Overall sentiment across the reviews for Avamere at Hermiston is predominantly positive with consistent praise for the facility environment and many of the caregiving staff, but several recurring operational concerns temper that positivity. Multiple reviewers emphasize that the building is clean, attractive, and provides a pleasant living environment with a courtyard and good walking space. Residents benefit from large studios or rooms that frequently include amenities like a fridge and microwave. Many families and residents describe the place as feeling like home, with visitors welcomed and neighbors forming friendly communities.
Care quality and staffing elicit mostly favorable comments: reviewers commonly call staff polite, kind, genuine, professional, and compassionate. The director and some managers are singled out as helpful and knowledgeable, and several people report an easy transition into the community, with medical and financial needs being addressed thoroughly. These accounts include stories of residents feeling safe, well cared for, and happy with their social lives, friendships, and daily routine. A number of reviews explicitly recommend the facility based on these strengths.
Despite the generally positive tone about caregiving, there is clear variability in staff performance and capacity. Several reviewers note short-handed shifts, inconsistency in staff quality, and situations where residents were expected to ask repeatedly for assistance rather than having needs anticipated. A few reviewers reported administrative unresponsiveness (for example, a secretary/manager not responding and a situation where a former resident was not accepted back after leaving), and some residents experienced damaged or mishandled items. These issues point to occasional operational gaps in staffing levels, training, or internal communication.
Dining is the most frequently cited pain point. Many reviews describe inconsistent food quality: while some praise the meals, a larger number report poor food, limited vegetable variety, meat items that were reportedly inedible, and high turnover or poor performance in the kitchen staff. Meal service timing is another problem area — reviewers mention long waits from ordering to being served (one noted it takes about an hour). Communication between kitchen staff and residents or upper management is also highlighted as needing improvement.
Activities are generally viewed as a positive feature — there are plenty of activities and programs that help residents stay engaged, and the community provides outings such as store runs or country drives. However, multiple reviews request more challenging or stimulating programming for residents with higher cognitive ability; some cited lockdown-related limits on activities as well. Accessibility to outings appears inconsistent: some reviewers praise the transportation options, while others note they have never been taken on outings.
Cost and clarity of policies are recurring concerns. Several reviewers feel pricing is high or have noted rent increases, and there is at least one instance of confusion about eligibility for discounts (for example, unclear military discount rules). For some families, the cost prompted comparison with other locations and made the relocation decision difficult. These financial concerns combined with inconsistent operational experiences (food, staffing, communication) form the main reservations expressed by reviewers.
In summary, Avamere at Hermiston shines in facility quality, resident safety and social environment, and many examples of caring, professional staff and leadership. The top areas to watch or improve are dining consistency and speed of service, staff consistency and staffing levels, clearer communication from management (especially about policies and discounts), and more tailored/advanced activities for higher-functioning residents. For families prioritizing a clean, community-oriented living environment with compassionate caregivers, the facility is often highly regarded; families for whom food quality, predictable staffing, and transparent pricing are critical may want to investigate those areas further during a tour and through direct conversation with management.
