Johanna Shores Commons & Arbor

Pros

• The campus is described as beautiful and tranquil, located on the shores of Lake Johanna.
• The facility offers a comprehensive range of services in one location, from independent living to memory care, providing peace of mind.
• The staff are genuinely caring and go above and beyond to make residents feel at home.
• The amenities are top-notch, including a swimming pool, fitness classes, and a variety of social events.
• The community is welcoming, friendly, and responsive to residents' needs.
• The grounds and gardens are well-maintained, with pleasant walking trails and lake views, plus summer pontoon boat rides.
• Transportation options and nearby shopping and healthcare add convenience.
• Families and residents would highly recommend Johanna Shores for its supportive, engaging, and beautiful environment.

Cons

• The staff member on the phone was described as unprofessional, rude, unwelcoming, and catty.
• The operator would not transfer the caller to anyone and ended the call abruptly.
• The reviewer felt the facility's staff showed little consideration and respect.
• A grandmother's stay was spoiled by poor staff and service, with staff isolating her from others.
• The place was criticized for still forcing masks on residents.
• There were reports of overcharging and other financial mismanagement.
• The floors were sticky and not cleaned properly, and management did not address the concerns.
• There was a lack of communication from staff after the reviewer's mother died, implying neglect.
• Some reviews claimed the facility cares more about money than residents and does not listen.

Review

Johanna Shores Presbyterian Home comes through in reviews as a place of striking contrast. On the one hand, the setting is repeatedly praised: a campus perched on Lake Johanna with beautiful grounds, tranquil surroundings, and a sense that there is a full spectrum of care in one location. Visitors and long-term residents alike marvel at the landscape - gardens, lakeside paths, and a campus that feels peaceful and well-kept. The overall impression for many is that it could be an ideal home for aging loved ones, especially given the breadth of services available from independent living through memory care and transitional care.

Yet the same voices carry sharp warnings about the human side of the experience. A caller recounts a frustrating interaction when they tried to use the website to learn about open employment positions and then spoke to someone in the office who was described as unprofessional, rude, and unwelcoming. The person on the other end allegedly refused to transfer the caller or offer help, ending the conversation abruptly with a dismissive, "that's as far as this phone call is going," before hanging up. The message here is that even routine outreach can feel hostile, leaving an impression that frontline staff may be inconsistent or insensitive in how they respond to inquiries.

Family memories reinforce a sobering counterpoint to the campus beauty. One review describes a grandmother who lived at Johanna Shores for some time but was removed because of poor staff and poor service. The family recalls being disappointed by how she was treated, including periods when staff did not respond or provide the care they expected, and how the experience left the grandmother feeling isolated from others. That account underscores a fear many families carry: even a facility that seems lovely on the outside may fall short in day-to-day responsiveness and quality of care, with real consequences for a resident's well-being.

In contrast to these concerns, other reviews are glowing about the consistency of care and the family comfort that comes from staying for many years. Two separate families describe long relationships with the community: parents who have been there for five years or more, drawn by the lakefront setting, the range of services, and the sense that Johnson Shores offers a stable place to age in place. The positive comments emphasize that independent living, assisted living, transitional care, nursing, and memory care are all present in one campus, which provides "peace of mind" as needs evolve over time. The testimonials frame Johanna Shores as a one-stop setting that can accommodate changing health and daily living needs without uprooting residents.

The heart of the place, according to many residents, is the staff. Those who sing the loudest praises point to genuine care, warmth, and a willingness to go above and beyond. They speak of staff who are attentive, friendly, and responsive, and who contribute to a sense of community where residents feel at home. There are recurring mentions of people feeling well cared for, of volunteering opportunities, and of the facility's social life - everything from speaker series and card clubs to happy hours and a busy calendar of events. The sentiment is that a strong, compassionate staff can transform a beautiful campus into a true home.

Within those narratives are vivid, specific memories that illustrate the daily rhythm of life at Johanna Shores. One couple describes walking over to spend time with a spouse in transitional care, a gesture that meant a great deal to them given their long marriage (74 years) and the chance to share moments together in a secure, familiar setting. Others recount experiences of independent living in the Brownstones, the sense of security that comes with knowing higher levels of care are available on the same grounds, and the joy of being part of a welcoming, active community. The abundance of activities, the comfort of the campus, and the perceived attentiveness of the staff are repeatedly tied together as reasons families chose and stayed.

There are, however, persistent subtexts of concern threaded through several reviews. Some readers describe the campus as still enforcing masks, a policy that continues to stand out in a community that otherwise highlights its vitality and social life. Other accounts focus on what happened during and after a loved one's death, noting a lack of timely communication and follow-up from staff during a difficult period. Families describe not receiving return calls in a time of grief, which left them feeling unheard in a moment when they needed reassurance and assistance.

Interwoven with these experiences are serious cautions about financial management and the everyday realities of care costs. A long, strongly worded account from a family who lived there for about three years paints Presbyterian Homes as an organization that prioritizes money over people. They report repeated overcharges, unaddressed concerns, and a sense that leadership was unresponsive to financial issues raised by family members. A particularly painful memory centers on a fall resulting from a sticky floor that apparently occurred after poor cleaning practices; the incident not only caused injury but also triggered cascading consequences, including the need to hire additional in-home help and the erosion of the family's finances. This reviewer urges prospective residents and families to "look beyond the beauty" and consider how finances are managed, and whether concerns receive prompt, substantive attention.

Taken together, the collection of experiences at Johanna Shores paints a nuanced portrait: a place of remarkable beauty, robust services, and a vibrant, engaged community; and simultaneously a place where inconsistent communication, variable frontline support, stringent policies, and financial concerns can undermine the overall sense of security and trust. For some families, the combination of lakefront charm, comprehensive care options, and caring staff creates a genuine home for aging loved ones. For others, the gaps in responsiveness, the handling of sensitive situations, and the financial undercurrents raise questions about reliability and the everyday quality of care. In the end, Johanna Shores emerges as a community capable of warmth, connection, and thoughtful care, but one that also requires careful, on-the-ground due diligence and clear, ongoing communication to ensure a resident's full well-being.

This area of CRYSTAL, Minnesota, offers convenient access to essential amenities such as pharmacies, places of worship, restaurants, hospitals, parks, cafes, and physicians. With multiple pharmacies located within a short distance, obtaining necessary medications is easily accessible. Additionally, there are various options for worship, dining, healthcare services, recreation at nearby parks, and relaxation at cafes. The presence of reputable hospitals and healthcare providers ensures that medical needs can be met promptly and efficiently. Overall, this area provides a well-rounded sense of community and convenience for seniors considering living in CRYSTAL.

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (1.2 miles)
• Walgreens (1.2 miles)
• Walgreens (1.5 miles)
• Walgreens (1.6 miles)
• HyVee Pharmacy (1.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.9 miles)
• Walgreens (3.8 miles)

Places of Worship

• Elim Church Center (1.5 miles)
• Westminster Presbyterian Church (5.1 miles)

Restaurants

• Pub 42 (1.5 miles)
• Big Louie's Bar & Grill (2.3 miles)
• Culver's (2.6 miles)
• Taco Bell (3 miles)
• ShowPlace ICON Theater (3.3 miles)
• Tony Jaro's River Garden (4.3 miles)
• Pryes Brewing Company (4.3 miles)

Hospitals

• Regency Hospital (2 miles)
• Hennepin County Medical Center (5.6 miles)
• Csc Gi Lab (5.6 miles)
• Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital (5.8 miles)
• Plymouth Surgery Center (5.9 miles)

Parks

• Twin Lake Beach Park (2.1 miles)
• French Regional Park (3.7 miles)
• Dakota Dog Park (4.1 miles)
• North Loop Dog Park (4.4 miles)
• Boom Island Park (4.7 miles)
• Aquila Park (4.9 miles)
• Loring Park (4.9 miles)

Cafes

• Caribou Coffee (2.5 miles)
• Angel Food Bakery & Coffee Bar (4.6 miles)
• Dunn Brothers Coffee (4.9 miles)
• Spyhouse Coffee (5 miles)

Physicians

• Northwest Family Physicians PA (2.6 miles)
• Partners In Pediatrics (5.3 miles)
• Minnesota Gastroenterology PA (5.9 miles)
• Whittier Clinic (5.9 miles)
• Ellgaard Annemarie Park Nicollet Clinic Carlson Parkway Minnetonka (6.2 miles)