Diamond Willow Assisted Living of Grand Rapids

Pros

• Becca is someone the reviewer would trust with everything.
• The facility was described as beautiful, with good care, big rooms, a nice living room, welcoming to family, real food, and great staff.
• The facility is consistently clean and the staff are well trained.
• The food is delicious.
• The rooms are nice.
• The care, staff, and management were described as absolutely wonderful.

Cons

• There were lots of staff turnover, most likely due to management, and it's no longer the great place it once was.
• The management was described as the worst, with no accountability when belongings were damaged or lost and with broken promises to fix dentures.
• Personal belongings were not protected; dentures were dropped and glued instead of repaired, a shaver was broken, a music player was damaged, and clothes were shrunk; phones went missing for long periods.
• There was little evidence of rehabilitation or meaningful activities, and residents appeared bored.
• The facility's price did not match the claimed staff-to-patient ratio, which was described as a major lie, and it was not suitable for non-ambulatory residents who require two-person lifts.
• Rooms lacked air conditioning and individualized climate control.
• The facility could not distribute liquid medications for swallowing difficulties, and medication management was poor, sometimes necessitating outside ombudsman intervention.
• When asked, staff did not know who the owner was.

Review

There are mixed memories and strongly contrasting opinions about Diamond Willow, and they sit side by side in the stories people tell. One person begins with a hopeful note, pointing to a trust she would place in Becca - the kind of praise that suggests a caregiver who stands out in a good way. "There's a gal named Becca there I would trust with my all," she says, a statement that feels almost like a personal endorsement in the midst of broader reflections. For this reviewer, Becca represents something reliable in a setting that can feel uncertain.

Earlier impressions from 2016 paint a very different and very positive picture. A relative - "my Grandma" - was there for a short while, and the experience is described as beautiful in that moment. The facility was said to have had good care, big rooms, a nice living room, music that came in, and a welcoming atmosphere for families. The reviewer recalls "real food and great staff," a combination that gave the impression of a warm, family-friendly place during that period. The emphasis is on hospitality, comfort, and genuine care that made visits feel easy and reassuring.

In the update, the tone shifts sharply. Diamond Willow is described as "NOT the same as it was," with a strong note about staff turnover - "lots of staff turnover (most likely due to management)." The sense conveyed is that the place that used to be great had declined, and the change was not subtle. A family member's experience is particularly negative: there was a sense of stagnation and lack of engagement ("They never took these people out of the home. I think they were bored there.") and little evidence of the rehab services that had been promised. The management is singled out as "the worst," and there is a fear that newer assisted living options in town may eclipse the facility. The post also recounts concrete failures: dentures dropped months ago and glued back instead of repaired, a shaver and a music player broken, clothes shrunk, and personal belongings not adequately protected. A sense of carelessness permeates, and the author notes missing phones and a lack of accountability for damaged items. When asked about ownership, the answer given was uncertainty - "they didn't know" - and the reviewer leaves a blunt verdict: "I'd give this place a Zero Zero Zero."

Counterbalancing that, another reviewer offers a fiercely positive assessment. "Absolutely wonderful care, staff and management!" she proclaims, urging readers not to let the prior negative comment "fool you." She emphasizes that care quality isn't a one-size-fits-all matter. In her view, the facility is clean, staff are well-trained, and her family members are happy there. She highlights delicious food and what she perceives as an excellent staff-to-resident ratio, presenting a picture of a well-run operation where the daily experience feels organized and supportive. This endorsement stands as a strong counterpoint to the dire warnings that come from the other side of the spectrum.

There is also a more clipped, less favorable line that adds to the complexity. A separate brief line - "My grandpa gets treated poorly there.." - offers a stark, personal concern about maltreatment or at least neglect. It's a small fragment, but it reinforces the sense that not everyone has experienced the same care, and that for some residents, the day-to-day reality may feel lacking or even harmful.

On the financial and care-management front, one detailed, emphatic critique focuses on price and performance. At $8,300 per month, the reviewer warns readers to "shop around." They describe the staff-to-patient ratio as a major lie and emphasize that the facility is not suitable for residents who require assistance with transfers or are non-ambulatory. The rooms are described as nice, yet not climate-controlled in a way that meets all needs - no individual air conditioning. The reviewer also points out a troubling limitation: the facility cannot dispense liquid medications like morphine for residents with swallowing difficulties. The warning grows louder: ask a lot of questions before placing a loved one here. The critique calls attention to high staff turnover, mediocre bathing/washing care, and the rapid development of bedsores. The reviewer connects these problems to the involvement of a hospice agency that might be too new and to poorly trained staff, culminating in a situation that pushed them to contact state ombudsman services. The closing admonition is stark: don't let the pretty atmosphere fool you; focus on actual care and how medications and medical plans are managed.

Taken together, these accounts sketch a facility with a long, uneven history. In its earlier days, at least for some residents, Diamond Willow appeared welcoming, well-staffed, and comfortable, with a sense that families could feel at home within the walls of the place. Over time, however, experiences diverged dramatically. Some families feel that leadership and staffing instability undermined care, resulting in lost belongings, broken items, and insufficient engagement with residents' needs. Other families insist that with proper staff, clean surroundings, and attentive management, the experience can be very positive, and they praise specific caregivers and the overall environment. What emerges is a complex portrait: a place capable of excellent moments and good days, yet simultaneously susceptible to management challenges, staffing fluctuations, and inconsistent outcomes for residents.

For anyone weighing Diamond Willow, the messages suggest careful, individualized due diligence. Tour the facility, meet the staff across shifts, and ask direct questions about daily routines, rehab services, and what happens when a resident needs medications or transfers. Check how personal belongings are safeguarded, how repairs and replacements are handled, and whether ownership or leadership has changed recently. Listen to multiple perspectives from family members and residents, and weigh them against concrete details about staffing ratios, care plans, and specific medical supports. In the end, the facility's longstanding reputation for warmth and the recent concerns about management and care quality both matter, and careful, thorough evaluation is essential to determine if it's the right fit for a particular loved one.

This part of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, offers a convenient location with various amenities within close proximity. There are several places of worship nearby, including Southern Baptist Convention and St Joseph's Catholic Church, catering to different faiths. A range of parks such as Grussendorf Park and Riverview Park provide opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation. Access to medical care is also readily available with Lakewood Surgery Center and Essentia Health-Grand Rapids Clinic in the vicinity. Dining options like Culver's and El Potro Mexican Restaurant offer diverse culinary experiences, while pharmacies like Walgreens and Thrifty White Drug ensure easy access to medications. Overall, this area provides a comfortable and well-rounded environment for senior living.

Places of Worship

• Southern Baptist Convention (0.2 miles)
• Church of the Nazarene (0.3 miles)
• Full Gospel Church (0.8 miles)
• St Joseph's Catholic Church (0.9 miles)
• St Joseph's Catholic Community (0.9 miles)
• Restoration Life Church (1 miles)
• Church of the Nazarene (1 miles)

Parks

• Grussendorf Park (0.4 miles)
• Riverview Park (1.1 miles)
• Lost Creek Park (1.4 miles)
• Crystal Springs Park (3.9 miles)
• Longyear Park (7.1 miles)
• Cotton Park (7.5 miles)
• Frog Central (8.5 miles)

Physicians

• Lakewood Surgery Center (0.4 miles)
• Essentia Health-Grand Rapids Clinic (0.4 miles)
• Spenningsby, James Dr-Bonner Eye Clinic (0.4 miles)
• Itasca Surgical Clinic (0.4 miles)
• Northern Pines Orthopaedic Clinic PA (0.6 miles)
• Hise Leo Dr & Mary (0.6 miles)
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgical Associates (0.7 miles)

Hospitals

• Grand Itasca Clinic and Hospital (0.5 miles)
• Duluth Clinic Deer River (14.3 miles)

Restaurants

• Culver's (0.7 miles)
• Subway (0.8 miles)
• Arby's (0.8 miles)
• Domino's Pizza (0.8 miles)
• Watland (0.8 miles)
• El Potro Mexican Restaurant (0.9 miles)
• Forest Lake Restaurant (1 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.8 miles)
• Thrifty White Drug (1.1 miles)
• Super One Foods (1.1 miles)
• Target Pharmacy (1.2 miles)
• Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy (1.3 miles)
• Super One Foods (1.3 miles)
• Ott Drug Store (13.9 miles)

Cafes

• Caribou Coffee (1.1 miles)
• Higher Grounds Coffee Shop (13.9 miles)