The Enclave at The Grove in Glenview, IL

Pros

• The Grove is a beautiful place full of nature and tranquility, with an elegant party room.
• Visitors enjoy year-round visits, with summer wilderness and refreshing winter trails.
• There is an area where guests can get up close to turtles, snakes, fish, and other wildlife.
• The Grove is an outstanding destination for wildlife and bird photography, and it is family-friendly with helpful staff.
• The grounds are beautifully maintained, making every visit enjoyable.
• The wildlife is abundant, with many bird species and deer, making it a top spot for photographers.
• It offers endless opportunities to capture stunning images and connect with nature.
• It is a great place for families and individuals to explore.
• The interpretive center and trails offer a rich educational and scenic experience.
• It is a beautiful nature preserve with ponds, woods, and prairie ecosystems, ideal for photography and wildlife viewing.

Cons

• The staff's behavior was completely unprofessional and alarming.
• They were blatantly sexist, treated students unfairly based on gender, and even screamed at a classmate.
• This kind of conduct is unacceptable, especially in an educational setting.
• The staff openly made hateful and discriminatory remarks, including saying they do not like gay people.
• There was a strong chemical smell in the parking lot, and unmarked black vehicles were parked nearby.
• The entire situation felt unsettling, almost as if something illegal or suspicious was happening.
• This was not a safe, educational, or welcoming environment.
• There was not enough space for the large alligator snapping turtle in the tanks.

Review

The Enclave at The Grove is best suited for active, nature-oriented seniors and families who want daily access to tranquil outdoor spaces, wildlife, and a wealth of low-key enrichment opportunities. This setting thrives on easy trails, interpretive exhibits, and an atmosphere that blends suburban convenience with a nature preserve vibe. It is particularly appealing to residents who enjoy long walks, birding, photography, and casual educational outings, as well as families seeking destinations that offer informal social time and a peaceful backdrop for visits. The grounds and facilities signal a place where residents can stay mentally engaged through hands-on experiences, history, and a continuous sense of discovery without feeling boxed into a traditional indoor routine.

Those who should consider alternatives are seniors who require substantial medical oversight or memory-care specialized programming, or anyone looking for a facility with a heavy emphasis on indoor, climate-controlled living and highly structured daily schedules. The Grove’s strength is outdoor accessibility and informal, nature-forward engagement, not a conventional hospital-like care model. Families should also scrutinize how staff conduct themselves in daily interactions and how complaints are handled, given a documented incident highlighting unprofessional behavior. For individuals who prioritize consistently formal staff protocols, fully staffed memory care options, or highly regimented activities indoors, other communities may deliver a tighter fit.

The core advantages, extensive walking trails, abundant wildlife, and a welcoming interpretive center, often offset the drawbacks by delivering real, ongoing environmental stimulation that can support cognitive and emotional well-being. The setting supports socialization through informal gatherings, family visits, and community events, with the added bonus of a historic estate atmosphere and even event spaces that imply a vibrant social calendar. A major offset comes from the fact that the grounds are well-maintained and the experience is widely described as peaceful and rejuvenating. While some concerns exist about animal enclosures and the occasional patient-care integrity issue in unrelated contexts, the overall landscape here remains a powerful attractor for residents who crave outdoor vitality and educational richness.

From a practical perspective, families evaluating this option should verify several specifics before committing. Confirm the availability of indoor, climate-controlled common spaces for days when weather inhibits outdoor activity, and assess safety features like accessible paths and handrails for walkers. Inquire about how care coordination works, what medical oversight exists on-site, and whether memory care or higher-level assistance can be integrated if needs evolve. Given the negative staff incident noted in the reviews, request concrete assurances about staff training, supervision, and a clear, responsive process for addressing concerns or inappropriate conduct. Also explore how enrichment programs are structured, whether there is consistent programming that aligns with residents’ interests and whether there are opportunities for residents to pursue hobbies or photography within a supervised framework.

Compared with other senior living options, The Grove’s strongest differentiation is its outdoor-forward lifestyle and the sense of space that comes with expansive grounds and a nature-centered campus. It excels for families who want their loved ones to enjoy daily strolls, wildlife encounters, and informal learning experiences without the rigidity of a traditional care setting. However, for those who require steady, hands-on clinical support or a tightly controlled indoor routine, other communities with dedicated memory-care wings or more robust nursing capabilities may provide greater peace of mind. The presence of a well-kept historic estate and social-use spaces signals a capacity for diverse outings, yet it also raises a practical question: can the on-site care program scale with evolving needs without compromising safety and consistency?

In the end, The Enclave at The Grove stands out as a compelling option for residents who prize nature, accessibility, and a light-touch, intellectually stimulating environment. It is not a universal solution for all senior care needs; its value hinges on matching a resident’s desire for outdoor engagement and informal programming with the reality of needing varying levels of medical or memory support. Prospective families should visit, experience the grounds, speak with staff about daily routines and incident-response policies, and assess whether the balance of outdoor vitality and indoor safety provides the right trajectory. When that alignment exists, this community offers a distinctive, practical path to a more active, engaged lifestyle.

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (1 miles)
• Rise Dispensaries Niles (1.9 miles)
• Walgreens (2.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.3 miles)
• Walgreens (2.9 miles)
• Walgreens (3.2 miles)
• Walgreens (3.3 miles)

Hospitals

• Glenbrook Hospital (1.1 miles)
• NCH Northwest Community Hospital (6.9 miles)

Restaurants

• Wildfire (2.1 miles)
• Panda Express (2.3 miles)
• Portillo's Hot Dogs (2.7 miles)
• Glenview Dairy Bar (2.8 miles)
• Beacon Tap (3.9 miles)
• Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers (4.1 miles)
• McDonald's (4.1 miles)

Parks

• Clarkson Park (4.5 miles)
• Briarwood Park (5.6 miles)
• South Park (5.7 miles)
• Lake Arlington (6 miles)
• West Ridge Center (6.3 miles)

Physicians

• Northwestern Memorial Physicians Group (5 miles)
• NorthShore Medical Group (5.3 miles)
• Physicians Cosmetic Institute (5.6 miles)
• Resurrection Medical Center Professional Building (6.6 miles)
• Arlington Eye Physicians (7.3 miles)
• Ferber, Stuart Nch Buffalo Grove Outpatient Care Center (7.3 miles)
• North Shore Physicians Group (7.3 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (5.8 miles)
• Starbucks (6.2 miles)
• Starbucks (6.6 miles)
• Starbucks (6.6 miles)
• Starbucks (6.7 miles)

Transportation

• O'Hare Multi-Modal Facility (6 miles)
• Metra (6.2 miles)
• Cta (6.5 miles)
• United Club (7.1 miles)
• Admirals Club (7.2 miles)
• Airport Transit System (7.2 miles)
• Concourse L (7.3 miles)

Places of Worship

• Congregation Solel (6.4 miles)
• North Shore Congregation Israel (7.1 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Village Crossing Theatre (6.7 miles)
• AMC Rosemont 18 (6.8 miles)