Overall impression: The reviews present Arbor Terrace Highland Park as a modern, well-appointed assisted living and memory care community with overwhelmingly positive feedback about staff, facilities, dining, and activities. Multiple reviewers describe the building as bright, new, clean and beautifully designed with hotel- or resort-like touches. Residents and families repeatedly praise the warm, welcoming atmosphere, the tendency of staff to greet people by name, and the strong first impressions during tours and move-in. The balance of positive comments versus concerns leans heavily toward satisfaction: many reviewers explicitly say their loved ones are happy, thriving, and well cared for.
Care quality and clinical support: Many reviewers highlight excellent nursing support, knowledgeable therapists, and attentive caregivers. The presence of 24-hour call buttons, in-house PT/OT space, and responsive nursing staff are cited as reasons families feel secure. Memory care is frequently singled out as effective and compassionate — several notes about a small, well-run memory care neighborhood and staff skilled in dementia care. At the same time, a recurring caution appears: several reviewers raise issues of periodic understaffing and high turnover among CNAs and some nursing directors. A number of reviews mention specific care lapses — bruises or other concerns — and there are explicit worries about CNAs distributing medication in at least one report. These negative points are less frequent than the praise but are significant because they affect clinical safety perceptions and should be discussed during a tour.
Staff, leadership and culture: One of the strongest and most consistent themes is staff excellence. Individual staff members and roles are named repeatedly — most notably Sales Director Jeff Altschul, but also dining staff (Destiny, James, Carla), concierge/front-desk (Sherry, Sheri), activities/team leaders (Morgan, Blythe, Z' Cani), and others (Dominique, Arturo). Reviewers emphasize compassion, professionalism, responsiveness, and staff who remember residents’ and visitors’ names. The activities team receives particular praise for creativity, energy, and programs that make residents feel valued. Leadership presence and accessibility (especially Jeff) are highlighted as comforting to families. Conversely, several reviewers call out upper-management choices: price increases paired with perceived reductions in services, menu downgrades, and a lack of transparency — all of which have generated dissatisfaction in a subset of families.
Facilities, amenities and environment: The physical plant and amenities are a frequent source of praise. Reviews describe spacious, light-filled apartments with well-designed bathrooms and closets, some units with fireplaces, kitchenettes, huge TVs, and generous living areas. Common spaces — a bright dining room, bistro, movie theater, beauty shop, spa, and engaging outdoor gardens and grounds — are repeatedly noted. The community is described as well-maintained with ample outdoor seating and pleasant, peaceful places to enjoy nature. It is characterized as being newer and high-end, with a contemporary décor and a 'cruise-ship' or resort-like atmosphere by several reviewers.
Dining and activities: Food and programming are standout strengths. Many reviewers praise the chef and dining team for gourmet, varied and well-presented meals (with the frittata singled out repeatedly). There are mentions of family dining options (e.g., eat with relatives for a fee), holiday events, musicians, weekly spa trips, and organized outings via the community bus to botanical gardens and concerts. The activities director and team are described as energetic, creative and deeply engaged with residents’ interests, consistently delivering an abundant calendar of social, educational, and entertainment events.
Operational concerns and patterns to watch: While positives dominate, several consistent concerns recur and should be considered by prospective residents and families. Reported understaffing and turnover can impact continuity of care and day-to-day responsiveness. Some reviewers say management has implemented changes perceived as cost-saving (menu downgrades, fewer services) while raising prices, and a few complain about a lack of transparency from upper management. Organizational and communication issues are noted, particularly in the context of the community being new or during re-opening phases. A small number of reviews describe care lapses (bruises, inadequate attention) and practical limitations such as no dedicated medical transportation and cable not being included. These criticisms are important but appear in a minority of reviews relative to the volume of praise.
Bottom line and recommendations: Arbor Terrace Highland Park is repeatedly endorsed for its compassionate staff, strong clinical support, rich activity program, attractive modern facility, and excellent dining. Many families report quick, positive resident acclimation and ongoing peace of mind. However, prospective families should use tours to probe operational details that some reviewers flagged: current staffing levels and turnover rates, medication administration policies, recent changes to menus or services, billing/pricing transparency, and availability of medical transportation. Meet the nursing team, ask for sample menus, request metrics on staffing ratios and turnover, and, if memory care is relevant, arrange to see that neighborhood in operation. Doing so will help confirm the overwhelmingly positive themes in reviews while ensuring any lingering operational concerns are satisfactorily addressed.
