August House Assisted Living, Inc.

Pros

• The residents at The Homestead show genuine care for one another.
• The Homestead offers transportation to appointments, shopping, exercise classes, and a variety of social activities.
• Springwell is a beautiful, well-managed, and clean community with staff who truly care for residents.
• The nurses are responsive and attentive, keeping families informed about residents' needs.
• Families report easy transitions when moving their loved ones into Springwell, thanks to supportive ownership and staff.
• The facilities are wonderful, well-maintained, attractive, and welcoming.
• Activities and programs, including live music, are tailored to meet residents' needs and interests.
• Springwell is described as a home away from home, where staff go above and beyond to care for residents.

Cons

• They describe the living conditions as deplorable and unfit for a loved one.
• They question what families are actually paying for beyond minimal babysitting.
• Rooms and bathrooms are not cleaned regularly, with toilet rings lingering.
• Staff are said to walk residents to their seats in the dining hall and then abandon them.
• The food is described as slop, with residents, including those with cognitive issues, complaining.
• They view there is a lack of real care and even plan to report the facility to the board of nursing, calling it a death trap.
• The manager is portrayed as having a horrible attitude and as acting to attract families while neglecting residents.
• A client reportedly received food left with ants on a tray.
• Kitchen staff are described as unprofessional (no gloves or hair nets), with slow service and limited food choices, implying a need for the health department.
• Staff are allegedly nasty and steal, and there is a pattern of neglect except when families visit.

Review

Overall, the collection of reviews portrays The Homestead at Springwell as a retirement community that many find warm, well-intentioned, and full of life, while also revealing serious concerns from other perspectives that cannot be ignored. Taken together, the feedback sketches a place that can feel like home to many residents and families, yet for some caregivers and visitors it reveals troubling gaps in care, cleanliness, and day-to-day operations. The result is a nuanced portrait of a community with a strong sense of community and activity on one hand, and reports of neglect and management challenges on the other.

Several reviewers highlight the environment itself as a major strength. One longtime resident, Sr. Anne O., recalls nearly two years in a one-bedroom apartment that includes a large walk-in closet and a bathroom large enough for a wheelchair, with amenities such as bus transportation to appointments and shopping, plus a robust slate of activities: exercise classes, bingo, bridge, weekend movie matinees, documentaries on art, history, and nature, live music ranging from cabaret to classical, and worship services across denominations. She emphasizes the genuine care among residents, noting how small acts of support - such as friends joining a couple for dinner to maintain conversation - create a strong sense of community. The overall tone is one of comfort, routine, and belonging in a cozy, well-laid-out setting.

Beyond the living space, a broad array of services and social opportunities are repeatedly praised. Reviewers mention regular transportation for errands and medical visits, varied fitness and arts programs, and a lively calendar of cultural activities, including live performances and movies. For many families, the community's social fabric - where residents look out for one another and staff facilitate meaningful engagement - appears to be a central attraction. The sentiment that "the residents are the best part" underscores a strong communal spirit and a sense that the facility functions as a true community rather than just a building.

Amid these largely positive narratives, there are sharp, deeply troubling criticisms from a private caregiver working with a resident at The Homestead. This account portrays deplorable living conditions and a pattern of neglect, including rooms and bathrooms not cleaned regularly, persistent rings in toilets, and a staff approach that allegedly does not keep residents company during meals. The caregiver claims residents are not adequately assisted in the dining hall, with staff escorting them to seats and then leaving, and describes the food as "slop" that even residents with cognitive issues struggle with. The account includes highly accusatory statements about management and staff behavior, including a specific claim that the manager, Moses, has a harmful attitude and that the facility is unsafe for residents who require more intensive care. The reviewer asserts plans to report to the board of nursing and uses language suggesting imminent danger, including a claim of ants on a food tray and a perception that staff fake friendliness only when families visit.

This negative perspective intensifies with warnings that the facility is not suitable for residents who need substantial daily care, and with instructions to family members to visit unannounced to witness conditions firsthand. The reviewer depicts a culture of neglect and dismissiveness toward residents, asserting a lack of consistent care or attention, and labeling the environment a "death trap" in their strongest terms. Taken at face value, these claims present a very different face of the same community, emphasizing the potential dangers and the emotional distress of families in search of a safe, nurturing home for loved ones.

Other family accounts and reviews offer a contrasting but equally compelling set of experiences. A mother who began as one of the first residents in 2018 eventually transitioned to assisted living and memory care within Springwell, and her family speaks glowingly of the ownership and staff. They describe how the facility navigated COVID protocols while keeping residents socially engaged, with nurses who are responsive and attentive to medical needs and labs, and with activities tailored to individual residents, including regular live music. This perspective emphasizes smooth transitions, strong medical oversight, transparent communication with families, and confidence that a caring staff watches over their loved one's well-being.

Multiple reviewers extend praise to the overall quality of care, calling Springwell "wonderful," "well maintained," and "very clean," with friendly staff and a welcoming atmosphere. The facility is described as stately and well-run, with an emphasis on serious protocols and safety. People highlight the comfortable rooms, modern appliances, safety features, and the feeling that residents are treated with dignity. For families, the reassurance that caregivers monitor residents closely, keep families informed, and provide meaningful social engagement is a recurring theme, reinforcing the sense that Springwell can be a "home away from home" for many.

Yet there are persistent reminders that not all experiences align with the favorable reviews. Several comments echo concerns about kitchen practices and food service, with calls for better training for kitchen staff, more consistent use of gloves and hair nets, quicker service, and more variety in food options. One reviewer explicitly calls for involvement from health authorities to ensure proper kitchen hygiene and standards. The existence of such critiques alongside the consistently positive testimonials suggests room for improvement in daily operations and behind-the-scenes processes, even as some residents and families report high satisfaction with care and community life.

In summary, reviews of The Homestead at Springwell present a complex and layered picture. On one side lies a thriving community with a welcoming environment, robust activity programming, strong resident-to-resident bonds, and respectful, responsive medical and caregiving support that many families value deeply. On the other side are serious concerns about cleanliness, adequate staffing, and the quality of daily care raised by a caregiver's account, including allegations of neglect and management issues. For families considering this community, the advice that emerges is to weigh the positive experiences - the sense of belonging, activity-rich life, and attentive clinical care reported by many - as well as to conduct thorough, unannounced visits to observe day-to-day operations, speak with multiple staff members, and assess how well the facility can meet the specific needs of their loved ones. The Homestead at Springwell, therefore, appears to be a place of vibrant community and strong potential for excellent care, tempered by important cautions that warrant careful due diligence.

This part of Baltimore, Maryland, offers a mix of convenient amenities and healthcare services that cater to senior living. With several hospitals in close proximity, including Sinai Hospital of Baltimore and MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, residents have access to quality medical care. Additionally, there are various pharmacies nearby for easy prescription pickups. The area also boasts a selection of restaurants, cafes, and parks for recreational activities and social engagements. For spiritual needs, places of worship such as Brown Memorial Woodbrook Presbyterian Church are within reach. Public transportation options like Penn Station make it easy to get around the city, while theaters like Cinemark Towson And XD provide entertainment options for residents. Overall, this neighborhood provides a well-rounded and accessible environment for seniors looking to settle in Baltimore.

Hospitals

• Sinai Hospital Of Baltimore (0.6 miles)
• Lifebridge Health Campus Service (2.2 miles)
• GBMC (3.5 miles)
• MedStar Union Memorial Hospital (3.6 miles)
• Sheppard Pratt Health System (3.7 miles)
• Johns Hopkins Medicine at Green Spring Station (4.4 miles)
• MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital (4.5 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.7 miles)
• Walgreens (1.1 miles)
• Rite Aid (1.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.9 miles)
• Walgreens (2.1 miles)
• Walgreens (2.2 miles)
• Seven Mile Market (2.3 miles)

Restaurants

• Mt. Washington Tavern (1.3 miles)
• Pepe's (1.7 miles)
• Zen West Roadside Cantina (3.4 miles)
• Burger King (3.5 miles)
• Subway (3.5 miles)
• McDonald's (3.6 miles)
• McDonald's (4 miles)

Parks

• Lake Roland (1.7 miles)
• Rodgers Forge Tot Lot (3.2 miles)
• Meadowood Regional Park (4.2 miles)

Physicians

• Dr Richard A. Adler, Belcara Health Ophthalmology (1.8 miles)
• Scottish Rite Speech & Language Center (3.2 miles)
• Greater Baltimore Medical Center (3.5 miles)
• University of Maryland Rehabilitation & Orthopaedic Institute (3.5 miles)
• O'Dea Building- St Josephs Hospital (3.9 miles)
• Dr Kelman Office (3.9 miles)
• St Paul Place Specialist OB GYN (3.9 miles)

Cafes

• Miss Shirley's Cafe, Roland Park (2.3 miles)
• Starbucks (3.4 miles)
• Dooby's (5 miles)
• Ceremony Coffee Roasters (5.1 miles)

Places of Worship

• Brown Memorial Woodbrook Presbyterian Church (2.8 miles)
• Church of the Immaculate Conception (4.8 miles)

Transportation

• Penn Station (4.5 miles)
• Lutherville Light Rail Station (5.6 miles)

Theaters

• Cinemark Towson And Xd (4.9 miles)