services.
Dining and activities receive mainly positive mentions: reviewers note “good food” and “many activities,” indicating an active social program and acceptable meal service for some residents. These positive lifestyle elements contrast sharply with the reports of poor hands-on care, underscoring a disparity between hospitality-type services and clinical or personal-care execution.
Management, oversight, and reputation are recurring concerns. The reviews display a notable pattern: outward presentation (clean hallways, nice apartments, included services) and marketed assurances do not align for some families with the actual caregiving experience. Some reviewers explicitly say “looks can be deceiving,” and others plainly state they would not recommend the facility after and because of their experiences. These comments suggest inconsistent operational oversight and raise questions about the facility’s ability to sustain reliable standards across shifts and staff members.
In summary, River View Assisted Living shows clear strengths in environment, amenities, and some aspects of staffing and programming, which make it attractive on paper and to certain families. However, serious and specific allegations of neglect, communication failures, unsafe mobility practices, multiple falls, and at least one hospitalization are red flags that must be weighed heavily. The mixed reports point to variability in care and the possibility of isolated but severe incidents. Prospective residents and families should verify current staffing, review incident and inspection records, speak with multiple families and staff, request recent fall and hospitalization statistics, and arrange visits at different times of day to assess consistency before deciding. If safety and reliable hands-on care are a top priority, the negative reports here warrant careful, documented follow-up with the facility and consideration of alternatives.
