North Lakeland Senior Living

Pros

• This place is better.
• Indeed a very good service provider in the area, they take care of your loved ones like their own.
• New Era is advancing with better care and employees.

Cons

• The facility is not a place to send loved ones; the company doesn't care about patients or staff.
• The buildings are moldy and have bedbugs.
• There is no working central air and heating.
• Rooms and walls are falling apart in some areas because of mold.
• The kitchen staff can't keep up, and patients wander off miles away without staff realizing.
• The administrator is unavailable and won't return calls; management has infractions and fines.
• The exterior and interior are rundown; windows are filthy; it smells awful and looks depressing.
• It resembles a dungeon for the criminally insane; looks like a dump.
• There is severe understaffing (for example, three night workers for fifty residents).
• There are sanitation and pest issues, such as roach feces in drawers and a major water leak.

Review

Across the pool of experiences shared about this facility, you get a striking mix of opinions. Some reviewers speak highly of the place, noting great staff who they say take pride in their work and genuinely care for residents. Others - many more in the negative camp - describe a setting that feels poorly maintained, unsafe, and poorly managed. The facility repeatedly mentioned in these accounts is New Era, and the voices come from family members and individuals who have firsthand experience with residents there. Taken together, the statements sketch a complex picture: moments of kindness and attentive care coexist with serious concerns about conditions, safety, and leadership.

On the negative side, a number of reviewers focus on physical and environmental issues. They describe mold and bedbugs infesting the buildings, and insist that central air and heating are often not working. The interiors are portrayed as deteriorating, with rooms and walls failing to hold up under wear and moisture. Some comments are scathing about the appearance and atmosphere: "looks horrible and depressing," "needs remodeling," and even comparisons to a dungeon. Exterior and landscape conditions are also cited as rundown, reinforcing a sense of neglect that reviewers say pervades much of the facility.

Safety and supervision are prominent themes in several reviews. A recurring complaint is that patients wander off miles away from the facility without staff noticing, signaling concerns about supervision and staff coverage. Specific logistical problems are mentioned as well: a single kitchen staff member who can't keep up; only a few workers at night for a large number of residents; rooms kept chilly at night (around 60 degrees). Disturbing details about cleanliness surface too - roaches and roach feces in drawers, a persistent water leak in a shower, and overall reports that rooms and facilities just aren't adequately maintained to keep residents comfortable or safe. The impression of insufficient monitoring and maintenance weighs heavily in these accounts.

Management and administrative responsiveness are another axis of critique. Several reviewers accuse the administration of being hard to reach or consistently unavailable, with complaints that calls or messages aren't returned. One reviewer even highlights that, after an inspection through a regulatory body (ACHA), the facility accrued multiple strikes and fines. The emotional effect of these issues is underscored by emphatic warnings like "DO NOT RECOMMEND" and "DO NOT PUT YOUR LOVED ONE HERE," underscoring a fear that family members' loved ones may not be adequately prioritized.

Amid the criticisms, there are consistently contrasting notes from other reviewers who offer praise for certain staff members and experiences. One account describes Cheryl as an angel who personally addressed issues and guided the facility toward higher levels of care, portraying her as a leader who helps new era facilities improve. Another strongly positive voice credits Amy and her team for hard work, time, and effort dedicated to the facility, suggesting that the leadership there has a meaningful impact on operations. There are testimonials about good routine care for a family member with dementia, including properly adjusted medication schedules, attention to hygiene, and improved nutrition with regular meals and snacks. The ability to communicate with the staff - calls or texts to get updates on a loved one - is highlighted as a reassuring feature, along with policies that allowed visiting during COVID times.

A smaller but notable thread is the sense that the facility is changing or has the potential to change for the better. Some reviewers acknowledge "positive changes," and express a willingness to recognize improvements under new leadership or evolving practices. Phrases like "New Era is advancing with better care and employees" suggest an optimistic trajectory in the eyes of those who have observed recent progress. There are also mentions of direct gratitude toward particular individuals who have helped residents, reinforcing the idea that dedicated staff can make a meaningful difference even in a facility that faces systemic challenges.

Taken together, these reviews present a polarized portrait of New Era. The majority of voices raise serious concerns about maintenance, safety, staffing, and administrative responsiveness, painting a picture of a facility that can feel unsafe and neglected in parts. Yet there are contemporaneous accounts of compassionate care and effective leadership from certain staff members, with families reporting real improvements in personal care, medication management, and communication when the right people are at the helm. The overall impression is that care quality at this facility is uneven: some residents benefit from attentive, person-centered staff and improving practices, while others experience conditions and management issues that raise alarms about safety, cleanliness, and the prioritization of residents' well-being.

This area of Lakeland, Florida offers a convenient location with easy access to a variety of amenities. Within close proximity, you will find several pharmacies, restaurants, physicians' offices, parks, cafes, theaters, and hospitals to meet your daily needs. Additionally, there are places of worship nearby for spiritual fulfillment. The transportation infrastructure includes railroad tracks located a bit further away. Overall, this neighborhood provides a comfortable and well-rounded living environment for seniors looking to reside in Lakeland.

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.2 miles)
• FamilyCare Discount Pharmacy (0.3 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (0.4 miles)
• Walgreens (0.5 miles)
• Providence Pharmacy (0.5 miles)
• Epic Pharmacies (1.1 miles)
• Winn-Dixie (1.4 miles)

Restaurants

• Palace Italian Restaurant (0.2 miles)
• McDonald's (0.3 miles)
• Wendy's (0.3 miles)
• Burger King (0.4 miles)
• Taco Bell (0.6 miles)
• Checkers (0.6 miles)
• King's Wok (1.7 miles)

Physicians

• Bedi B S MD (0.3 miles)
• Lakeland Eye Clinic (0.5 miles)
• Fischer Schemmer & Silbiger (0.5 miles)
• Clark And Daughtrey Walk-in (0.9 miles)
• Timothy E Knight (1.4 miles)
• Sears Hearing Aid Center by Miracle-Ear (1.7 miles)
• Optical Outlets (1.9 miles)

Parks

• Hunt Fountain Park (1.5 miles)
• Lake Parker Park (3.1 miles)
• Adair PARK (4.5 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (1.7 miles)
• Panera Bread (1.9 miles)
• Starbucks (2.1 miles)
• Black & Brew Coffee House & Bistro (5.4 miles)

Theaters

• Cinemark USA (2.1 miles)

Hospitals

• Lakeland Regional Medical Center (2.4 miles)
• Central Florida Surgi-Center (2.9 miles)
• Endoscopy Unit (4.3 miles)
• Lakeland Regional Medical Center (4.3 miles)
• Radiology Department (4.3 miles)
• Lakeland Regional Heal (4.4 miles)
• Lakeland Regional Health (4.5 miles)

Places of Worship

• Christ Lutheran Church (3.2 miles)
• South Florida Baptist Association (7.7 miles)
• Way Community Church (8.1 miles)

Transportation

• Railroad Tracks (6.3 miles)