Laura Lake Assisted Living in Marietta, GA

Pros

• Laurel Lodge is described as a safe and inviting place for loved ones.
• Becky Bowman is hailed as a blessing to many at Laurel Lodge and makes families feel like family.
• The staff and administration are noted as friendly, professional, and caring, creating a warm atmosphere for holidays and events.
• The facility is praised for being clean, well-designed, and personalized to residents’ needs, with quality accommodations and engaging activities.
• The community is called a hidden jewel and an amazing place for assisted living and memory care, offering top-notch care.
• New leadership (Carly Applewhite) is viewed as turning things around, listening with compassion, and keeping an open door.
• The transition process for new residents is described as smooth and well-supported by caring staff.

Cons

• They felt that care did not proportionally justify the nearly $6,000 monthly cost.
• They observed deterioration after the ownership change to The Oaks, citing constant staff turnover, declining cleanliness, higher prices, worse food, and removal of amenities.
• They reported that nurses and med techs could not administer medications according to doctors’ orders.
• They described management negligence and noted that calls or emails were never returned.
• They warned others not to sign a lease or choose Laurel Lodge, criticizing the ownership for not knowing how to run an establishment.
• They stated they would not recommend the facility due to the decline under ownership.

Review

Laura Lake Assisted Living in Marietta is best suited for families seeking a warm, people-centered environment where staff appear genuinely invested in residents’ daily happiness and social engagement. The community shines for families that value home-like atmosphere, accessible front-office support, and proactive staff who can help with transitions and ongoing activities. When the tone is right, residents are greeted with friendliness, the environment feels well-kept, and there is a cadence of programming that keeps seniors socially connected. The reviews repeatedly highlight the importance of personal relationships, Becky Bowman emerges as a trusted ally for arranging moves, explaining costs, and smoothing the path to transition. For families who prize a lively, involved community and a facility that tries to tailor experiences to individual needs, Laurel Lodge’s framework can be very compelling.

That said, certain families may want to consider alternatives or proceed with added diligence. The most pressing caveat concerns management stability and consistency of care, particularly for residents with advanced memory challenges or significant medical needs. Several reviews recount a rough period after ownership changes, with concerns about staffing reliability, medication administration, cleanliness, and food quality. Those looking for a facility with uninterrupted leadership and a tight, consistently executed care plan may find the past volatility and the price point difficult to navigate without firsthand assurances. If a family cannot tolerate even intermittent lapses in oversight, exploring other options with a track record of stable governance would be prudent.

On balance, the positives frequently offset the notable concerns when the leadership is steady and engaged. Pros include a clean, well-designed setting that feels inviting and respectful of residents’ dignity; a robust calendar of activities that residents genuinely enjoy; and a staff culture that comes across as caring and capable, particularly in moments of transition or social celebration. The presence of a strong client advocate, Becky Bowman, who assists with logistics and cost considerations, plus the apparent willingness of the administration to listen and respond when a new executive director takes the helm, can make the difference between a merely adequate experience and a tribally supportive, almost familial one. During moments when staff seize opportunities to make holidays and special occasions meaningful, the atmosphere becomes a meaningful win for residents and families.

However, the main drawbacks cannot be dismissed as inconsequential, especially for families evaluating the long arc of care. Cost remains a nontrivial factor, and several reviewers felt care did not always align with the monthly price before leadership stabilized. Inconsistent medication management, fluctuating cleanliness, and periodic lapses in communication with families compounded concerns during transitions. Some families reported that key amenities, snacks, variety, and even simple conveniences, had diminished after ownership changes. These are not minor irritants; they affect residents’ quality of daily life and family confidence in the facility’s present leadership. The pattern of turnover underscores the need for prospective residents to verify who is currently running the operation and how quickly problems are escalated and resolved.

When weighing the pros against the cons, the verdict hinges on what a family needs most at this stage. For seniors who thrive on social activity, who value a respectful, home-like setting, and who can piggyback on a reliable point person like Becky Bowman to navigate costs and transitions, Laurel Lodge, especially under attentive leadership, offers a compelling package. For residents with complex medical regimens, high behavioral needs, or rigid expectations about ongoing, flawless execution, the risk of management drift and variable care quality argues for a careful second look or a comparison with other local options with steadier governance. The strongest path forward is an in-person due diligence: verify the current executive leadership, request a trial period or a clear transition plan, and speak candidly with front-line staff about medication administration, nursing coverage, and daily routines.

Practical next steps for families considering Laura Lake Assisted Living include: request a private tour focused on care planning, med management, and dining quality; meet with the current administrator and the ED to hear a concrete plan for stabilization and ongoing improvement; observe resident interactions across activities to gauge engagement and staff attentiveness; ask for a transparent breakdown of all costs and what is included to assess value against price; and, if possible, talk with residents and families currently living there about day-to-day satisfaction and any changes over the past quarter. This approach will reveal whether the community’s strengths, personal attention, engaging programming, and a welcoming culture, are backed by solid, consistent operations that can sustain high-quality care over time.

This part of Marietta, Georgia, offers a convenient and diverse range of amenities for seniors looking to relocate to the area. With multiple pharmacies, restaurants offering various cuisines, theaters for entertainment, parks for outdoor activities, reputable physicians and hospitals for healthcare needs, cafes for socializing, and places of worship for spiritual fulfillment, residents in this neighborhood have access to everything they may need within a few miles. The proximity to WellStar Kennestone Hospital ensures quality medical care is easily accessible. The community also offers opportunities for social engagement and cultural enrichment through local churches and events. Overall, this part of Marietta provides a well-rounded environment that can cater to the needs and interests of seniors seeking a comfortable and convenient place to live.

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.7 miles)
• Walgreens (2.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.5 miles)
• Pharmacy Partners Of Ga (2.7 miles)
• Walgreens (3 miles)
• Walgreens (3.6 miles)
• Orchard Square Holding (3.7 miles)

Restaurants

• Cheeseburger Bobby's (0.8 miles)
• Golden Corral (1.5 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (1.6 miles)
• Taco Bell (1.7 miles)
• McDonald's (1.8 miles)
• Frankies Italian Ristorante and Pizzeria (1.9 miles)
• Johnboy's Home Cooking (1.9 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Barrett Commons 24 (1.7 miles)

Parks

• Aviation Park Kennesaw (1.9 miles)
• Shaw Park (2.1 miles)
• Laurel Park (4.1 miles)
• Adams Park (4.6 miles)
• Harrison Park (5.1 miles)
• Swift-Cantrell Park (6.1 miles)
• Woofstock Park (6.6 miles)

Physicians

• Marietta Dermatology & the Skin Cancer Center (2.1 miles)
• Piedmont Imaging Center (2.2 miles)
• Pinnacle Orthopaedics (2.3 miles)
• Piedmont Heart of Marietta (2.4 miles)
• Non-Surgical Orthopaedics (2.4 miles)
• Resurgens Orthopaedics (2.5 miles)
• Kennestone Physicians Center (2.5 miles)

Hospitals

• WellStar Kennestone Hospital (2.3 miles)
• Kennesaw Hospital (4 miles)

Cafes

• Panera Bread (2.7 miles)
• Starbucks (3.5 miles)
• Giga-Bites Cafe (4 miles)
• Starbucks (4.4 miles)
• Starbucks (5.8 miles)
• Starbucks (6.1 miles)

Places of Worship

• Transfiguration Catholic Church (3.7 miles)
• Kennesaw United Methodist Church (3.8 miles)
• Calvary Chapel Woodstock (4.6 miles)
• Northstar Church (6.4 miles)
• Congregation Etz Chaim (6.6 miles)