Overall sentiment across the reviews for Menno Haven is strongly positive but not uniformly so. A substantial majority of reviewers praise the community for its caring, friendly and attentive staff, excellent dining, extensive activities, and attractive campus amenities. Many reviewers highlight the facility’s cleanliness, modernized buildings (including a new Life Center), and high-quality on-site rehabilitation services. Multiple accounts describe long-term satisfaction, top-notch rehab experiences, and a sense that the community is a good value relative to alternatives in New Hampshire or New Jersey.
Staff and care quality are recurring themes and present a nuanced picture. Numerous reviewers emphasize compassionate, respectful nursing and caregiving staff who know residents by name, offer individualized attention, and “go the extra mile.” Several positive comments single out specific staff members (LPNs, Nursing Director, chaplain) and note frequent check-ins, prompt responses to needs, and strong continuity of personal care. Conversely, a notable minority of reviews describe serious shortcomings: rude or unprofessional staff, harsh language, poor pain management (medications withheld or not administered), rough handling, and a lack of continuity between shifts. These negative accounts often include reports of inadequate communication or handoffs and feelings that management dismissed complaints. The overall pattern suggests that while many residents experience excellent care, there are instances where staffing, training, or oversight gaps lead to serious adverse experiences.
Facilities, campus and amenities receive consistent acclaim. Reviewers frequently praise the well-manicured grounds, walking trails, ponds and community gardens, and note multiple indoor swimming pools, a well-equipped gym, libraries, woodworking and game areas, and well-appointed entertainment/banquet rooms. Housing options are diverse and attract positive remarks: large apartments with kitchenettes, cottages, villas and single-family homes are available, and several reviews describe units as lovely, modernized, and roomy. The dining experience is repeatedly highlighted as a distinguishing strength — multiple people call the dining room the best in the area, and food quality is regularly described as excellent and restaurant-like. There are also practical conveniences such as guest rooms with kitchenettes, housekeeping services, meal delivery and on-site rehab and therapy.
Activities, social life and resident engagement are strong points. Reviewers report a wide range of scheduled activities, free classes, bus trips, movie nights, exercise groups, Christmas caroling and lively volunteer involvement. Many residents feel socially connected and engaged; several comments mention staff ensuring participation and arranging dinners and outings. However, one recurring concern is the sheer size of the campus (nearly a thousand residents mentioned), which some say contributes to an institutional atmosphere and can make memory-care residents feel isolated from other parts of campus, potentially affecting monitoring of depression and eating problems.
Operations, management and safety: Menno Haven’s pandemic response and vaccination efforts are noted positively, and leadership visibility (including a CEO with nursing background and ownership continuity) reassures many reviewers. Nonetheless, criticisms focus on costs and fees (some find pricing high or maintenance fees “ridiculous”), occasional lack of responsiveness to complaints, and specific incidents such as rushed discharges or valuables being locked up. Several reviewers point to understaffing and interpersonal conflicts among staff as operational risks that can degrade care quality. Transportation for sick residents is another operational gap called out by multiple reviewers.
In summary, Menno Haven is widely regarded as a high-quality retirement community with standout dining, excellent rehab services, beautiful grounds, varied housing options, and a rich activity schedule. The majority narrative emphasizes cleanliness, caring staff and a strong continuum of care. However, reviewers also report variability in frontline caregiving — including understaffing, problematic medication management, poor shift communication, and occasional unprofessional behavior — which have led to some serious negative outcomes for a minority of residents. Prospective residents and families should weigh the strong positive amenities and generally excellent services against risks tied to staffing consistency and should seek clear answers about medication protocols, staffing levels, complaint resolution practices, fees, and proximity/monitoring of memory-care units before deciding. Regular follow-up on these operational issues and targeted improvements in staff training, handoff communication, and transparency around costs could address the main concerns highlighted in the reviews.
