Overall sentiment across the reviews is mixed but leans positive for independent living, amenities, dining, rehabilitation services, and many members of the caregiving staff; however there are strong, recurring negative comments focused specifically on the Balmoral Skilled Nursing unit (frequently identified as the third floor) and on staffing/management issues in that area. Multiple reviewers praised Lake Forest Place for its physical environment, social life, and the quality of its rehab services, while multiple others issued firm warnings about skilled nursing care and operational problems that materially affect resident safety and satisfaction.
Care quality and skilled nursing: Reviews about clinical care are sharply divided. A significant number of reviewers describe postoperative nursing, rehabilitation, and some skilled nursing staff as high-quality, compassionate, and effective — citing successful recoveries, strong rehab outcomes, and staff who went "above and beyond." At the same time, there are repeated, specific, and strong warnings about the Balmoral Skilled Nursing unit (often the 3rd floor): reports of a "culture of blame and denial," poorly trained staff, high turnover, and situations where residents were left unattended or required outside caregivers. Because both glowing and alarming accounts appear multiple times, the pattern suggests inconsistent care quality depending on unit, floor, shift, or staff assignment rather than uniformly high or low clinical performance.
Staff, management, and culture: Many reviewers singled out friendly, kind, and professional caregivers and praised management for things like an effective COVID response and keeping residents engaged. Numerous individual staff members and departments (nursing, rehab, dining) received specific praise. Conversely, there are repeated reports of understaffing, seemingly negligent staffing behaviors (reports of staff sleeping or extended breaks), and high turnover — particularly affecting skilled nursing. A few reviewers described rude or unprofessional behavior at the front desk and characterized parts of the community as elitist or snobby. These mixed signals indicate that the resident experience can vary widely depending on who is on duty and where the resident lives within the campus.
Facilities, amenities, and environment: Physical aspects of Lake Forest Place are consistently praised. Reviewers describe the property as clean, bright, and well-maintained with attractive decor, remodeled dining areas, nice grounds, and good walking/running areas. Amenities like a swimming area, fitness center with many classes, pool, restaurant, and social spaces are frequently praised and contribute to high satisfaction in independent and assisted living settings. Apartments and cottages are described as comfortable and spacious (with some comments that certain rooms are nice but on the smaller side). The community is pet-friendly, which is noted as a positive feature.
Dining and activities: Dining is a strong positive theme — many reviewers reported good-to-excellent meals and singled out specific staff (e.g., servers) for praise. The social calendar is another commonly mentioned strength: residents report robust, meaningful activities, well-managed social functions, and quick formation of new friendships. Fitness and class offerings, as well as communal events, are consistently noted as highlights of life at Lake Forest Place.
Financial and operational considerations: Several reviewers call out the cost as high — there are repeated references to an expensive buy-in and significant expense overall. On the positive side, Lake Forest Place is not-for-profit and offers a lifetime care guarantee, which some reviewers view as a valuable long-term benefit. Billing accuracy problems were reported by more than one reviewer, indicating the need for prospective residents and families to closely review financial paperwork and invoices. The combination of high cost and occasional billing accuracy issues makes financial transparency an important area to verify in person.
Patterns, risks, and recommendations from the reviews: The dominant pattern is that independent living and many shared services (dining, activities, rehab) receive positive, sometimes glowing reviews, while skilled nursing — and in particular one unit repeatedly identified as Balmoral (3rd floor) — generates concentrated negative feedback about culture, training, and staffing. This suggests a bifurcated resident experience: independent/assisted living residents report strong community life and amenities, whereas some nursing residents or families experienced lapses in care and management. Prospective residents or decision-makers should prioritize touring specific units, asking for staffing ratios and turnover rates, requesting references from recent families of skilled nursing residents, reviewing incident and fall records if available, and verifying billing procedures. Also ask about memory care specifics if that level of care is of interest, since at least one review specifically expressed disappointment with that unit.
Bottom line: Lake Forest Place offers an attractive campus, strong dining and social programs, good rehab outcomes for many residents, and numerous staff who are praised for compassion and professionalism. However, multiple reviewers raised serious, specific concerns about the Balmoral Skilled Nursing unit and about staffing consistency and management practices in certain areas. The community may be an excellent fit for independent living or short-term rehab stays, but families considering long-term skilled nursing or memory care should perform careful due diligence focused on the particular unit, staffing stability, and billing practices before committing.
