Harrison Bay Senior Living in Mound, MN

Pros

• The staff at Harrison Bay Senior Living seem to genuinely care about residents.
• The facility is close to Mound and has a beautiful nature view.
• The staff are great and always there for residents.
• The building is beautiful and well-maintained.
• Marketing Director Brooke Olson makes all residents feel special.
• The cleanliness of the facility is excellent.
• The food quality is outstanding.
• The nursing staff are warm and resident-oriented.

Cons

• The memory care facility at Harrison Bay is absolutely the worst, with no staff and temps from outside agencies.
• Rooms open as soon as openings appear, even though there is no staff to support them.
• There have been some pretty disgusting sights observed inside the facility.
• The facility is hugely understaffed for kitchen duties, and residents often wait up to an hour for service.
• The back door lacks an automatic opener, making it hard for elderly residents to go outside.
• Return calls from the Assistant Director of Health Services are not timely, or sometimes not made at all.
• An incident involving a relative occurred a couple of weeks ago, leaving them taken aback.

Review

Harrison Bay Senior Living in Mound, Minnesota, is best suited for active seniors and couples who want a bright, modern setting with scenic lake and nature views, a clean and well-maintained building, and a staff that generally shows warmth and attentiveness. The community's atmosphere leans into a polished, welcoming environment where residents can enjoy roomy, sunlit apartments and pleasant common spaces. It is a solid fit for families seeking a neighborhood-like feel with accessible therapy services and staff who are seen as genuinely caring in day-to-day interactions. Those who prize a strong first impression, beautiful grounds, and a positive energy from front desk and care teams will find Harrison Bay compelling. However, families that require intensive, highly reliable memory-care staffing or expect instant, flawless dining service may want to consider alternatives.

On the positive side, the pros wire together to create a compelling day-to-day experience. The facility shines in cleanliness and aesthetic appeal, with well-kept interiors and attractive views that residents and visitors notice. Front-office personnel, the administrative team, and direct care staff are repeatedly described as friendly and genuinely engaged in residents' well-being. The memory of an active therapy program is clear: robust physical therapy options and the potential for meaningful activities, including engaging programming and accessible common spaces, help keep residents connected. Several residents note the new, bright apartments with individual climate control, easy wheelchair navigation, and conveniences like in-unit laundry and a reliable ice maker - features that reduce daily friction for families and residents alike. The location within a short walk of town and the pet-friendly policy add to the overall appeal, along with a visible emphasis on kindness and a "can-do" culture in nursing and supportive staff.

Yet the facility is not without notable drawbacks, and those concerns are substantial enough to shape a buyer's decision. A recurring warning from reviewers centers on the memory-care unit, where staffing shortages and reliance on agency temps have led some to question the level of consistent care, with reports of difficult conditions and even troubling sights in extreme cases. Kitchen and dining operations also suffer from understaffing at peak times, producing long waits for meals and inconsistent service between servers and kitchen staff. Communication gaps emerge as another friction point - delays in returning calls, and some staff members not replying promptly to family inquiries. There are also practical access issues: a back door that is not automatically accessible for residents with mobility aids, limited automatic door coverage beyond the front entrance, and concerns about emergency transportation being less readily available or free for medical appointments. Together, these issues dampen the otherwise bright picture painted by the community's physical charm and affectionate staff.

Still, the strongest pros tend to offset many of the day-to-day irritants for most residents, even if not all. The warmth and attentiveness of care teams, the visible dedication of administrators who are praised for approachability, and the overall sense that staff genuinely want residents to be comfortable create a meaningful counterbalance to staffing hiccups. The quality of food is spoken of as outstanding by some families, and the dining environment - while sometimes challenged by understaffing - retains a high standard for nutrition and presentation when service levels are steadier. The combination of a serene setting, ongoing treatment options, and modern, accessible apartments makes Harrison Bay a strong value for families who prioritize a polished environment and ready access to therapy and social engagement, provided that memory-care intensity is not the sole priority.

In deciding whether Harrison Bay is the right move, two groups merit particular caution. First, anything centered on intensive memory care should look elsewhere; even if a unit exists, the most solid option for memory support requires staffing stability and specialized care protocols that reviewers indicate are inconsistent here. Second, families that cannot tolerate wait-times in dining, or who require reliable, timely communications and door-access solutions, should compare alternatives with proven kitchen coordination, more dependable call-backs, and more seamless mobility-access features. Prospective residents who value scenic surroundings, modern apartments, and a committed care ethos may reconcile the cons by leaning into the community's strengths - especially if therapy services and social programming are a high priority and the individual's needs align with a well-rounded assisted-living plan rather than heavy memory-support requirements.

For families evaluating Harrison Bay, the practical next steps are clear: tour the community with questions focused on staff ratios during meals, memory-care staffing plans (if applicable), and the specific processes for call-backs and family updates. Request current dining room wait times, a sample menu, and a day-in-the-life calendar to judge whether the service tempo fits the resident's pace. Inquire about door accessibility features, the availability of emergency transportation, and the steps the community takes to reduce turnover and improve kitchen-to-server communications. Hearing directly from current residents and families about responsiveness and daily routine will illuminate how the pros translate to lived experience. When these elements align, Harrison Bay stands out as a polished, compassionate option; when they don't, alternatives with steadier care foundations and more robust mobility and dining systems are worth pursuing.

This part of Mound, Minnesota offers a variety of amenities that cater to the needs of seniors. With multiple cafes nearby, such as Caribou Coffee and Blackwater Cafe, residents can easily enjoy a cup of coffee and socialize with friends. There are also several places of worship in close proximity, providing opportunities for spiritual fulfillment. Pharmacies like Walgreens and Spring Park Pharmacy are conveniently located for easy access to medication and healthcare needs. In terms of medical care, there are hospitals like Ridgeview Medical Center within a short distance. Additionally, the area boasts parks like Surfside Park and Gale Woods Farm for leisurely walks and outdoor activities. Overall, this neighborhood provides a well-rounded environment with essential services for senior living.

Cafes

• Caribou Coffee (0.1 miles)
• Blackwater Cafe (5 miles)
• Caribou Coffee (5 miles)
• Panera Bread (8.2 miles)
• Caribou Coffee (8.7 miles)

Places of Worship

• Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church (0.2 miles)
• North Central District Office (5.4 miles)
• St Victoria Catholic Church (5.6 miles)
• St Therese of Deephaven (7.4 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.3 miles)
• Spring Park Pharmacy (1 miles)
• Good Neighbor Pharmacy (1 miles)
• MPFC Maple Plain Food Center (4.9 miles)
• Walgreens (5 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (6.4 miles)
• Guy Research (7.5 miles)

Physicians

• Wayzata Children's Clinic P A (0.3 miles)
• Kevin's Traveling Touch (1 miles)
• Pinnacle Dermatology- Excelsior (4.8 miles)
• MN Otolaryngology (5.2 miles)
• Ridgeview Chanhassen Clinic (7.6 miles)
• Mn Otolaryngology (7.9 miles)
• John W Meccia MD (7.9 miles)

Restaurants

• Surfside Bar & Grill (0.4 miles)
• Minnetonka Drive-In Restaurant (1 miles)
• Al & Almas Supper Club & Charter Cruises (1.1 miles)
• Lord Fletcher's Old Lake Lodge (2.2 miles)
• Ox Yoke Inn (4.7 miles)
• McGarry's Pub (5 miles)
• Enki Brewing (5.2 miles)

Parks

• Surfside Park (0.6 miles)
• Gale Woods Farm (2.3 miles)
• Freeman Park (3.8 miles)
• Three Rivers Off Leash Dog Park (4.3 miles)
• Missile Park (4.6 miles)
• Kirke-Lachen Park (5.3 miles)
• Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (5.6 miles)

Hospitals

• Wedge Industries (6.7 miles)
• Chaska Urgent Care (7.8 miles)
• Alongside Services (8.9 miles)
• Waconia Cancer Clinic (8.9 miles)
• Allina Health Minneapolis Heart Institute – Waconia (9 miles)
• Ridgeview Medical Center (9 miles)

Theaters

• Waconia Theatre (8.5 miles)