Galway Homes - Leona House in Kansas City, MO

Pros

• The Kansas City location provides personal attention to residents and serves good home-cooked meals.
• It has at least two staff members on-site 24/7 in a small, seven-resident home.
• A staff member personally brought and sliced a fresh tomato for the resident, who loved it.
• The Galloway residential homes for dementia are warm and loving, with many long-tenured staff.
• The resident who moved from a larger facility has done very well, showing a dramatic positive change.
• The reviewer would recommend the facility in the north Kansas City area for long-term care when openings are available.

Cons

• The mom suffered multiple UTIs and a black eye.
• Staff discouraged going to the Emergency Department yet kept mom there for three nights.
• The owner allegedly retaliated by issuing two 30-day notices of discharge, both denied by the state.
• The owner allegedly called Adult Protective Services claiming the mom was being taken against her will.
• The nurse practitioner, in cahoots with the owner, refused to sign paperwork for a new facility.
• Several caregivers were reportedly surveilled via interior cameras and harassed.
• There were almost zero activities and no specialized care or communication strategies for residents with memory impairment.
• The facility charged $8,200 per month and did not return the $3,000 security deposit despite vacating conditions being met.
• A family member's stay at the Kansas City location was described as less-than-ideal.

Review

Galway Homes - Leona House is best suited for families seeking a very small, home-like setting in Kansas City where residents receive highly personalized attention and staff relationships feel intimate. The seven-resident scale creates a warm, domestic atmosphere with familiar caregivers, home-cooked meals, and frequent direct contact with the same team. This environment works well for seniors who thrive on predictable routines, minimal sensory overload, and a sense of belonging that comes from being known by name and preference. It is not the right choice for those who require formal memory-care programming, robust on-site medical coordination, or a wide-ranging activities calendar; in those cases, a larger community with dedicated memory-care resources and structured programming is typically more suitable.

Alternatives worth considering are larger assisted living communities with dedicated memory-care wings, more formal activity schedules, and governance structures that are easy to scrutinize. For families prioritizing safety, transparency, and predictable medical oversight, facilities with established nurse practitioner support, clear hospital transfer protocols, and documented care-planning processes tend to deliver fewer surprises. Those needing intensive memory-support or highly proactive engagement with clinicians and specialists will want to compare these capabilities across several options before deciding.

The strongest positives here - personal attention, a warm home-cooked dining experience, and around-the-clock staffing in a small setting - can meaningfully offset some gaps in formal care services. The smaller footprint often means caregivers know residents well, notice subtler changes, and respond with immediacy that larger campuses struggle to match. However, the trade-off is a limited menu of activities, lighter memory-support programming, and less formalized care plans. When the positives are weighed against potential governance and safety concerns, the decision hinges on how much value is placed on intimate contact versus formalized care structure and oversight.

The most troubling notes surface around medical monitoring and governance. Reported incidents involving urinary tract infections and a black eye raise legitimate questions about medical vigilance and incident escalation. Allegations of discouraging emergency visits, retaliatory discharge notices, and involvement of authorities in family decisions contribute to a perception of a fragile governance environment. Claims of staff being monitored via cameras and targeted harassment further suggest a high-stress milieu rather than a consistently reassuring setting. Financial concerns - nonrefunded security deposits after vacating - compound these red flags. While such statements require independent verification, they are material enough to demand rigorous due diligence.

Prospective families should verify several practical elements during tours and conversations. Insist on a current, written plan of care tailored to memory impairment if applicable, and request a clear activities calendar showing meaningful engagement. Review the facility's incident and discharge procedures, and confirm that any discharge actions align with state regulations and timelines. Obtain the most recent licensure inspection report, any cited deficiencies, and a transparent outline of staffing ratios and caregiver tenure. Scrutinize the contract and deposit policies, and seek references from multiple families who can speak to safety, communication, and day-to-day care. If a decision is made to proceed, insist on concrete safeguards, documentation, and a pathway for escalating concerns.

Bottom line: Galway Homes - Leona House can deliver a genuinely warm, intimate living experience that feels like a caregiving family, with strong personal connections and a calmer pace that some residents and families prize. That strength, however, sits beside notable concerns about safety, governance, and the adequacy of memory-care supports. For families prioritizing a robust care framework, transparent operations, and reliable medical coordination, exploring alternatives is prudent. The prudent path is a thorough, hands-on evaluation - tour with a focus on care planning, safety protocols, and financial terms - and corroboration of claims with regulators and current residents' families before committing.

This part of Kansas City, Missouri offers convenience and accessibility for seniors looking to settle in a bustling yet comfortable neighborhood. With multiple pharmacies within a few miles, access to healthcare is readily available. Additionally, there are various dining options including fast food chains and casual restaurants. For medical needs, there are physicians' offices nearby offering specialized care. The area also boasts entertainment options such as a movie theater and cafes for socializing. In terms of transportation, the proximity to Kansas City International Airport makes it convenient for travel purposes. Overall, this neighborhood provides a well-rounded environment with amenities that cater to the needs of seniors looking for a vibrant community to call home.

Pharmacies

• Hy-Vee Pharmacy (0.5 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.3 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (2.4 miles)
• Walgreens (2.5 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.9 miles)

Restaurants

• McDonald's (0.6 miles)
• Culver's (0.8 miles)
• Pizza Shoppe (1.5 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (2.1 miles)
• Taco Bell (2.2 miles)
• Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (2.2 miles)
• McDonald's (2.2 miles)

Physicians

• Brain and Mind Wellness Clinic of Parkville (0.7 miles)
• Northland Women's Health Care PC (2 miles)
• Northland Eye Specialists (2.3 miles)
• Christopher F Sirridge, MD (2.4 miles)
• Saint Luke's Primary Care–Parkville (2.5 miles)
• Spira Care Tiffany Springs (2.7 miles)
• Pediatric; Care North (3.1 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Barrywoods 24 (1.9 miles)

Cafes

• Panera Bread (2 miles)
• Starbucks (2.2 miles)
• Starbucks (3 miles)
• Panera Bread (3.6 miles)
• Friendly Bean Coffee (3.9 miles)
• Blip Roasters (7.9 miles)

Hospitals

• Saint Luke's Medical Group (2.1 miles)
• Rehabilitation Services (2.1 miles)
• North Kansas City Hospital (6.7 miles)

Parks

• Barry Platte Park (2.8 miles)
• Cristhaven Park (3.7 miles)
• Bar K Dog Bar (7.9 miles)

Places of Worship

• Gashland Presbyterian Church (3.7 miles)
• North Cross United Methodist Church (4.8 miles)
• North Oak Christian Church (5.1 miles)

Transportation

• KCI Airport Terminal C (6.5 miles)
• Southwest Baggage Claim (6.7 miles)
• Terminal B (6.8 miles)
• Southwest Airlines (6.8 miles)
• Hertz Rent A Car (7.1 miles)
• Kansas City International Airport (MCI) (7.3 miles)