Franklin House in Eustis, FL

Pros

• The new manager is amazing and goes above and beyond to help residents.
• During the exterior renovation, the staff and residents were extraordinarily upbeat and friendly.
• The manager follows rental laws and works to improve residents' lives by adding amenities like a DVD library and organizing food bank deliveries.
• A resident's mother lives there and really likes the other residents, feeling blessed to have a clean, affordable, safe place to live.
• The maintenance guy and the service coordinator are the best reasons to visit.
• The staff was friendly when there was a delivery.

Cons

• They kicked out a 94-year-old and had her arrested, leaving her bruised.
• The staff are described as unprofessional, disrespectful, and discriminatory, even asking about a resident's race before renting.
• A 94-year-old woman was jailed over a $161 rent bill, which reviewers call absolutely disgusting and shameful.
• The facility is old and in disrepair, with residents reporting turned-off water and neglect.
• The operation is accused of greed and using its church affiliation as a cover for mistreatment.
• The management is described as heartless and abusive toward elderly residents.
• Reviewers say the place should be shut down and investigated for mold and broader crimes against humanity.
• People are advised not to send their loved ones there and to avoid supporting the organization.
• Overall, the facility is labeled horrible and deserving of closure and accountability.

Review

Franklin House in Eustis, FL, is best suited for a budget-conscious senior whose priority is a compact, church-associated setting and who can tolerate close scrutiny of care practices and governance by family members and local oversight. The facility presents as a low-cost option in a small-community footprint, and it may appeal to residents who value affordability and a familiar, intimate atmosphere over broad amenities or highly structured clinical oversight.

Those weighing alternatives should seriously consider options if safety, dignity, and reliable care are nonnegotiable. The collective experience captured in reviews points to serious concerns about resident treatment and policy enforcement, including alleged mistreatment, eviction tactics, and arrest of elderly residents. For anyone needing consistent clinical oversight, strong abuse prevention protocols, or transparent governance, other facilities with verifiable licensing histories and independent oversight will likely deliver greater peace of mind.

On the positive side, the most frequently cited asset is the appearance that a new manager has begun to shift the culture toward compliance and resident-focused service. Several reviewers describe improved communication, lawful rental practices, and hands-on efforts to aid residents through community-building activities like DVD libraries and food bank deliveries. The staff is repeatedly described as friendly and knowledgeable, and some residents or family members commend the clean environment and the sense that the place is affordable. In a setting where cost is a critical factor, these practical, tangible improvements matter.

Yet, these perceived improvements struggle to offset the depth and breadth of the main concerns. The most damning pattern across reviews is a core issue of resident maltreatment and punitive handling of residents, including dramatic and highly publicized allegations of dragging a 94-year-old resident, arrest for a rent-related issue, and calls for investigations. Management behavior is repeatedly described as unprofessional or discriminatory, and questions about accountability, background checks, and the sincerity of non-profit church affiliations cast a long shadow. Reports of abrupt policy changes, tone when responding to reviews, and a perception of prioritizing appearances over resident welfare dilute any potential upside from the improved operations.

Condition and safety considerations compound the risk. Several comments highlight aging infrastructure, with concerns about building maintenance, water outages, and even mold and mildew issues in some accounts. When combined with a history of staff turnover and leadership tensions, the overall environment can feel unstable. The tension between positive anecdotes from a subset of residents and the overwhelmingly negative, sensational claims from others creates a volatile perception of the community - one that makes consistent, long-term placement decisions difficult. For families seeking steady care trajectories, these factors tip the balance toward caution or alternatives.

Ultimately, the pros and cons do not balance evenly. The potential for improved day-to-day service and a lower price is real, but it remains overshadowed by high-profile allegations, governance concerns, and ongoing questions about treatment of residents. The risk to a vulnerable loved one's safety and dignity appears outsized relative to the perceived cost savings. The prudent takeaway is to treat Franklin House as a facility to approach only after exhaustive verification steps have been completed and only if families can implement meticulous, ongoing oversight and rapid response protocols. Otherwise, alternatives with stronger licensure records, clearer abuse-prevention histories, and demonstrable continuity of care are advisable.

For families evaluating options, immediate steps are clear: visit multiple times at various hours, talk directly with current residents and families, request recent licensing inspections and response records, and contact the state long-term care ombudsman for guidance. Require corroboration of staff training, grievance procedures, and incident reporting, and insist on transparent annual audits of finances and operations. Favor facilities with stable leadership, consistent staffing ratios, documented resident-rights protections, and a track record of compassionate care in independent, third-party reviews. If Franklin House remains under consideration, pursue a binding trial arrangement with clear exit terms and a structured monitoring plan, and compare it against nearby alternatives that demonstrate safer, more reliable care ecosystems.

Physicians

• Docs Diagnostic Outpatient Center (0.2 miles)
• Sharon Nickell- Olm Family (0.3 miles)
• Lake Primary Care Associates (0.3 miles)
• Dr Eagles Office (0.3 miles)
• Lake County Preferred OB GYN (0.9 miles)
• Ear Nose & Throat Associates (0.9 miles)
• Lake Primary Care Associates (0.9 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.4 miles)
• Walgreens (1.9 miles)
• Lake Pharmacy (2 miles)
• Winn-Dixie (2.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.8 miles)
• Winn-Dixie (3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3 miles)

Restaurants

• Jeffrey Paul's Chophouse (0.5 miles)
• McDonald's (0.5 miles)
• Arby's (0.5 miles)
• Wendy's (0.6 miles)
• Golden Corral (0.7 miles)
• Gator's Dockside (0.9 miles)
• Kiku Japanese Steakhouse (0.9 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (0.8 miles)
• Starbucks (3.2 miles)

Hospitals

• AdventHealth Waterman (1.3 miles)
• Florida Hospital Waterman (1.3 miles)
• Lrmc Riverside Urgent Care Center (4.6 miles)

Places of Worship

• First Church Kidz (1.5 miles)
• First United Methodist Church (3.8 miles)
• Victory Church (4.2 miles)
• First Baptist Church of Mount Dora (4.2 miles)
• St Patrick Catholic Church of Mt Dora (5 miles)

Theaters

• Epic Theatres (1.7 miles)

Parks

• Eustis Lake Walk (1.9 miles)
• Trout Lake Nature (2.9 miles)
• Donnelly Park (3.6 miles)
• Trimble Park (5 miles)