Bonaventure in Salem, OR

Pros

• The Bonaventure of Salem community is clean, spacious, and well maintained, with residents who are cared for and happy.
• The care staff are phenomenal, consistently going the extra mile with exceptional care and compassion.
• Lynnette is extremely knowledgeable and helpful, explaining in depth the care and support residents receive.
• The hospice team provides compassion, dignity, and warmth, treating residents as whole people with patience and respect.
• The staff consistently goes the extra mile to ensure residents feel safe, comforted, and valued, with thoughtful and timely communication.
• The environment feels like a home—friendly, welcoming, and supportive to both residents and their families.
• On-site amenities and dining, including the Pub and activities, offer engaging experiences and friendly service.

Cons

• Management is described as uncaring and unqualified to run a retirement home.
• The care is extremely poor and the facility is filthy, with residents going unfed.
• Chronic staff turnover and undertrained, underpaid staff undermine consistent care.
• Food quality is consistently poor, often served cold and bland.
• Pull cord response times can be very slow, sometimes exceeding an hour.
• Billing practices are criticized, including large rate increases with no additional services.
• Some reviewers allege discriminatory hiring practices and unethical behavior by administration.

Review

This community is best suited for families seeking a home-like, socially vibrant environment where front-line caregivers deliver heartfelt, personalized attention. Bonaventure of Salem wins when the emphasis is on genuine warmth, daily engagement, and a sense of community described by residents and families as a place that feels like family. The on-site amenities, a pub, café, movie theater, activity calendar, and opportunities for outings, create a lively, accessible atmosphere that helps independence feel preserved while assistance remains readily available. For families prioritizing close caregiver relationships and a well-supported memory care or hospice collaboration, Bonaventure can be a compelling choice, especially when the goal is to maintain meaning, dignity, and connection in everyday routines.

Those who may want to consider alternatives should include families relying on Medicaid to fund an ongoing stay. Bonaventure does not accept Medicaid, which means residents must have sufficient resources to cover longer-term needs, or transition to another provider when funds are depleted. Additionally, potential residents who require very consistent staffing across all shifts, a uniformly spotless environment, or consistently high culinary standards may find the experience more variable. Several reviews raise flags about management turnover, staffing stability, and occasional lapses in cleanliness and service, factors that add risk for anyone needing predictable, tightly controlled care. For those with foremost concerns about long-term financial flexibility, administrative reliability, or kitchen quality, alternative communities with Medicaid acceptance and a steadier leadership track record deserve consideration.

The strongest pro-arguments center on the care teams themselves. Across multiple reviews, the day and swing-shift caregivers, med techs, and the nursing/health-wellness staff are described as devoted, compassionate, and responsive, often going “the extra mile” to support residents and families. That level of frontline warmth translates into meaningful daily interactions, patient med administration, and a sense that residents are known and valued by name. The hospice collaboration and the general climate of respect and dignity further reinforce that this is a place where residents can feel safe, comfortable, and engaged. The abundance of social opportunities, the pub, outings, games, movies, and family events, helps offset the formalities of residential care with ongoing moments of joy and connection, which is a real strength for preserving quality of life.

However, the cons raised in the reviews are substantial enough to tilt decision-making in practical terms. Management changes and ongoing staffing turnover emerge as a recurring theme, with some families reporting dramatic shifts in leadership and inconsistent care delivery as shifts change. The sentiment ranges from highly favorable when the current team is stable to deeply disappointed when turnover disrupts routines and care plans. Cleanliness and meal quality receive mixed feedback as well, with particular criticism aimed at some memory care experiences and at times subpar food offerings relative to the cost. The most consequential financial caveat is the lack of Medicaid acceptance, which has forced families to plan around potential transitions when resources dwindle, a disruption that can destabilize care for vulnerable residents.

In weighing pros against cons, the front-line care excellence and robust social programing partly offset the risk of a less predictable administrative environment, but they do not fully negate it. Where Bonaventure shines, personal attention, timely communication, and a culture of care, these strengths can sustain a high degree of resident satisfaction when staff are stable and management remains engaged. Yet the reality of past and reported turnover, coupled with occasionally inconsistent meal service and maintenance gaps, means that a family cannot rely on a spotless, always-on performance. Prospective residents must actively assess whether the current operational rhythm aligns with the level of predictability and consistency required by their loved one.

Practical next steps emerge clearly for families considering a tour or a formal move. Prioritize meeting the assigned care manager and the executive leadership to gauge whether the current team has the depth and stability to sustain the promised care plan. Request a transparent discussion about staffing ratios across shifts, how assignments are managed, and what safeguards exist to prevent lapses in attention or missed treatments. Inquire about recent state inspections and the facility’s response to any cited deficiencies, and review the most current menu options and dining schedules to gauge whether nutrition quality aligns with expectations. Ask for a trial period or a short-term placement while evaluating the fit, and insist on meeting with residents who share similar care needs to hear firsthand about day-to-day experiences.

The bottom line: Bonaventure of Salem stands out for families who prize warmth, personal connection, and a rich activity calendar, and who can tolerate some variability in leadership and staffing stability. It is less suitable for those requiring Medicaid support, those needing unwavering consistency across all shifts, or those with zero tolerance for perceived gaps in cleanliness or meal quality. If the leadership and staffing have recently stabilized and the current care teams demonstrate reliability, this community can offer a welcoming, participatory environment that preserves dignity and personal choice. For families unsure about financial planning or seeking guaranteed, Medicaid-eligible care, alternatives with Medicaid acceptance and a steadier management track should be prioritized, with Bonaventure reserved for those who can align expectations with the realities of caregiver-driven excellence within an evolving administrative landscape.

Physicians

• Oregon Heart Center, PC (0.3 miles)
• Joel Kenneth Hopkin (1 miles)
• Medical Center Eye Clinic | U. John Berzins, MD (1.1 miles)
• Dermatology Clinic PC (1.1 miles)
• Will Vision & Laser Center (1.1 miles)
• Childhood Health Associates of Salem (1.2 miles)
• Willamette Surgery Center (1.5 miles)

Restaurants

• Denny's (0.5 miles)
• Sonic Drive-In (0.7 miles)
• Taco Bell (0.8 miles)
• Michelangelo's Italian Restaurant (0.8 miles)
• Original Roadhouse Grill (0.9 miles)
• Kkoki Korean BBQ (0.9 miles)
• Hawaiian Time (0.9 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.7 miles)
• Genoa Pharmacy (0.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (0.9 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (0.9 miles)
• Rite Aid (1 miles)
• Medicine Shoppe (2.2 miles)
• Quisenberry Pharmacies Center Street Store (2.2 miles)

Hospitals

• Oregon State Hospital (0.8 miles)
• Department of Human Service (0.9 miles)
• Willamette Family Medical Center (1.1 miles)
• DaVita Salem North Dialysis (2.5 miles)

Transportation

• Hertz Rent A Car (0.8 miles)
• Amtrak (1.6 miles)

Cafes

• Dutch Bros Coffee (1 miles)
• Dutch Bros Coffee (1 miles)
• Black Rock Coffee Bar (1.4 miles)
• Ike Box (2 miles)
• Starbucks (2.1 miles)
• Dutch Bros Coffee (2.3 miles)
• Panera Bread (2.6 miles)

Theaters

• Regal Willamette Town Center (1.1 miles)
• Regal Cinebarre Movieland (2.2 miles)

Parks

• Aldrich Park (1.4 miles)
• Englewood Park (1.5 miles)
• Lower Bush Playground (1.8 miles)
• Pringle City Park (2 miles)
• McKinley School City Park (2.3 miles)
• Riverfront Park (2.5 miles)
• Fairmont City Park (2.7 miles)

Places of Worship

• First Christian Church (2.1 miles)