The Pillars of Shorewood Landing

Be careful about choosing this facility. While attractive, the neighbors the edge of a very busy highway and there are no sidewalks or walkways on the property. If you drive, it can be perilous, as all area shopping, restaurants, and other amenities like doctor offices are across that very busy highway. The walking and wheelchair-bound populations are stuck with roaming the parking lot. The apartments themselves are spacious and some have little balconies , but they are dark and not designed by a senior living specialist. The microwave is set above the stove (dangerous for folks with walkers, inaccessible to the short or wheel-chair bound), the stove controls are at the back which requires a person with a walker to reach out over hot burners, the washer and dryer are very noisy and stacked so it is impossible for the short to use clean the dryer lint filter or to retrieve their dried clothes, and the whirlpool is not designed for people with limited mobility -- side entry instead of the standard senior living back entry/trolley arrangement. Floor surfaces in the apartments are uneven (carpet with metal carpet edges abutting vinyl plank flooring), and for the entire first year+ of operation the main entry was virtually inaccessible to wheelchairs and dangerous for walkers because of a significance height difference between the sidewalk and the entrance floor level. The facility has always suffered from a high level of turnover in staff, and now that has hit management as well. This affects care adversely. The food is very good and nutritious. Events are lovely. Activities suffered with the loss of the leader for several months, and the new leader focuses on activities that are not well suited to those with mobility or dexterity issues. This is improving. The residence itself puts significant effort into frequent happy hours and brewery visits, which meets the needs/wants of many residents but does not address the diverse desires of the residents. No chapel. Spiritual services have also experienced significant turnover. If you are relocated, it is difficult to find a spiritual community here. Cleaning services are quite poor -- a quick dust around things on a table top, vacuum of the open area of carpets (not underneath furniture), and a swab of the open areas on the vinyl plank floor with a dirty mop that leaves muddy streaks. The community now has a new dog in the common area, which may be great if you like dogs and quite terrible if you do not. The price is top of the market and reflects a western suburb premium. It has increased by 3% annually. Residents are lovely, supportive of each other, and welcoming. There is no difficulty making friends, and no difficulty having interesting conversations.

My grandmother moved into Shorewood Landing, and I've had no complaints. Her room is spacious, clean, and bright, and the food is very good. The staff is very friendly, and they have a memory care program, even though she's in assisted living.