Overall sentiment across these reviews is sharply mixed but leans heavily toward concern: residents and families frequently praise the facility’s physical attributes and some individual staff members, but many reviews report persistent, serious problems with care quality, staffing, communication and safety. The Rivers Grosse Pointe is repeatedly described as a beautiful, modern, hotel-like campus with bright common areas, high-end finishes, spacious apartments, in-unit washers/dryers in some units, an attractive dining atrium and amenities such as an on-site pub and pool. The rehabilitation space — a large, well-lit PT gym with parallel bars, pool therapy and proactive therapists — receives consistent positive mentions for therapy skill, individualized PT programming and good rehab outcomes for some patients (including amputee rehabilitation). Some long-tenured staff, individual nurses, aides and techs are singled out for compassion and competence, and several families report satisfied residents and a strong quality experience.
Despite strong aesthetics and pockets of high-quality therapy and caregiving, complaints about systemic operational failures are numerous and significant. The dominant theme is chronic understaffing and high turnover that manifests as slow or non-existent responses to call bells, infrequent resident checks, long waits for assistance with meals and bathroom needs, and reports of residents left unattended for hours. These staffing shortfalls are described as worse on nights and weekends. Reviewers describe inexperienced or temporary hires, staff who appear overworked and apathetic, and instances of staff socializing rather than performing required care duties. Several accounts describe dangerous outcomes from these failures: falls without timely help, untreated wounds and pressure injuries (including an alleged stage 4 bed sore), dehydration and missed medications — in at least one set of reviews these problems are linked to emergency hospital transfers and regulatory investigations.
Communication and management are another recurring problem area. Numerous families report poor communication from administration and nursing leadership: ignored calls, withheld information, difficulty obtaining medical records (including complaints about being charged high fees for records), and confusing or failed coordination with outside providers such as dialysis units. A small number of reviews allege HIPAA violations and claim that families were prevented from speaking about incidents. Admissions and intake processes were also criticized: long waits, disorganized paperwork, and last-minute room cancellations. Where administration and social work are accessible and engaged, reviewers note better experiences; where management is described as defensive, profit-driven or unresponsive, outcomes and satisfaction decline sharply.
Safety concerns and reports of neglect are among the most serious themes. Multiple reviews recount instances of patients left in soiled clothing or urine, found crawling on the floor, or lying injured without timely help. There are allegations of unprofessional or abusive behavior toward residents (including screaming at a dementia patient), medication refusal, feeding-tube mishaps, and missed or improperly performed wound care. A few reviews explicitly mention state-level investigations and regulatory citations. While some reports praise vigilant, caring staff who intervened appropriately, the pattern of repeated safety-related complaints suggests systemic risk rather than isolated incidents.
Dining and daily living complaints are frequent and specific: meal service delays, cold or poor-quality food, fried-heavy menus, missing staples like coffee or tea at meals, and shortages of basic supplies (water, Depends, washcloths) until repeatedly requested. Assisted-living residents also report limited TV/cable options and a lack of promised amenities such as kitchens or storage in certain unit types. Several reviewers explicitly describe the price as high and the perceived value as poor; one review cites a 63% rent increase and accuses the facility of predatory pricing. These financial concerns compound dissatisfaction where quality of care is perceived to be lacking.
Rehabilitation services show a mixed but generally more positive picture: many reviews praise the therapy team for being proactive, skilled and outcome-oriented, describing good equipment, focused interventions, and encouragement for self-directed exercise. However, therapy experiences are not universal; some families report insufficient therapy duration, early discharge, or that nursing and aide support were inadequate to allow rehab to be effective. Thus, while the therapy department appears to be a relative strength, success often depends on adequate nursing and ancillary support that reviewers say is inconsistently present.
Staff professionalism and culture are highly polarized in the reviews. Numerous accounts describe rude, unprofessional or even cruel interactions by staff, including allegations of verbal abuse or threats by specific RNs. Conversely, many reviews single out individual caregivers, therapists, or administrative staff for notable compassion and responsiveness. This polarization suggests variability by shift, team, or tenure: daytime therapy teams and some long-tenured staff receive praise, while nights, weekends, newer hires and temporary staff are the most common subject of complaints.
In synthesis, The Rivers Grosse Pointe is consistently lauded for its facility, aesthetics and therapy amenities, and several staff members and teams are highly valued. However, an overriding pattern of understaffing, inconsistent nursing supervision, poor communication from management, dining and supply-service failures, and repeated allegations of neglect and serious safety incidents constitute major and recurring concerns. Prospective residents and families should weigh the strong physical environment and good therapy options against multiple reports of unpredictable care quality and significant safety risks. For those considering short-term rehab stays or residents with high medical and supervision needs (including memory care or complex medical regimens), reviewers frequently recommend caution or seeking alternative settings due to recurring reports of delayed responses, missed care, and troubling adverse outcomes.
