Overall sentiment in these reviews is mixed but clearly centers on exceptionally strong, caring staff and good clinical capability—especially in memory care—balanced against recurring facility/maintenance and consistency issues. A large portion of reviewers emphasize that staff are wonderful, go the extra mile, treat residents like family, and are responsive: they praise directors and individual employees by name, note quick issue resolution, and describe an atmosphere of compassion, safety, and improved resident engagement. Many reviewers say residents acclimate well, thrive, and feel loved and secure. The facility is repeatedly described as offering very good value for the price, with home-cooked, nutritious meals served in a pleasant dining area by friendly dining staff. Administrative responsiveness, family-owned management, team-oriented culture, and prideful presentation of the facility are also frequent positives.
At the same time, significant and recurring concerns appear across multiple reviews. The most common negative themes are unpleasant odors (notably urine and heavily soiled carpet) and related ventilation/airing-out problems; these are reported by several reviewers and described as noticeable upon visit or during stays. Cleanliness impressions are inconsistent—while many reviewers call the building and rooms clean and the cleaning staff friendly, others describe heavy soiling, a strong smell, or delayed carpet replacement and repairs. There are also troubling reports about care inconsistency: while many praise nurses and direct care staff, multiple reviewers describe unfriendly or unprofessional nurses, lapses in duty (including alleged inadequate wound care), and at least one strong accusation that standards were unacceptable. This contrast suggests variability in staff performance by shift or by individual.
Facility features and physical plant issues are a third major theme. Positive notes include a nice steel kitchen, a clean-looking community, and plans for upgrades or a new outdoor area. However, several reviewers report that planned repairs and upgrades have not yet started, the outdoor area and parking are limited or not yet built, and overcrowding concerns arise due to perceived resident density in a larger facility. Room configurations are another mixed point: some residents have private rooms with bathrooms (at a higher cost), while others are in shared rooms with two twin beds and limited privacy. Cost/value tradeoffs are mentioned: many praise the affordability and value, but some note that private rooms are expensive relative to the shared-room option.
Programming and communication receive similarly mixed feedback. Many reviewers report engaging activities, a caring activity director, and transparent family communication; others say the activity director was unavailable during a visit, interim changes have limited activities, or follow-up/communication has been poor (including confusion over contact numbers and business vs personal phone lines). Management impressions vary with ownership and timing: some reviews say new owners have empowered staff leading to noticeable improvements, while other reviewers find management unsettled and cite miscommunication or slow repair work. COVID-related ventilation concerns were explicitly mentioned by some reviewers, reflecting infection-control anxieties.
In summary, Elysian Gardens appears to excel at person-centered care delivered by a largely compassionate and attentive staff, strong memory-care expertise, and solid dining and daily-life programming—features many families regard as great value. However, persistent issues with odors/cleanliness in some areas, inconsistent nursing professionalism and care performance, limited outdoor/parking options, intermittent communication problems, and delayed repairs/upgrades merit attention. Prospective families should weigh the consistently praised staff culture and clinical capability against these facility and consistency concerns, and consider visiting multiple times (including different shifts), asking about specific wound care and staffing protocols, viewing both private and shared rooms, and confirming timelines for planned repairs and outdoor amenities before deciding.
