Overall sentiment: Reviews for The Forum at Brookside are predominantly positive, with recurring praise for the quality of life offered on the property. The most frequently cited strengths are the high-quality dining, an exceptionally active and varied activity program, a caring and long-tenured staff, and the well-maintained, attractive campus. Many reviewers strongly recommend the community and note long-term resident satisfaction and staff retention as indicators of stability and consistent service.
Care quality and staffing: Multiple reviewers emphasize the warmth, attentiveness, and professionalism of staff across roles — caregiving, dining, activities, therapy, and management. Several comments highlight one-on-one attention, prompt issue resolution, and staff who "go above and beyond." Long-tenured employees (examples given: manager 30 years, chef 11 years) and positive reports from families lend credibility to the consistent quality of daily care. The community offers a continuum of services including independent living, assisted living, dementia care, and rehabilitation/therapy. Many reviewers reported effective rehab services and therapists that helped residents regain independence. However, there are isolated but significant complaints about management practices and care transitions — examples include an asserted forced lease termination and reports that some residents felt the facility could be insufficient for very high-acuity needs. A few reviews also mention a closed health care area; prospective residents should clarify current levels of care and how progression of needs is handled.
Facilities and grounds: The Forum at Brookside's setting is a standout: reviewers repeatedly describe a 40-acre, well-manicured campus with mature trees, green lawns, walking paths and a brook — attributes that contribute to a "resort-like" feel. Indoor amenities are extensive and frequently praised, including a heated indoor pool, library, salon, workshops, and multiple social spaces. Housing options are varied (apartments, villas, patio homes, cottages), with many units noted as spacious and equipped with features like patios, balconies, and some full kitchens or in-unit laundry. That said, the property is not uniformly new: some reviewers note the community is an older property (about 30 years), and several specific areas or units were described as dated — citing outdated cabinetry, antiquated gym equipment, and at least one report of broken pool equipment. These comments suggest that while the campus is attractive and well-kept overall, certain physical updates may be needed.
Dining: Dining is consistently highlighted as a major positive. Reviewers describe high-quality meals, variety, accommodating chefs and servers, and a pleasant dining atmosphere. Special requests are said to be honored, and some families appreciated dining coupons/free dining or included meals. There are operational or policy notes worth knowing: a few reviews called out house rules (examples include "no jeans at dinner" and "no alcohol at meals") and some mention noise in the dining room. A couple of reviewers described the bistro as needing reorganization. Overall the consensus is that food and dining service are strong selling points.
Activities and social life: The Forum scores highly on programming. Reviewers frequently list a wide range of offerings — trips to cultural events, frequent outings, craft and creative classes, fitness and swimming, twice-weekly happy hours, discussion groups, and evening entertainment. Activity staff are described as enthusiastic and effective in creating a lively social environment. The large central common areas and the campus layout support group activities and socialization. This robust activity calendar is a consistent theme and one of the top reasons residents and families recommend the community.
Transportation and logistics: The community offers helpful transportation services, including weekly shuttles, appointment transport, move-in assistance, and meal delivery/shopping transport. These services reduce the need for a car and are frequently cited as convenient and well-run. Some concerns were raised about weather-related access to facilities outside the main buildings; families should ask specifics about winter access and transport protocols.
Management, transparency and isolated concerns: While many reviews praise transparent pricing, helpful sales/transition teams, and responsive management, there are multiple isolated but serious negative reports about management communication and decision-making. Criticisms include poor leadership in individual cases (reported forced relocations), lack of executive communication, and at least one report of on-site pest exterminations (bed bugs). Visitation and safety policies also drew comments — some reviewers desired stricter vaccination or visitor rules during health-risk periods. These issues were not universal but are significant enough that prospective residents and families should directly inquire about current management practices, health and safety protocols, pest prevention, and complaint/appeal procedures to assess risk and recency.
Cost and market position: Several reviewers praised the community's upfront pricing and perceived value, while others described it as costly or noted the facility is older than some competitors. There are comments that the market is competitive and that the facility has lost residents; however, many still feel the pricing is fair relative to services. Prospective residents should compare current rates, contract terms, and the scope of included services.
Patterns and recommendations for prospective residents: The dominant pattern across reviews is strong satisfaction with food, staff, activities and the attractive campus — these are repeatedly the top reasons residents and families recommend The Forum at Brookside. The clearest areas to verify in person are: the current state of any renovation plans or recently completed updates (pool/gym/bistro), the exact progression-of-care policies if a resident’s needs increase, transparent examples of how management handles disputes or lease changes, and up-to-date information on health/safety/visitation protocols. Given the few but impactful negative reports (management complaints, pest control, and closed health services), an in-person tour, meeting with department heads (activities, nursing/healthcare director, facilities), and conversations with current residents and families are advised to get a balanced and current view.
Bottom line: The Forum at Brookside appears to deliver a high-quality living experience for many independent and assisted-living residents, with standout dining, a rich activity program, caring staff, and beautiful grounds. While most feedback is strongly favorable, there are pockets of concern about property aging, some operational problems, and a few serious management complaints. Those issues merit direct questions during a tour but do not negate the many positive, consistent themes in the reviews. Overall, it is a well-regarded continuing-care community that is worth considering for active seniors who value robust social programming, good food, and a scenic campus, provided prospective residents verify current conditions and management responses to past issues.
