335 Stillwater Avenue, Bangor, ME 04401
For more information about senior living options: (866) 208-4318
Overall Review of Stillwater Health Care
Pros
Staff are very kind and willing to help residents without making them feel like a burden.- The facility is nice, clean, and homelike rather than sterile.
- Nurses know what they’re doing, and residents receive prompt care when sick.
- The atmosphere is happy, with engaging activities and a beautiful outdoor deck.
- The food is delicious with a good variety, and meats are well prepared.
- Laundry service is reliable, returning clean clothes promptly and smelling fresh.
- Administrator Amanda provides top-quality care and adequate staffing; the staff are wonderful, caring, and dedicated.
- Stillwater is regarded as one of the better nursing facilities, with staff who clearly love their residents.
- The activity department and dietary team keep residents engaged and well-fed with hot, delicious meals.
- The facility is clean, bright, and welcoming, with friendly, attentive staff.
Cons
The facility is understaffed.- Management is awful, with overworked staff and compromised care.
- There is a condescending attitude toward residents.
- Some staff ignore residents after promising to help.
- The outlook for the facility is bleak.
- There is a severe lack of communication and ownership among staff.
- It took more than six hours to get a bag of ice after a resident fell.
- Employees violate the no-smoking policy by smoking on the property.
- Supplies run out, and staff are told to "make it work," compromising care.
Review
Stillwater Health Care in Bangor is best suited for seniors who prize a warm, neighborly atmosphere, where staff kindness and daily life feel genuinely human. The community shines for residents who want attentive, personable care from nurses, CNAs, and support staff, along with a clean, homelike setting, pleasant mealtimes, and a lively activity calendar. For families navigating complex medical needs, the facility’s ability to coordinate dialysis transport, timely doctor visits, and a robust therapy department can translate into real, day-to-day reliability. In short, this is a strong fit for residents who value personal connection, social engagement, and immediate clinical attention in a welcoming environment.
That said, a meaningful portion of experiences documented by families and visitors signals that certain realities must be considered. Alternatives may be worth exploring for those who cannot tolerate even intermittent gaps in staffing or gaps in communication, or who require consistently predictable operations and administrative oversight. Several reviews flag concerns about understaffing and overwork, with reports of delayed responses and uneven care. For families who demand uniformly high staffing levels, transparent escalation of issues, and tight management accountability, Stillwater may not consistently meet those expectations.
On the positive side, the staff’s warmth and accessibility stand out across multiple accounts. Residents describe caring, friendly nurses and aides who treat people with respect and respond promptly to questions or requests. The environment is repeatedly praised for being clean and welcoming without feeling sterile, and the dining program earns frequent praise for flavor and variety. The social dimension matters here: activity programming is described as engaging, with opportunities to participate in crafts, music, and outdoor time on a deck that residents can enjoy together. The facility’s therapy services, occupational, physical, speech, and restorative, add a meaningful layer of skilled support for long-term residents and short-term patients alike.
The most serious red flags cluster around staffing reliability and management habits. Several reviews allege understaffing or overwork, with staff on demanding, extended shifts and limited time to address basic needs. Communication gaps emerge in critiques of administrative responsiveness and ownership when problems arise. A few residents report negative interactions with management or a sense that concerns are not always acknowledged promptly. Although many families sing praises about administrators who know residents by name and proactively assist with logistical hurdles (such as MaineCare navigation), these voices are not unanimous, signaling a potential variability by shift and on particular days.
Despite the concerns, the core strengths, genuine warmth from frontline caregivers, a comfortable setting, and a strong activity and therapy framework, often offset the drawbacks for residents who prioritize daily liveliness and responsive basic care. When staffing is adequate and management remains engaged, Stillwater can deliver a high-quality, well-rounded experience that blends medical oversight with meaningful daily living. Families should approach with a clear plan for ongoing oversight: verify current nurse-to-resident ratios, request a direct contact for day-to-day care questions, and assess the facility’s track record on incident follow-through and communication during visits.
To make a well-grounded decision, prospective families should arrange multiple, extended tours that include time on different shifts and conversations with the administrator, social services, nursing leadership, and several frontline caregivers. Ask for concrete examples of how care plans are updated, how quickly call bells are answered, and how transport requests for dialysis or doctor visits are coordinated. Request current references from residents or families who recently moved in, and probe how management handles staffing shortages and compliance issues. Stillwater offers a compelling environment for many seniors, but the choice hinges on whether the emphasis will be on a consistently high staffing floor and transparent operations, or on the proven warmth and social vitality that can shine even when administrative fingers appear less than perfectly aligned.
63 resident community capacity
Skilled Nursing Facility
Air-conditioning
Beauty salon
Cable or satellite TV
Computer center
Dining room
Fitness room
Fully furnished
Gaming room
Garden
Housekeeping services
Kitchenette
Move-in coordination
Outdoor space
Private bathrooms
Restaurant-style dining
Small library
Telephone
Wellness center
Wi-Fi/high-speed internet available
Bangor International (3 miles away)
Community operated transportation
12-16 hour nursing
24-hour call system
Activities of daily living assistance
Assistance with bathing
Assistance with dressing
Assistance with transfers
Diabetes diet
Medication management
Mental wellness program
Special dietary restrictions
Concierge services
Planned day trips
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