Lakeside Assisted Living - Sandpoint

Pros

• The staff really care about the residents and go out of their way to make everyone there feel important and cared for.
• After a few weeks, the father was in better shape and better spirits than he'd been in two decades.
• Grandma loves it there, and the people treat her well and let her have her small dog.
• The staff are friendly toward guests.

Cons

• It is described as depressing, dark, old, broken down, and trashed, with residents looking miserable and staff that did not look like staff.
• It is described as not a good place and as having no values.
• It is described as the worst assisted living facility in the town, and as awful, not suitable for even disliked relatives.
• It is alleged that the facility switches names to avoid a paper trail of complaints, implying a trashy institution.
• There is mention of a noticeable smell at the facility.

Review

A string of reviews about this assisted living operation paints a picture of a facility with a highly polarized reputation. On one end, you have accounts that read like a lifeline for families: stories of recovery, care, and staff who seem to treat residents with warmth. On the other end, there are scathing condemnations that describe the place as depressing, poorly run, and untrustworthy. The contrast isn't just about a single moment in time - it weaves through the facility's branding, its daily atmosphere, and how people interpret the care their loved ones receive.

One reviewer, describing their 91-year-old father, tells a hopeful arc. When he first arrived, the family felt he could barely function because of lack of care and what they believe was over-medication at his previous facility. Yet after a few weeks at Lakeside, the father was in better shape and in better spirits than the family had seen in twenty years. This reviewer emphasizes that the staff "really care about the residents" and that they go out of their way to make everyone feel important and cared for. For this perspective, the place is a place of real improvement and attentive, values-driven caregiving, and the positive impact on a fragile elder becomes the core of the tale.

Another voice reports a more domestic, everyday positive experience. They mention that their grandmother loves being there, that the people treat her well, and that she is allowed to keep her small dog. The reviewer notes a sense of community and personal treatment, even while pointing out one downside: "There is defiantly a smell though." The combination of dog-friendly policies and affectionate staff creates a warm, home-like impression, even if the environment isn't perfect - smell becomes a tangible blemish in an otherwise favorable account.

A third thread in the feedback is more cautioned and guarded. This reviewer says, "Not a good place. I refuse to be apart of their values. They have none." The language suggests a misalignment between the reviewer's values and how the facility operates, pointing to a perception of ethical or cultural issues within the staff or management. It's a stark contrast to the more comforting stories and signals that, for some families, the facility's ethos may not align with their own expectations of elder care.

There is also a vehement, professional-grade critique: "I have dealt with this facility on numerous occasions on a professional level and they are by far the worst assisted living facility in this town. Do not put even your most hated relatives here. It's AWFUL." This blunt assessment emphasizes neglect or incompetence from a service-provider perspective, warning other families to avoid the place entirely. The use of hyperbole underscores a strong, negative experience that isn't an isolated voice but rather a recurring accusation that the facility is not meeting basic standards.

Complicating the narrative is an update about branding and persistence with names. A reviewer writes, "Update 12/18- It appears that once again they have switched names ? 'Lakeside assisted living'. Same trashy institution. They've spent the last several years alternating between 'Evergreen' and 'Sandpoint' Assisted Living." The pattern described here - that the facility changes names to dodge a paper trail of complaints - adds a layer of skepticism for readers. It implies a strategic branding shift rather than a simple rebranding after renovation, suggesting that patron trust has been compromised and that complaints persist across different incarnations of the same operation.

Against this mosaic, a fragment of a note - "Staff friendly and receiving to guests and my Brett lives there" - appears as a small counterpoint. It hints at personal, face-to-face warmth from staff toward guests and the existence of residents who clearly have family members with a positive connection to the place. While terse, it's a reminder that some people do experience congenial, welcoming interactions and that not all care experiences are uniformly negative or uniform in quality.

Taken together, these reviews sketch a facility whose reputation is anything but monolithic. Some families recount genuine improvements in health and happiness for their loved ones, driven by attentive staff and a sense of personal care. Others describe a decaying atmosphere, questionable practices, and a feeling that the place fails to live up to basic standards or shared values. The recurring note about name changes adds a layer of caution: branding shifts may complicate accountability and make it harder for prospective residents and families to trace past concerns.

If you're evaluating this facility, you're facing a mixed bag that requires careful, independent assessment. Look beyond the branding and slogans, and seek out on-site impressions, talk to many staff members, and request recent care plans and medication management records. Families should weigh the stories of improved vitality and kindness against reports of neglect or ethical misalignment, and consider how the environment and policies align with their own expectations for safety, dignity, and personalized care. The contrasting experiences highlighted here suggest that outcomes may vary significantly from one resident to another, and that reputation alone isn't enough to determine whether this is the right place for a loved one.

Located in the heart of Sandpoint, Idaho, this area offers a convenient and vibrant community for seniors looking to settle down. With a variety of amenities within close proximity, including restaurants such as Subway and Dairy Depot, pharmacies like White Cross Pharmacy, and cafes like Rejavanate, there is no shortage of options for dining and shopping. Additionally, places of worship like St Joseph's Catholic Church and Sandpoint Seventh-day Adventist Church provide spiritual support for residents. For those seeking medical care, physicians like Pend Oreille Health Care and Idaho Pain Clinic are nearby. Parks such as Lakeview Park offer opportunities for outdoor recreation, while transportation options like Union Pacific Railroad Co. ensure easy access to nearby destinations. With theaters like Ponderay Events Center just a short drive away, there is always entertainment to enjoy in this bustling area of Sandpoint.

Restaurants

• Subway (0.2 miles)
• War Memorial Field (0.4 miles)
• Dairy Depot (0.4 miles)
• Evans Brothers Coffee (1 miles)
• Matchwood Brewing (1 miles)
• Beet And Basil (1 miles)
• Joel's Mexican Restaurant (1.1 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Joseph's Catholic Church (0.4 miles)
• Sandpoint Church of God (0.5 miles)
• Sandpoint Seventh-day Adventist Church (0.8 miles)
• Mountain Springs Church (0.9 miles)
• Sacred Heart Catholic Church (0.9 miles)
• Christian Science Church (1 miles)
• First Presbyterian Church (1.2 miles)

Pharmacies

• White Cross Pharmacy (0.4 miles)
• Sandpoint Super Drug (1.2 miles)
• Safeway Pharmacy (1.3 miles)
• Medicine Man Sandpoint (1.3 miles)
• Good Neighbor Pharmacy (1.3 miles)
• Yoke's Pharmacy (2.8 miles)
• White Cross Pharmacy (17.4 miles)

Physicians

• Pend Oreille Health Care (0.4 miles)
• Women's Health Care (0.4 miles)
• Idaho Pain Clinic (0.4 miles)
• Eye Care for You (0.7 miles)
• Green Mountain Medicine (0.9 miles)
• Aspen Wellspring (1 miles)
• Daniel R Cullum Dr (1 miles)

Parks

• Lakeview Park (0.4 miles)
• Sandpoint Parks & Rec Department (0.6 miles)
• Pine Street Park (0.6 miles)
• Travers Park (0.8 miles)
• Great Northern Park (1 miles)
• Farmin Park (1.1 miles)
• Farragut State Park Visitor Center (21.7 miles)

Cafes

• Rejavanate (0.5 miles)
• The Longshot (0.8 miles)
• Connie's Cafe (1.1 miles)
• City Beach Organics (1.1 miles)
• Kokanee Coffee (1.1 miles)
• Scotchman's Bistro (1.2 miles)
• Panhandle Cone & Coffee (1.2 miles)

Transportation

• Union Pacific Railroad Co. (1 miles)
• Bnsf Railway (1.1 miles)
• Tamarack Aerospace Group (2 miles)
• Sandpoint Airport East Side (2.1 miles)
• White Tail Transportation (17.3 miles)
• U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer (20 miles)

Theaters

• Ponderay Events Center (2.7 miles)
• Bonner Mall Cinemas (2.9 miles)