Woodlands Retirement Comm

Pros

• It is probably the best retirement community and nursing home.
• It is a beautiful place.
• The people there - the residents and staff - are tremendous and a treasure.
• Breakfasts are good and freshly cooked to order.
• Visitors enjoy spending time there and hear nothing but great things about living there.
• The sister-in-law is quite comfortable there.

Cons

• Residents on the healthcare floor were effectively housed like farm animals, with only token activities and little or no time outside the facility.
• The care level reassessment led to a monthly rate increase of over $1,500.
• A nurse named Kim Taylor allegedly routinely withheld information from family members about the resident's well-being and failed to provide the needed attention.
• The facility is accused of selling apartments by getting an in-house doctor to declare residents unfit to live independently, then moving them to healthcare.
• Staffing on the healthcare floors appears severely limited: one nurse for two floors and two aides for both floors, with tensions when families don't hire outside caregivers.
• Residents may go to bed in dirty clothes and spend days staring at the wall due to neglect or inadequate care.
• The Woodlands is described as expensive and not worth the cost by some families, who warn others to seek alternative accommodations.

Review

The Woodlands is described by several voices as a place that might be the best retirement community or nursing home around, if you can afford it. It's repeatedly labeled as beautiful and well kept, a setting that gleams with promise and care. For families and residents who can pay the premium, it seems to offer a lifestyle that blends comfort with a sense of security. In one tender plea, a family member asks staff to keep looking after a beloved grandmother, Linda Gutierrez, insisting that love remains even as time marches on and Alzheimer's anxiety grows. The message is heartfelt and full of warmth: love endures beyond the shadows of illness, and the people at the Woodlands are part of that enduring care.

Several reviewers paint a more positive, almost buoyant picture of day-to-day life there. There's a sense of community and connection that shines through in comments about family visits and social interactions. A sister-in-law, for example, seems to find comfort and ease in the environment, and others report hearing only good things about life at the facility. Mealtimes are praised for their freshness and attention to detail, with breakfasts cooked to order and a general rhythm of daily routines that people can look forward to. For those who want to squeeze in a round of golf, the timing is perfect - the facility appears to situate itself as a convenient and pleasant base from which to enjoy a game or two before a day of activities or visits.

Yet beneath the beauty and the praise lies a stark contrast in experiences. One resident's story unfolds with a jarring shift: after two years at the Woodlands, their care level was reassessed, and the monthly cost rose by more than $1,500. The financial pressure, coupled with a change in the level of care, triggered a move to another assisted living facility, this time in Ohio. The narrative makes a somber claim about the quality of care on the healthcare floor, portraying it as a place where residents are effectively housed like farm animals - kept within the walls, offered only sporadic, token activities, and rarely given opportunities to go outside. The description grows more disturbing as it details daily neglect: residents going to bed in dirty clothes and spending days on end just staring at the wall. It's a portrait of deprivation that feels incongruent with the surrounding beauty of the place.

A particularly sharp critique centers on a nurse named Kim Taylor, who is said to have withheld information about a loved one's well-being from family members and to have failed to give the attention needed to help the resident thrive in a senior living environment. The reviewer's language is stark: if a parent were to die, Kim Taylor might have "given a damn," or so it's implied she would not. The admonition is direct and stark: beware of the Woodlands. It's not a casual complaint but a deeply felt warning about trust, transparency, and the level of care that families should expect - and demand - from a facility entrusted with their loved ones' health and dignity.

Another piercing grievance concerns the practices around moving residents into "healthcare" when the time comes to confirm they are unfit to live independently. The critique highlights what feels like pressure to accelerate the departure from standard accommodation into healthcare, coupled with staff shortages - "one nurse for two floors" and "two aides for both floors." The resentment isn't only about staffing numbers; it's about the perception that residents are caught in a system where the care model and the economics intersect in ways that leave families feeling exposed and over-stretched. The anger directed at the facility's approach to outside caregiving - expecting families to shoulder extra costs for non-facility support - paints a picture of a business model that some families view as prioritizing profit over consistent, hands-on resident care.

Taken together, these perspectives reveal a complex picture: The Woodlands is a place of undeniable beauty, comfort, and potential for meaningful connection, but it is also a space where cost, care levels, and staffing realities can collide in painful, distressing ways. For some families, the environment delivers warmth, reliable routine, and the satisfaction of seeing loved ones cared for with kindness. For others, the same environment becomes a site of concern - where price increases, limited outside time for residents, and gaps in communication and hands-on care erode trust and hope. The contrast between the idyllic surface and the troubling undercurrents is striking and, for many, deeply clarifying.

In the end, what emerges is a nuanced portrait that asks prospective residents and their families to look beyond appearances and pricing. The Woodlands may indeed be a beautiful, well-run community for some; for others, it represents a difficult decision - balancing the lure of comfort and social activity against the realities of care quality, transparency, and the economics that govern long-term habitation. The stories call for thoughtful due diligence: to visit often, to ask pointed questions about care levels and staffing, to verify every charge, and to be vigilant about the moment when a loved one's independence is deemed unfit for living on their own. For families who can navigate the costs and advocate for the right care plan, it may still be a place of safety and community; for others, the experience may highlight the essential limits of any facility and the need to seek alternatives that align more closely with their loved one's dignity and daily lived reality.

This neighborhood in Huntington, West Virginia offers a range of amenities and services that cater to seniors. With multiple physicians and medical centers located within a short distance, access to healthcare is convenient. Additionally, there are several pharmacies nearby for medication needs. The area also boasts a variety of dining options, including cafes and restaurants offering different cuisines to suit various tastes. For leisure activities, there is a park with an amphitheater for outdoor enjoyment, as well as a cinema for entertainment. Places of worship are also easily accessible for spiritual needs. Overall, this neighborhood provides a well-rounded environment with essential services and recreational opportunities for seniors looking to settle in the area.

Physicians

• Tri-State Otolaryngology (0.7 miles)
• Cabell Huntington Hospital Family Medical Centers (0.7 miles)
• Family Urgent Care Center (0.7 miles)
• Alexander T Caughran MD (1.7 miles)
• Susan Claire Touma (2.1 miles)
• Marshall Cardiology (2.2 miles)
• Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center (2.3 miles)

Restaurants

• Cam's Hams (1.5 miles)
• Midway West Drive-In (1.6 miles)
• Central City Cafe (1.7 miles)
• Tudor's Biscuit World (1.7 miles)
• The Cookie Carnival (1.8 miles)
• Burger King (1.9 miles)
• Bahnhof WVrsthaus & Biergarten (2 miles)

Pharmacies

• Kroger Pharmacy (1.6 miles)
• Fruth Pharmacy (1.6 miles)
• Walgreens (1.9 miles)
• Kroger Pharmacy (3.8 miles)
• Fruth Pharmacy (4.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.3 miles)
• St Mary's Pharmacy (4.4 miles)

Hospitals

• B & B Medical Services (2 miles)
• Health Care Services (2 miles)
• Cabell Huntington Surgery Center (2.3 miles)
• Cabell Huntington Hospital (2.3 miles)
• Hoops Family Children's Hospital (2.3 miles)
• St Jude's Children's Research (2.5 miles)
• Huntington Veterans Affairs Medical Center (3.1 miles)

Parks

• Ritter Park Amphitheater (2.3 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (2.4 miles)

Theaters

• Marquee Cinemas-Pullman Square 16 (2.4 miles)

Places of Worship

• Huntington Mosque مسجد هنغتينغتون (2.9 miles)
• Norway Avenue Church Of Church (2.9 miles)
• Baptist Temple (3 miles)
• New Baptist Church (4.1 miles)
• New Life Church (5.3 miles)