Overall sentiment across the reviews is mixed and polarized. Many families and residents praise New Perspective Senior Living Sun Prairie for its modern, attractive facility, abundant amenities, and robust social and therapy programming. At the same time a substantial number of reviews raise serious concerns about the quality and consistency of care, particularly in assisted living and memory care. The most consistently positive themes are the building and campus features, the variety of activities and rehabilitation services, the social opportunities, and frequent praise for particular staff members who provide compassionate, individualized support. Conversely the most alarming negative themes involve staffing levels, training, and safety incidents that directly impact resident wellbeing.
Care quality and safety vary widely depending on level of care and staffing. Independent living reviews trend strongly positive: residents enjoy the hotel-like atmosphere, freedom, large apartments with kitchenettes, abundant activities, and the therapy and pool amenities. However, many reviewers report that the age-in-place model means independent residents receive minimal hands-on assistance and that base assisted living services are costly; families sometimes find that the community does not provide lower-level help as expected. Assisted living and memory care carry the majority of critical comments. Commonly reported problems include missed or incorrectly administered medications, delayed or missed toileting and bathing, soiled clothing and rooms, unexplained bruising, resident falls, wandering, and in some accounts dangerous practices (for example a memory exit propped open or secured by a chair). Several reviews allege severe neglect such as residents left in feces or sitting in soiled clothing, and at least one described a choking incident with a slow staff response. Health and safety concerns were amplified by reports of hot water outages, health code-style complaints, and claims of inadequate overnight coverage. There are conflicting reports about nursing availability: some reviews say there is a 24-hour nurse and solid clinical oversight, while others say there is no overnight nurse and week-end coverage is lacking. Families should verify staffing patterns and recent state inspection reports when evaluating the community.
Staffing, training, and leadership are recurring themes. Many reviews single out individual caregivers and activity staff as compassionate, skilled, and proactive, and many reviewers credit the staff for quick adjustment and social engagement. Yet an approximately equal volume of reviews describe chronic understaffing, inexperienced or untrained aides (especially for dementia), high turnover, and caregivers who are inattentive, slow to respond to call buttons, or even engaging in unprofessional behaviors (arguing in hallways, sleeping or lounging on shift). A few reviewers make serious allegations about staff misconduct including drinking or using illegal substances on shift; these are serious claims that families should seek to verify through management and state agencies. Multiple families reported that management does not listen, is slow to respond to complaints, or appears more focused on billing/fees and occupancy than on follow-up and corrective action. Billing errors, unexpected fee increases, and nonrefundable large community fees were also cited as sources of frustration.
Facilities, amenities, and housekeeping show a sharp contrast in experiences. The community is repeatedly described as beautiful, modern, well-lit, and hotel-like with luxury touches, chandeliers, large windows, and attractive common spaces. The pools, therapy services, salon, pub, and varied programming are major draws and are frequently described as above average in the market. At the same time housekeeping and laundry are inconsistent across reviews: some describe impeccable cleanliness and timely weekly cleaning, while others report missed cleanings, unemptied garbage, missing towels and clothing, and rooms left in unsanitary condition. These inconsistencies suggest variability in operational execution, likely tied to staffing levels and contractor quality for housekeeping.
Dining and nutrition are another mixed area. Many reviewers praise chef-designed meals, variety, restaurant-style dining rooms, and accommodating dietary options. The pub, happy hour, and social dining aspects are highlighted positively. Conversely, multiple reviews complain about cold meals, high sodium content, small portions, overcooked or undercooked entrees, and lack of eating assistance or mealtime supervision. Several families reported that residents were not given adequate help to eat, leading to weight loss and malnourishment in some cases. One or more choking incidents and slow response times at mealtimes were called out as particularly concerning. Prospective residents should observe meal service and ask about supervision and staffing during peak dining hours.
Activities, social life, and therapy are strong points for many residents. Reviews cite a wide array of offerings: water aerobics, arts and crafts, outings, bingo, brain-training programs, live entertainment, trips, in-house PT/OT/speech therapy, and a calendar full of daily choices. These programs appear to work well for independent and higher-functioning residents, increasing physical activity and social engagement. By contrast, memory care programming receives criticism for limited, inconsistent activities and inadequate staff skill to engage residents with dementia; a few reviews say memory care is still in the learning phase and would benefit from more trained staff and unit supervision.
Notable operational and policy concerns include weekend coverage gaps (maintenance, nursing, management), front desk and package delivery problems, and strict visitor restrictions beyond what some families expected. Several reviewers specifically described age-in-place marketing that did not match the delivered level of assistance, and some felt promises made during tours were not kept. There are also repeated concerns about pricing transparency, upfront nonrefundable fees, and perceived corporate emphasis on revenue. Given the range of experiences, these operational issues appear to be inconsistent and possibly dependent on timing and staff mix.
Recommendations for families evaluating this community: 1) Distinguish clearly between independent living, assisted living, and memory care expectations — the facility scores strongest for independent and rehab-oriented stays and weaker for dementia and higher-level personal care in many reviews. 2) During a tour, observe staffing during peak times (mealtimes, evenings, weekends), ask for current staffing ratios, turnover statistics, and the exact scope and hours of nursing coverage. 3) Request recent state inspection reports, incident/complaint history, and written policies on visitor access, medication management, and incident reporting. 4) Ask about housekeeping and laundry contract practices, food service supervision, and concrete procedures for fall prevention and emergency response. 5) Speak with current families, especially those with loved ones in memory care or assisted living, to verify consistency of care and responsiveness of management.
In summary, New Perspective Senior Living Sun Prairie offers an impressive physical environment, extensive amenities, therapy services, and social programming that many residents and families love. However, there is a substantial and recurring set of complaints around staffing, training, medication and hygiene lapses, safety incidents, inconsistent housekeeping, and management responsiveness — problems serious enough to warrant careful due diligence before moving a loved one who needs assisted living or memory care. For independent-living seekers or short-term rehab/therapy residents the community may be an excellent fit; for those requiring consistent hands-on care, families should verify current clinical staffing, oversight, and incident remediation before committing.
