Friends Village At Woodstown

Pros

• Kaileen from billing is exceptionally helpful, always available, and very knowledgeable.
• Alisa Hodzic, the Household Coordinator, is a compassionate leader who stays engaged with residents and coordinates care across departments.
• Friends Village is described as a wonderful place to live.
• The staff at Friends Village are caring, attentive, and friendly.
• The dining service is energetic and friendly, making meals feel like dining out with good friends.
• The campus is beautiful, clean, and well-maintained, with a welcoming, small-town feel near the shore.
• A wide range of activities, including crafts, lectures, and exercise classes, keeps residents engaged.
• Care across the facility is excellent, with staff supporting daily activities and personal needs.
• The memory care and hospice teams provide comfort and companionship to residents in their final days.
• Independent living cottages are well-appointed with comfortable layouts and a strong sense of community.

Cons

• A reviewer stated that a new company took over, canceled the old contract, and never paid out a dime.
• The care at Friends Village was described as extremely lacking and unconscionable, with constant turnover and almost always understaffed.
• Residents' rooms were left dirty, with spills and stains on the floor, soiled linens, and a stopped-up toilet.
• Security and safety protocols were severely flawed, culminating in a nurse needing police to locate a missing resident.
• Management was accused of blaming staff to protect themselves, making the experience feel demoralizing.
• The facility was described as racist and filled with privileged, entitled individuals; affordability was a major concern.

Review

Friends Village at Woodstown is best suited for seniors who want a true continuing-care environment with independent living cottages or apartments and ready access to memory care, rehab, and on-site services from a single campus. The community rewards households that value a strong social fabric, abundant programming, and a restaurant-quality dining culture, all within a beautiful, walkable campus that makes short trips to the shore, Philadelphia, or Wilmington practical. It works particularly well for residents who want to maintain independence while knowing skilled care is available on demand, without a prolonged transition when needs shift. Price and the premium feel of the place notwithstanding, this is the choice for families prioritizing continuity of care, a robust activity calendar, and a cohesive resident's life.

Alternatives are worth considering for families with tighter budgets or tighter tolerances for staffing variability. Several reviews flag concerns about turnover and staffing levels, and a few detailed experiences describe lapses in basic care and safety protocols. The price tag is nontrivial, with notes of substantial upfront costs and questions about financial pathways if funds run low. While the campus is praised for quality care and a high level of engagement, the mix of past safety and management concerns suggests that households hoping for nearly flawless operations or a low-cost option should weigh comparable communities with steadier staffing norms and lower entry costs.

The strongest pro-conversation here centers on continuity and culture. The continuum of care - independent living cottages or apartments that flow into assisted living and memory care - reduces the disruption of moving again if needs rise. Reviews consistently applaud the memory care team, nursing and aides, and hospice partners for compassionate, patient, and diligent care. Dining is described as engaging and chef-driven, with dining rooms that feel social and welcoming. The activity slate - exercise, trips, lectures, crafts, and resident-led initiatives - helps residents stay socially connected and mentally engaged, which in turn can offset some weaknesses seen in staffing via a dependable daily rhythm and peer support.

Yet the negatives cannot be ignored. A recurring theme is staff turnover and periods of understaffing, which correlate with reports of delays in basic assistance and inconsistent bedside care. Some reviewers describe rooms left dirty or safety issues that raised serious concerns, including a documented incident involving a missing resident and police involvement. There are harsh opinions about management's accountability in those moments, and comments about discriminatory behavior from some staff levels. These are not universal experiences, but they signal that for certain families, reliability and predictable follow-through may require extra diligence, especially during peak hours or shift changes.

In practice, the pros offset the cons most decisively for families who value an intimate campus feel and visible, responsive leadership. The investment in intimate cottage living - two-bedroom layouts, garages, and private outdoor spaces - fosters privacy and control while enabling strong ties with neighbors. Leadership is repeatedly cited as compassionate and accessible, with household coordination and billing staff noted for responsiveness. Memory care is not an afterthought but a core strength, supported by a dedicated care ecosystem and rehabilitative services that can keep a loved one engaged and safe. For residents who prize a sense of belonging and a community-driven life, these elements can overwhelm occasional service gaps.

For families actively evaluating this community, a practical plan is essential. Schedule multi-timed tours - morning, afternoon, and weekend - so staffing realities and resident engagement patterns become clear. Ask for a candid conversation with the household coordinator and a front-line supervisor about staff-to-resident ratios, turnover trends, and the training pathways for memory care. Request a detailed breakdown of the entrance fee, ongoing fees, and what Medicaid or other funding pathways cover if funds are depleted. Tour the cottages and common areas, sample the dining experience, and talk to current residents and families about daily routines, safety, and the level of personal attention they receive. Acknowledge the passion in the community while validating the financial and staffing risk factors.

Ultimately, Friends Village at Woodstown is a strong, well-regarded option for families seeking a premium, full-continuum senior living experience with meaningful social engagement, substantial on-site services, and a campus culture that emphasizes independence within care. It is especially compelling for those who can invest in a higher price point and who want the security of transitioning smoothly from independent living into assisted and memory care. Those with budget constraints, or particular concerns about staffing stability and safety practices, should compare alternatives with similar continuum options, verify current staffing norms, and demand transparent, up-to-date performance data before deciding. In the right circumstances, this community delivers a durable, connective, and dignified living experience.

Physicians

• Ostrum Gordon J Jr MD (0.7 miles)
• Children's Healthcare Centers (7.7 miles)
• Calesnick Jay Lee MD (8 miles)
• Carneys Point Center (9.1 miles)
• Cooper Primary Care Pennsville (9.8 miles)
• Seabrook (10.2 miles)
• Seabrook House Addiction Rehab Services (10.2 miles)

Pharmacies

• Rite Aid (1.2 miles)
• Walgreens (9.5 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (10.6 miles)
• Walgreens (10.7 miles)
• Walgreens (11.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (11.9 miles)
• Rite Aid (12.2 miles)

Parks

• Marlton Recreation Park (1.4 miles)
• Market Square Memorial Park (12.4 miles)
• Washington Lake Park (13.6 miles)
• Parvin State Park (13.9 miles)
• Wilmington Manor Gardens Park (14.2 miles)
• Shipley Heights Park (14.4 miles)
• Brandywine Park (14.6 miles)

Places of Worship

• Sharptown United Methodist Church (2.8 miles)
• Bethel Baptist Church (13.1 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (5.3 miles)
• Starbucks (13.2 miles)
• Starbucks (15.5 miles)

Hospitals

• Salem Medical Center (7.8 miles)
• Delaware Psychiatric Center (14.1 miles)
• St Francis Hospital (15 miles)

Restaurants

• Taco Bell (9.6 miles)
• Ye Olde Centerton Inn (11.6 miles)
• Landmark Americana Tap & Grill (11.7 miles)
• Peking Buffet (11.8 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (12.5 miles)
• Burger King (12.9 miles)
• McDonald's (13 miles)

Transportation

• Joseph R. Biden Jr. Railroad Station (WIL) (13.9 miles)
• Taxiway N (15.2 miles)