Open Arms Assisted Living in Denver, CO

Pros

• Open Arms is described as a gem for families seeking compassionate, high-quality care.
• The staff are attentive, proactive, and genuinely compassionate, treating each resident like family.
• Antonette and her team greet residents by their first name and create a warm, family-like atmosphere.
• Antonette and Luz are the heart and soul of Open Arms, their dedication and kindness making a world of difference.
• The facility is new, clean, and feels like a home setting.
• Meals are great, the staff are friendly, and telehealth is available in every room, simplifying doctor visits.
• The rooms are light, clean, and cozy; common areas feel spacious and homey.
• The management is experienced, capable, and unflappable, and the staff are kind, caring, and patient.
• The facility serves minority communities and fosters a real sense of community with nearby church services and events.
• The environment is cheerful, clean, and welcoming, and Open Arms lives up to its name.
• Residents have new friends and the staff greet visitors warmly during each visit.
• The resident gardens and fruit trees provide enjoyable opportunities for harvest and cooking.

Cons

• They report that a large sum of money and many valuables were stolen from a friend who had died there, and that the staff were unhelpful, exacerbating the loss.
• They characterize the facility as horrible and callous, unable to imagine a worse place.
• They allege that $6,000 was stolen, a car title was stolen from a safe, and two firearms went missing; they accuse staff of being awful, unhelpful, and of mistreating and lying to dying patients.
• They say Antionette was extremely rude during a move-in inquiry, making the process feel inconvenient.
• They state the facility is in federal violation, lacking ADA-accessible doors and refusing a service dog.
• They caution others not to send loved ones there, describing it as unsafe and untrustworthy.

Review

Open Arms Assisted Living in Denver is best suited for families seeking a small, home-like setting where residents are known by name and daily life centers on warmth, familiar faces, and close caregiver relationships. The strongest case rests with seniors who respond well to personal attention, social engagement, and a community that feels intimate rather than institutional. Reviewers consistently highlight a family atmosphere, with Antonette and Luz singled out as the heart of the operation, delivering care that feels genuinely caring rather than routine. The new facility, lower fees, and emphasis on integrating with local culture, including services that reflect minority communities, add up to a practical option for households prioritizing belonging, conversation, and consistent smiles over marble corridors or antiseptic polish. In short, Open Arms rewards residents who want a grounded, neighborly environment where staff know their names and daily routines.

Families who may want to consider alternatives are those for whom robust safety infrastructure and ironclad governance are non-negotiable. Several reviews raise serious concerns about theft, mismanagement, and accountability, including claims of room break-ins, missing valuables, and suspicious activity tied to management. The absence of visible surveillance and a perception that problems were not promptly addressed undermine trust for loved ones with fragile finances or heightened safety needs. Additional red flags include allegations of rude inquiries from management, incomplete adherence to medication protocols, and restricted accommodations for service animals. For families that prioritize rigorous oversight, transparent incident reporting, and a consistently professional tone from leadership, exploring other options would be prudent.

The core advantages, staff warmth, genuine engagement, and a community-centric vibe, are meaningful enough to offset some downsides when the family’s priorities align. Caregivers are described as attentive, responsive, and skilled, with residents forming friendships and enjoying shared activities in a setting that feels small enough to be personal but large enough to offer variety. The combination of affordable pricing, a modern facility, and features such as telehealth in every room, well-tended gardens, and home-like common areas makes Open Arms a compelling value proposition for families who want a devoted, personable staff and a sense of belonging without premium prices. When the focus is on day-to-day life, meals, companionship, and easy access to care, the positives can feel substantial enough to justify otherwise concerning anecdotes.

That said, the most troubling threads in the reviews cut straight to trust and safety. Instances described as theft on multiple occasions, a lack of clear cameras or investigative follow-through, and reports of indifferent or obstructive responses from management create a cloud over everyday operations. Medication lapses and a perception that residents’ needs were deprioritized in some episodes further erode confidence in a facility that otherwise promises reassurance. The tension between the heartfelt, personable care highlighted by many families and the stark allegations of governance failures makes the decision highly task-specific: for some, the personal touch will compensate for gaps; for others, the risk of unresolved problems will not.

Operationally, the contrast is instructive. On one hand, critics note a deeply caring culture, staff who greet families warmly, and administrators who appear capable and steady under pressure. On the other hand, inconsistent communication, difficulty reaching administrators by phone, and accusations of rude or dismissive interactions cannot be ignored. Families should verify current leadership stability, obtain a candid explanation of safety protocols, and request recent resident satisfaction data before making a commitment. It is essential to tour with questions in hand: how are thefts or safety incidents investigated, what surveillance exists, how are medications administered, and how quickly are concerns escalated to family members?

In the final assessment, Open Arms Assisted Living offers a practical, affectionate option for seniors who value a small, welcoming community and can tolerate a spectrum of governance issues. It is well-suited for families seeking cost-conscious care with a tangible sense of belonging, where the staff’s warmth and the residents’ social life are the anchors of daily life. Those prioritizing ironclad security, rigorous incident handling, or a uniformly professional tone from leadership should weigh alternatives more heavily and perform additional diligence. Prospective families are advised to pursue thorough, in-person assessments, talk with current residents, request recent incident logs, inspect safety features, and verify licensing and enforcement records, to determine whether Open Arms will consistently deliver the peace of mind that long-term care demands.

Cafes

• Starbucks (1.1 miles)
• Dutch Bros Coffee (1.3 miles)
• Final Approach (6.6 miles)
• Dutch Bros Coffee (7 miles)
• Starbucks (7 miles)
• Starbucks (7.4 miles)
• Starbucks (8 miles)

Pharmacies

• McKesson Drug Co. (1.5 miles)
• King Soopers Pharmacy (2.8 miles)
• Walgreens (2.9 miles)
• Walgreens (3.3 miles)
• Walgreens (3.7 miles)
• Walgreens (4.5 miles)
• Walgreens (5.5 miles)

Transportation

• RTD Rail - 40th Ave & Airport Boulevard-Gateway Park Station (2.2 miles)
• United Airlines Flight Training Center (4.3 miles)
• Thrifty Car Rental (7 miles)
• SIXT rent a car (7 miles)
• Rental Car Lots (7 miles)
• Budget Rent A Car (7.3 miles)
• Fox Rent A Car Denver (7.4 miles)

Restaurants

• McDonald's (2.4 miles)
• Moonlight Diner (3.3 miles)
• Stanley Beer Hall (3.6 miles)
• McDonald's (3.6 miles)
• In-N-Out Burger (5.1 miles)
• Chipotle Mexican Grill (5.8 miles)
• State House 38 (7 miles)

Hospitals

• Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center (2.8 miles)
• Children's Hospital Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus (3 miles)
• University of Colorado Hospital (3.1 miles)
• Village Pavilion (3.2 miles)
• National Jewish Health (7 miles)
• Cherry Creek Eye Center (8.1 miles)

Physicians

• UCHealth Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center - Anschutz Medical Campus (3 miles)
• Colorado Kids Pediatrics (4.4 miles)
• Health Images (6.3 miles)
• The Medical Center of Aurora (6.7 miles)
• Orthopedic Associates (6.8 miles)
• Rose Medical Center Medical Libr (6.9 miles)
• Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers (6.9 miles)

Parks

• Rolling Bluff Park (3.3 miles)
• Lowry Dog Park (5.5 miles)
• City Park (7.5 miles)
• Reunion Park (7.5 miles)
• Great Plains Park (8.1 miles)
• Infinity Park (8.4 miles)
• Cheesman Park (8.6 miles)

Theaters

• Amc 9+Co 1 (7.2 miles)