3500 Vivian Avenue, Shoreview, MN 55126
For more information about senior living options: (866) 208-4318
Overall Review of St Therese At St Odilia
Pros
The staff were amazing, kind, and compassionate.- The nurses were knowledgeable, caring, compassionate, and professional, and were always so nice and accommodating.
- The aides were wonderful and clearly love their job, doing it as a calling.
- The facility is wonderful, with lots of common areas and separate dining and bedroom spaces for families.
- The organization provides amazing care and love to patients and their families.
- The staff are the most caring group of nurses and aides.
Cons
There were reports of three residents dying unexpectedly within 48 hours at St. Odilia, allegedly due to over-sedation.- In a particular case, a resident did not respond after being given sedatives (ativan, haldol, morphine) and a family member was not contacted promptly.
- Some family members questioned whether others had similar experiences and whether families were adequately informed about patients' conditions.
Review
St Therese at St Odilia in Shoreview is best suited for families navigating the end-of-life journey and seeking hospice-level support delivered in a calm, well-staffed setting. The community earns its strongest marks from bedside to process, with skilled nurses and aides providing compassionate, professional care and a culture that invites families to participate meaningfully in caregiving. It is a place where safety, comfort, and dignity are prioritized during an intensely personal time. Those whose goals center on aggressive curative treatment or a long-term non-palliative living arrangement should consider alternatives. Prospective families owe it to themselves to evaluate whether the expectation of hospice-focused care, steady symptom management, and transparent communication aligns with their loved one’s needs.
Key strengths show up in the people who staff the care teams and in the practical design of the residence. Nurses are repeatedly described as knowledgeable, caring, compassionate, and professional, with aides who clearly take pride in their work and approach care as a calling. That depth of warmth translates into reliable reassurance during long days and quiet nights when questions surface and anxieties rise. On the physical side, the facility features generous common areas and a thoughtful layout that separates dining and sleeping spaces upstairs to accommodate family presence without compromising patient privacy. The setup reinforces a sense of normalcy and dignity, which matters when the focus is on comfort at life’s end and on preserving meaningful moments for the family.
The care model here is consistently described as safe and attentive, producing outcomes that families can trust during the most challenging days. End-of-life care is delivered with a level of competence that reduces worry and reinforces confidence in the team. The hospice approach appears integrated and approachable, with staff who communicate in a straightforward, reassuring manner rather than evasive or opaque. The combination of skilled clinical care and a nurturing atmosphere helps families feel protected against pain, fear, and practical concerns about daily living needs. The facility’s thoughtful design, where family space and patient rest coexist, supports dignity while acknowledging the realities of caregiving.
Nevertheless, a minority of experiences inject concern into the overall impression. One-star feedback flags troubling issues around sedation and the immediacy of family communication. Reports describe situations where end-of-life trajectories seemed to hinge on sedative interventions, followed by death within a short window, with families not being notified promptly. Such experiences challenge any expectation of flawless execution and rightly prompt questions about consent, monitoring, and the decision-making process around comfort meds. Although not representative of the majority, these accounts illuminate real risks that must be confronted openly. Prospective families should inquire about specific policies on sedation, symptom escalation, and the mechanisms for timely family updates during rapid changes.
Taken as a whole, the overwhelmingly positive notes about compassion, competence, and a well-structured environment create a compelling case for St Therese at St Odilia as a hospice-focused option. The negative experiences, while concerning, do not erase the consistent praise for warmth, safety, and professional expertise that sustains families during an intensely emotional period. The prudent path is to seek clarity: request a detailed care plan that outlines pain control, symptom management, and daily routines; insist on a dedicated family liaison to ensure timely updates; confirm leadership responsibility for changes in care and how families are notified of shifts in status. For families monitoring ethics and communication, this diligence pays off, ensuring the patient’s comfort remains the primacy while families have ready avenues for questions and concerns.
In sum, St Therese at St Odilia stands as a practical, experienced option for families seeking compassionate hospice-level care in Shoreview. It is especially well-suited for loved ones who need steady nursing presence, skilled symptom management, and a setting that preserves dignity while inviting family involvement in the final days. Those pursuing long-term assisted living without a hospice focus, or who require a different approach to medication decisions and family communication, should evaluate alternatives with the same rigor applied here. A candid tour, conversations with hospice leadership, and a review of on-call procedures will reveal whether this community aligns with the family’s goals. When aligned, the combination of expert care, heartfelt staff, and a thoughtful environment can translate into meaningful peace for both resident and family in a profoundly challenging season.
21 resident community capacity
Assisted Living
Beauty salon
Cable or satellite TV
Dining room
Fully furnished
Garden
Housekeeping services
Kitchenette
Move-in coordination
Outdoor space
Telephone
Wi-Fi/high-speed internet available
Minneapolis-St Paul International (12 miles away)
24-hour call system
Activities of daily living assistance
Assistance with bathing
Assistance with dressing
Assistance with transfers
Diabetes diet
Meal preparation and service
Medication management
Mental wellness program
Special dietary restrictions
Transportation arrangement (medical)
Transportation to doctors appointments
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