Sumner at Ridgewood

Pros

• Concordia is a very friendly and clean retirement facility where everyone is kind.
• Outings and activities at Concordia are well planned and a lot of fun.
• The staff at Concordia are well trained and very helpful.
• Concordia is a friendly, caring, faith-based community.
• The staff at Concordia are amazing and dedicated to making residents comfortable and safe.
• Residents at Concordia enjoy Tai Chi, arthritis aerobics, the library, dances, lunches, and other social events.
• The buildings at Concordia are exceptionally clean and the facility is modern.
• The campus at Concordia is beautiful, with kind and helpful employees.
• The nursing staff, doctors, therapists, and kitchen staff at Concordia are kind and provide good care and meals.
• Concordia is a welcoming and supportive community for residents and families.
• Carmen from Concordia's activities department provides patient, caring service and goes above and beyond.
• Monique and other staff members at Concordia are helpful and supportive to residents and families.

Cons

• There was a 55-minute delay for a team member to check on a patient, delaying urgent care.
• The patient was released after being told the plan was unsafe, creating an unsafe environment.
• The facility is short-staffed, with one cook for four buildings, and the kitchen had been cited.
• There was no staff on duty, leaving residents with no response after pressing the alert button.
• The staff were described as cold and transactional, lacking compassion and accountability.
• An aide was observed making loud gagging noises while changing a patient, causing embarrassment and humiliation.
• Dirty diapers and bed pads were found balled up on a chair with little apology from staff.
• The facility attempted to discharge a family member to an unapproved facility without the family's knowledge.
• The food in assisted living was described as terrible.
• Over time, the quality of care declined, with staff not providing basic care such as showers.

Review

Concordia at Sumner emerges in these impressions as a place of strong contrasts. On the one hand, a broad chorus of residents, family members, and former patients paints a picture of a friendly, clean, and welcoming community. People frequently describe the facility as a bright, well-maintained, and faith-based environment where staff and neighbors greet one another warmly, and where a steady stream of outings and activities helps keep residents engaged. Independent living apartments are repeatedly praised for being comfortable and well situated within a setting that feels both reassuring and family-oriented. The campus is described as beautiful and modern, with residents noting that the atmosphere is caring and that the residents themselves feel valued and connected. In many accounts, Concordia is identified as a place where social opportunities - such as dances, lunches, tai chi, arthritis classes, and library time - are plentiful, and where family members find themselves welcome and supported in their visits.

A significant portion of the positive experience centers on the people who work there. Reviewers consistently highlight friendly, attentive staff who seem genuinely invested in residents' well-being. Several accounts specifically commend the nursing staff, therapists, and activity coordinators, with particular thanks extended to individuals like Ashley, Carolyn, and Olivia for making therapy sessions pleasant and productive, and to others who bring warmth and care to daily interactions. Families frequently mention the quality of care in the nursing and rehabilitation aspects, praising the consistency, kindness, and competence of caregivers, therapists, and hospital-to-home transition support. For many, the facility's dining services, housekeeping, and the sense of routine and safety contribute to a feeling of stability and trust. In short, the overall sentiment from these voices is that Concordia can be a wonderfully supportive environment, especially for those who are seeking an active, faith-based community with a robust schedule of activities.

Alongside the positive narratives, however, there are serious and specific criticisms that recur across multiple reviews. A recurring concern is safety and responsiveness in emergencies. One account describes an emergency situation where it took 55 minutes for a team member to check on a patient, with the family later being told to wait for a call after a discharge plan was labeled unsafe. The same review mentions a knee-replacement rehab patient who was given a urinal because walking to the bathroom was inconvenient, highlighting concerns about mobility, appropriate care, and the potential for a knee to lock up if movement is not encouraged. This vignette is used to illustrate a broader worry about staffing levels and the capacity to respond promptly to patient needs, including rehabilitation patients who require timely assistance.

Other posts raise concerns about staffing and operational efficiency. Several reviewers point to being short-staffed, with examples such as a single cook serving four buildings, and broader implications for the kitchen's ability to meet demand or maintain food quality. There are explicit complaints about a lack of staff on duty in general, delayed responses to call bells, and, in one case, a report of a patient being unable to obtain pain medication that was ordered but not filled in a timely manner - an issue tied to accountability and communication within the care team. Some reviews describe unsafe or inappropriate discharge planning, including attempts to move a patient to an unapproved facility without proper consent or discussion, which understandably raises alarms about coordination between hospital, facility, and family.

Other grievances touch on the emotional and moral dimensions of care. A number of reviewers speak about compassion, or the lack thereof, in the caregiving culture. They describe interactions that feel transactional or impersonal, and some recount distressing incidents of inappropriate behavior or a perceived lack of dignity in care. There are also testimonials about callers and families feeling ignored or insufficiently informed during critical moments, with specific anecdotes about miscommunications around pain management, therapy expectations, and discharge planning. Compounding these concerns are complaints about the physical environment and housekeeping in certain units, and about a resident's experience of odor or lack of attention to basic cleanliness in certain areas, painting a picture of uneven quality across different parts of the campus or over time.

Amid these mixed messages, some reviewers reflect on particular staff members who left a strong, positive impression even within a broader critique of the facility. For example, there are heartfelt commendations for an activities staff member who went above and beyond to help a resident prepare a cherished gift, and for others who contributed to a sense of normalcy and dignity through personal acts of care. The contrast between these touching, person-centered stories and the more troubling accounts underscores the complexity of the Concordia experience: it can be deeply meaningful and well-managed in some contexts, while falling short in critical moments for others.

In the end, what emerges is a nuanced portrait of Concordia at Sumner. For many residents and families, it remains a place of community, care, and opportunity - a faith-based environment where independence can be pursued with companionship, meaningful activities, and accessible services. Yet there are pronounced concerns about safety, staffing, communication, and accountability that cannot be overlooked. The stories call for closer attention to emergency responsiveness, consistent staffing across shifts, rigorous oversight of discharge planning, and a reinvigorated emphasis on compassion and dignity in daily care. Those considering Concordia would likely weigh the strong, positive experiences - the warmth of staff, the quality of programming, and the inviting atmosphere - against the serious caveats raised by others, recognizing that improvements in staffing, process, and patient-centered care would be crucial to ensuring safety and trust for all residents.

This area of Akron, Ohio offers a range of healthcare options with several physicians' offices and pharmacies within close proximity. There are also various restaurants and cafes nearby for convenient dining options. Places of worship are easily accessible for those looking to maintain their spiritual practices. Additionally, there are several parks nearby for outdoor activities and leisurely walks. In case of emergencies, there are hospitals within a short drive from the area. The presence of a movie theater provides entertainment options for residents as well. Overall, this neighborhood provides a combination of healthcare services, amenities, and recreational opportunities that could make it a desirable location for senior living.

Physicians

• Cns Healthcare Foundation (0.6 miles)
• Summit Adult Medicine Center (1.6 miles)
• Ohio Family Practice (1.8 miles)
• Center for Urologic Health (1.9 miles)
• Ohio Sleep Disorder Center (2.1 miles)
• Dylan R Childs, MD (2.2 miles)
• Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center (2.3 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (1.1 miles)
• Acme Sav-On Pharmacy (1.6 miles)
• Walgreens (1.6 miles)
• Rite Aid (1.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.8 miles)
• Walgreens (2.9 miles)
• Discount Drug Mart (3.3 miles)

Restaurants

• Rizzi's Ristorante & Pizzeria (1.5 miles)
• Swensons Drive-In (1.6 miles)
• Chipotle Mexican Grill (1.6 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (1.7 miles)
• Olive Garden (1.7 miles)
• Hooley House Sports Pub & Grille (1.7 miles)
• Taco Bell (1.7 miles)

Cafes

• Cafe Arnone (1.7 miles)
• Starbucks (1.7 miles)
• Biggby Coffee (2.4 miles)
• Nervous Dog Coffee Bar (3.5 miles)
• Molly Brown Cafe (6.6 miles)

Places of Worship

• Grace Church (2.4 miles)
• Ghent Christian Church (3.2 miles)
• Wadsworth Church of the Nazarene (6.9 miles)

Parks

• Green Leaf Park (3.2 miles)
• Mountain Bike Area (5.1 miles)
• Summit Lake Park (6 miles)

Hospitals

• Akron Children's Hospital (6 miles)
• Summa Western Reserve Hospital (6.5 miles)
• Summa Akron City Hospital (7.2 miles)

Theaters

• Cinemark Cuyahoga Falls And Xd (7.1 miles)