Sylvia Ross Home-Assisted Living in Bangor, ME

Pros

• The staff at Ross Manor are thoughtful, kind, and caring.
• They spend ample time with families to answer questions and provide tours, showing they will take good care of residents.
• The facility is beautiful, with a gym, a salon, a library, a dining room, and a music room.
• The rooms feel like apartments, offering comfortable living.
• The staff are helpful and responsive in caregiving.
• The memory care program focuses on making each day purposeful and meaningful.
• The therapists are wonderful.
• The apartments are large and well-equipped, including furnished kitchens.

Cons

• The facility is old and outdated and the environment does not feel homey.
• The dining area resembles a cafeteria, with uncomfortable chairs and confusing patterns.
• The rooms are plain and old, with limited privacy (no screens between beds) and small windows that feel confining.
• There are reports of dirty housekeeping, ants and mice, and residents having to wait a long time for needed assistance.
• Staff are described as rude or inattentive, with nurses not listening to concerns and some nurses not showing up.
• The facility is overcrowded and understaffed, leaving residents alone for long periods.
• Billing practices are alleged to be opaque and expensive, with high monthly charges and multiple bills for services not rendered.
• Negative health outcomes are associated with care there, including infections and death when concerns weren’t adequately addressed.

Review

Sylvia Ross Home at Ross Manor in Bangor is best suited for families seeking a care setting where staff members are genuinely attentive and residents are treated like neighbors, not patients. The facility offers apartment-style rooms and on-site amenities, gym, salon, library, dining room, and a music room, that support a lived-in, social atmosphere. This combination appeals to those who want daily life to continue with support, and who value a hands-on, compassionate caregiving team that takes time to answer questions and reassure families. The campus also houses a memory-care wing and rehab services, which makes it reasonable for seniors who may shift between levels of care without moving elsewhere. Yet the decision hinges on tolerating an older construction and varying staff dynamics.

Still, this community is not right for everyone. Prospective residents who prize a pristine, contemporary environment with updated decor, spotless housekeeping, and consistently proactive management should look elsewhere. Several families described an old, dated building that feels more like a long-term care facility than a home, with limited privacy in shared rooms and windows that don’t invite a view. Reports of insect and rodent concerns, and uneven housekeeping, paint a picture of cleanliness that fluctuates by shift. Dining spaces can feel cafeteria-like, with older furnishings and layouts that may be confusing for someone with dementia. In short, the atmosphere and upkeep can undermine comfort for those who emphasize modernity and immaculate surroundings.

Yet, the strongest asset remains the staff’s warmth and responsiveness. When care teams are engaged, residents benefit from attentive assistance, prompt attention to requests, and a willingness to work with families to tailor routines. Several families praised caregivers who spend time with residents, provide activities, and treat visits as meaningful. Memory-care and rehab experiences vary; some families found therapists and nurses who were compassionate and capable, while others faced delays, miscommunications, or resistance to concerns. The value of a homey, social setting, where activities and daily routines are kept lively, often offsets the drawbacks of an older building for those who prioritize personal connection over polished interiors.

Cost and care logistics emerge as a critical factor. A number of reviews criticize billing complexity and what amounts to layered charges, with families feeling billed for services that never materialized or were inconsistently applied. Reports of understaffing compound frustration: residents left alone for long stretches, calls for help answered slowly, and meals or showers scheduled rather than delivered on demand. Those evaluating Sylvia Ross should probe current staffing ratios, the cadence of housekeeping, and the facility’s policies for private versus shared rooms. Ask specifically how memory-care needs are managed, how often staff rotate, and what protections exist to ensure timely response and safety. These issues consistently temper the otherwise positive impressions.

From a decision-making standpoint, visits should simulate real life: observe how residents move through common areas, test whether staff respond quickly to a bell or call light, and inspect privacy in rooms. Inquire about rehab outcomes for recent surgeries, and whether therapy is integrated with ongoing daily living routines. Understand the dining options and meal pacing, and whether residents with dementia navigate layouts that minimize confusion. Speak with current families about what a typical day looks like, including housekeeping, laundry, and incidents that required escalation. If pets are important, verify pet policies as some facilities on the campus are more pet-friendly than others.

Bottom line: Sylvia Ross Home at Ross Manor offers a distinctly homey, caring option for seniors who value staff attentiveness and on-site amenities, along with memory-care and rehab services within a Bangor campus. It may be the right fit for families who can tolerate an older facility aesthetic and the reality of variable staffing, provided there is confidence in direct caregiver relationships and clear billing practices. For those who prioritize pristine appearance, consistent housekeeping, high staff-to-resident ratios, and a uniformly proactive care culture, alternatives should be explored. In Bangor, that means visiting other communities with a track record of modern facilities and highly reliable care, while preserving the possibility of a warm, neighborly environment if Sylvia Ross proves to be the best match after thorough, ongoing conversation.

Physicians

• Husson Pediatrics (0.1 miles)
• Pandey, Sanjay Saint Joseph Internal Medicine (0.3 miles)
• Mark Henderson (0.6 miles)
• Baldacci John (0.6 miles)
• Northeast Neurosurgery (0.9 miles)
• Medimaine Health Associates (0.9 miles)
• Ent Northern Lights Bangor (1.1 miles)

Hospitals

• Eastern Maine Medical Center (0.1 miles)
• St Joseph CBO (1 miles)
• St Joseph Hospital (1 miles)
• St Joseph Healthcare Park (1 miles)
• Northern Light Acadia Hospital (1.1 miles)
• Sleep Center of Maine (1.8 miles)
• Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems (2 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.2 miles)
• Westgate Pharmacy (1.1 miles)
• Walgreens (1.3 miles)
• PCHC - Penobscot Community Health Center Pharmacy (1.3 miles)
• Pchc Pharmacies (1.4 miles)
• Hannaford Pharmacy (1.4 miles)
• Affiliated Pharmacy Service (1.4 miles)

Restaurants

• McDonald's (0.4 miles)
• Pizza Hut (0.4 miles)
• KFC (0.5 miles)
• Dorr Lobster Seafood Market (0.5 miles)
• Dysart's Restaurant Broadway (0.8 miles)
• Gifford's Famous Ice Cream (0.8 miles)
• Wendy's (1.3 miles)

Cafes

• Tim Hortons (0.5 miles)
• West Market Square Artisan Coffeehouse (1.8 miles)

Places of Worship

• Glad Tidings Church (0.6 miles)
• First United Methodist Church (0.8 miles)
• Grace Church Bangor (1.4 miles)

Parks

• Bangor Dog Park (0.9 miles)
• City of Bangor Parks & Recreation (1.5 miles)
• Chapin Park (1.7 miles)

Theaters

• Bangor Mall Cinemas 10 (1.6 miles)
• Queen City Cinema Club (1.9 miles)

Transportation

• Dick's Taxi (1.8 miles)
• Car Rental Bangor (1.8 miles)
• Bangor International Airport (BGR) (2 miles)
• Dl6219 Bgr-Lga (2 miles)
• Bangor Airport baggage claim (2 miles)