Golden LivingCenter - Merrillville

Pros

• The therapy staff was pretty good.
• 24-hour visitation is cited as a positive aspect.
• The reviewer notes two CNAs who are highly recommended to care for loved ones.

Cons

• The reviewers describe the place as hell, unsafe, unprofessional, and completely disorganized.
• They claim the payroll and scheduling are awful, and staff are harassed when concerns are raised.
• They state the care is unprofessional, unproductive, and the living standards are poor.
• They allege chronic neglect: delayed or missing medications, missed meals, and dirty, unsanitary conditions.
• They say nurses have little knowledge and management will say anything just to fill rooms.
• They describe staff as rude, lacking compassion, with high turnover and little continuity of care.
• They recount incidents of neglect that led to serious harm or death, including dehydration, wounds not properly cared for, and not being cleaned.
• They report persistent smells, dirty rooms, and residents treated "like cattle."
• They claim family involvement is necessary to ensure basic care, or residents will be neglected.
• They argue the facility should be closed or heavily sanctioned by regulators due to unsafe conditions.

Review

Across a chorus of distressed voices, Golden Living facilities in the Indiana area - notably the Merrillville and Portage locations - are described as unsafe, disorganized, and deeply uncaring places for people who need care the most. The overall impression is that residents are subjected to neglect and poor quality of life, with staff shortages and turnover amplifying problems rather than solving them. Several reviewers point to a small handful of staff members they'd trust - two CNAs who are frequently cited as the exceptions - but the vast majority describe care that falls far short of basic standards. The phrasing from many of these accounts is stark: this place feels like a hellish environment for loved ones who are vulnerable and reliant on others for safety and dignity.

A core thread running through the critiques is staffing instability and management that seems detached from the day-to-day needs of residents. Reviewers report that workers do not stay long; shifts are controlled by individual departments, and raising concerns about conditions or care quality can provoke harassment rather than action. Payroll and scheduling are cited as a chaotic system, with individuals like Yahna Abrams and Arthur named specifically by former employees as problematic. The sense conveyed is that what should be a collaborative, compassionate workplace is instead a venue where time and hours are weaponized, and employees who try to speak up quickly feel pressure or retaliation. In this atmosphere, even when issues are brought to light, responses are described as insufficient or dismissive, and residents end up bearing the consequences.

From the patient-care perspective, the picture is consistently grim. Medication administration is repeatedly described as unreliable and dangerously delayed - hours can pass before pain relief or essential drugs are given, with one account noting a 2 1/2-hour wait for pain medication and others reporting missed doses altogether. Nourishment becomes an issue as well: food is sometimes not delivered, or meals arrive rushed, leaving residents hungry or unwilling to eat. There are reports of dehydration and even severe medical events that may have been preventable with timely care. In one particularly alarming instance, a family member recalls a relative ending up septic after a stay, suggesting systemic failures in monitoring and treatment. Pain management, wound care, and rehabilitation are described as inconsistent at best, with some patients left bedbound or inadequately moved, which compounds physical decline.

The cleanliness and environment of these facilities are another frequent flashpoint. The smell is consistently described as horrible, and rooms and common areas are said to be dirty, with beds not made, bedding soiled, and furniture and surfaces not properly cleaned. Clothing, hair, and personal items are reported as neglected or mishandled, and residents are sometimes left without blankets or basic comfort. In multiple accounts, residents are described as being treated more like burdens than people in need of care, with staff appearing indifferent to discomfort or basic dignity. The atmosphere of neglect is reinforced by visual cues - unattended soiled clothing, unwashed residents, and a general sense that cleanliness and personal care are not a priority.

Communication with families and responsiveness to concerns appear to be major stumbling blocks as well. Families describe long delays in getting through to the facility by phone, with calls going unanswered or redirected for extended periods. When concerns are raised, the response is far from reassuring, and some reviewers recount being contacted only after an issue has escalated or even after a patient has already experienced a serious problem. The lack of proactive communication - combined with inconsistent visitor access and limited transparency around what is happening with a loved one - adds to a perception of concealment or disorganization rather than accountability.

The human tragedy in some of these accounts is especially stark. Several reviewers recount loved ones who suffered deterioration, neglect, and, in some cases, death, while in care. Stories range from neglecting basic needs - like failing to wash a patient's face, or not cleaning someone after soiling - to situations where medications were not provided promptly, to moments when care teams failed to move or check a patient who cried out in distress. A recurring sentiment is that family members would have to intervene directly or bring supplies, because without that extra insistence, the care gap would have gone unaddressed. The consistent refrain is a warning to others: if you can avoid this facility, do so, and if you cannot, proceed with the most vigilant oversight possible.

Despite the overwhelming negativity, a glimmer of nuance appears in a few comments. A couple of CNAs and at least some members of the therapy staff are acknowledged as capable or even commendable within the same reviews that describe broader dysfunction. One reviewer notes that the therapists were "pretty good," and another mentions that only a small number of CNAs could be trusted to provide quality care. Still, these positive notes are couched within a broader landscape of alarm and disappointment, suggesting that even when some individuals perform professionally, the overall environment undermines reliable, safe, and compassionate care for residents.

Taken together, these accounts paint a picture of a facility - or a network of facilities - where systemic problems overwhelm individual acts of care. The themes of unsafe practices, inadequate staffing, poor hygiene, inconsistent medication and therapy, and a troubling lack of accountability combine to create a warning signal for families considering placement. The recurring message is clear and emphatic: do not place a loved one here unless you are prepared for intense oversight, proactive advocacy, and an expectation that essential needs may not be met in a timely or respectful manner. In the end, the strongest sentiment echoed by many is a conviction that the safety, dignity, and well-being of residents deserve far better care than what these reviews describe.

Physicians

• Alzeidan Medical (0.2 miles)
• Midwest Orthotic Services (0.3 miles)
• Reddy, Avinish Suresh Reddy Md Medical Group (0.4 miles)
• Merrillville Health Center (0.4 miles)
• Neurological Institute & Specialty Centers (0.5 miles)
• William Forgey MD (0.5 miles)
• Stevenson, Fairchild, & Surber OMS - Merrillville (0.7 miles)

Hospitals

• Methodist Hospital Southlake Campus (0.3 miles)
• Methodist Arthritis-Rheumatology Centers Southlake Campus (0.5 miles)
• Methodist Hospitals (0.5 miles)
• Vibra Hospital (0.8 miles)
• Community Hospital MRI Center (4 miles)
• Franciscan St Anthony Health (4.7 miles)
• St Mary Medical Center Fifth Floor Cancer Ward (5.2 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Sava Serbian Orthodox Church (0.7 miles)
• St Matthias Church (5 miles)
• Suncrest Christian Church (6.4 miles)
• St George Greek Orthodox Church NW Indiana (7.3 miles)
• St Mary Church (7.3 miles)

Restaurants

• Pepe's Mexican Restaurant (0.8 miles)
• Wu's House (0.9 miles)
• Hooters (1 miles)
• McAlister's Deli (1 miles)
• Taste of India (1 miles)
• Portillo's Hot Dogs (1 miles)
• White Castle (1.1 miles)

Cafes

• Panera Bread (1.1 miles)
• Starbucks (1.1 miles)
• Starbucks (2.3 miles)
• Starbucks (7.5 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (1.3 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (1.9 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2 miles)
• Walgreens (2.5 miles)
• Walgreens (4.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.6 miles)
• Walgreens (5.2 miles)

Parks

• Lemon Lake County Park (6.5 miles)
• Redar Park (6.6 miles)
• Festival Park (6.6 miles)
• Central Park (7.5 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Schererville 12 (8.2 miles)