Fox Meadow in Evansdale, IA

Pros

• The property and building are well maintained and very clean.
• The onsite manager is helpful, knowledgeable, and goes above and beyond.
• Residents care for one another and appear to be very happy.
• The social events are wonderful and foster strong community involvement.
• The apartments are clean, spacious, and homey.
• The grounds are well maintained and the overall building is well cared for.
• Fox Meadows is highly recommended by residents.

Cons

• The staff were disrespectful to the family as they dropped the grandmother off at the front door and helped her back inside.
• The last year of her living there was hell, with many people being disrespectful.
• The manager Linda is nasty.
• Management ignored the family's concerns about how the grandmother and their family were being treated.
• She lived there 16 years, always paid her rent on time, and was treated awfully.
• They accused the grandmother of smoking in her apartment while she was actively dying.
• They accused the grandmother of stealing a pair of sunglasses, despite the caregiver having bought her the same exact ones and receipts proving it.
• There is no apartment in the building that rents for the listed prices; rents go up and nothing is done to improve the building.
• Getting an air conditioner that works is a major undertaking, and maintenance is only two hours per week.

Review

Fox Meadow in Evansdale is best suited for seniors who want a clean, homey environment with an active social calendar and a hands-on onsite manager who can address practical needs when they arise. It works well for families prepared to stay engaged and advocate if communication falters, ensuring issues are escalated and resolved. In short, the community rewards residents who value a well-kept building, predictable routines, and opportunities to connect with neighbors, while accepting that frontline staff dynamics can be uneven.

The strongest positives center on the physical and social fabric. The property and apartments are consistently clean, and the grounds are well maintained, creating a comfortable living environment from the moment of entry. A capable onsite manager has proven to be helpful and knowledgeable at times, contributing to meaningful resident involvement and regular social events that foster a sense of community. Residents appear to care for one another, and the atmosphere can feel welcoming, especially for those who prize a lively, interactive resident life.

Yet the experience is not without notable downsides. Several reviews describe episodes where interactions with staff felt disrespectful, and a minority recount long-standing frustrations with management that was slow to address important family concerns. One review highlights a specific manager who was perceived as unhelpful, and another recounts a troubling sequence where a grandmother was accused of actions she could not have committed, underscoring the risk of miscommunication or misperception in care conversations. These tensions can transform the day-to-day experience from warm to strained, particularly for families who depend on consistent, compassionate treatment of their loved ones.

Cost and maintenance realities further complicate the decision. Multiple accounts assert that rents rise without a commensurate improvement in the living space, which can erode long-term satisfaction for residents on fixed incomes. Maintenance is described as infrequent, with typical service windows measured in hours per week rather than days, and essential systems such as air conditioning sometimes requiring significant effort to resolve. For families watching budgets or seeking transparent pricing with predictable upgrades, these concerns can be a deal-breaker if they are not acknowledged and addressed convincingly by leadership.

The pros can offset the cons only to a point. The clean, welcoming environment and the potential for vibrant social engagement provide real value for residents who can tolerate occasional management friction. When the onsite team is responsive, professional, and proactive about resident needs, Fox Meadow can deliver a stable, pleasant home base. However, the risk of inconsistent treatment, questionable responsiveness, and opaque pricing creates a meaningful ceiling on overall satisfaction, especially for those who rely on steady, respectful communication and predictable maintenance.

Alternatives should be considered by families seeking unwavering courtesy, transparent and stable pricing, and consistently reliable maintenance. For households with higher care needs, or for those unwilling to engage in ongoing advocacy to ensure quality of care, other communities with stronger track records of respectful staff interactions and clearer pricing policies may be a safer choice. Prospective residents who value a strong social program and a well-kept physical plant - but who cannot tolerate recurring management churn or perceived hostility - may still find Fox Meadow workable, so long as due diligence is conducted and a clear plan is in place to monitor service quality and escalate concerns when needed.

In the end, Fox Meadow offers a practical option for independent-minded seniors who appreciate cleanliness, a homey atmosphere, and an active resident community, paired with a vigilant family willing to oversee care quality. It is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Families should prioritize an in-depth visit focused on management responsiveness, resident-to-staff interactions, and transparent pricing history. If those elements align with expectations, Fox Meadow can be a solid choice; if not, it is prudent to explore alternatives with steadier management and more predictable service - and to do so sooner rather than later.

Places of Worship

• Saint Marks United Methodist Church (0.1 miles)
• Calvary Bible Church (3.9 miles)
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (6.9 miles)

Physicians

• Evansdale Family Practice (0.5 miles)
• Covenant Clinic (0.5 miles)
• All About Eyes - Waterloo (1.8 miles)
• Peoples Community Health Clinic (2.9 miles)
• Avalon Plastic Surgery Center (3 miles)
• Sick Bay (3 miles)
• Linda D Hodge, DO (3 miles)

Pharmacies

• Evansdale Pharmacy (0.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.8 miles)
• Target Pharmacy (2.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.1 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (2.4 miles)
• MercyOne Waterloo Pharmacy (3 miles)
• Greenwood Drug on Kimball (3.5 miles)

Parks

• Kids City (1.3 miles)
• Bontrager Park (3.1 miles)
• Hoing-Rice Softball Center (5.1 miles)
• Tibbitts Park (5.8 miles)
• Cedar Valley Soccer Complex (6.8 miles)
• George Wyth Memorial State Park (7.4 miles)

Restaurants

• The Southtown Restaura (1.6 miles)
• Wendy's (1.8 miles)
• McDonald's (1.8 miles)
• IHOP (1.8 miles)
• Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers (1.9 miles)
• Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo (1.9 miles)
• Noodles & Company (1.9 miles)

Cafes

• Panera Bread (1.8 miles)
• Cabin Coffee Co. (3.6 miles)

Hospitals

• Covenant Health System (3 miles)
• Covenant Pharmacy (3 miles)
• Marek Rozek, PA-C (3 miles)
• MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center (3.1 miles)
• Cedar Valley Medical Clinic (4.7 miles)