St John Senior Community

Pros

• The reviewers love the facility, noting that the people are nice and residents are kept clean and happy.
• They describe the staff as doing their best to care for all patients and being pleasant to families, delivering excellent care.
• The facility is praised as clean, polite, and welcoming - a hidden gem.
• Front desk staff, CNAs, and nurses are described as polite and friendly, with gratitude for their kindness and hard work.
• Therapists are viewed as knowledgeable and helpful, with physical and occupational therapy aiding recovery and therapy sessions described as very good.
• Some reviewers call this the best place and would happily recommend it.
• Grandmothers' families report staff were polite and treated their loved ones well.

Cons

• The reviewer states the staff treated their husband horribly, calling a nurse rude and delaying medication delivery.
• They report that no one answers the phone on weekends.
• Riverview North is criticized for an unhealthy healing atmosphere, outdated rooms, and poor bedside manners.
• The rooms and bathrooms were not kept clean, with odors and a housekeeper who merely moved dirt around.
• Dietary meals were delivered cold or unappealing, forcing families to bring their own food.
• Only a few staff members were truly helpful; the majority were often missing in action and had negative attitudes.
• They say they would never send a loved one there again, describing the experience as not good.
• A bed sore worsened during the stay, indicating care quality problems.
• Belongings were stolen from a patient, and staff did not adequately address the loss.
• A security guard was described as rude, and front desk staff were not attentive.

Review

The collection of reviews paints a complex picture of a long-term care facility that can feel like two different places at once. On one hand, there are families and patients who sing praise about the warmth of the staff, the cleanliness of the environment, and the genuine care they feel their loved ones receive. On the other hand, there are numerous accounts of troubling gaps in care, communication breakdowns, and safety concerns that leave families worried and frustrated. Taken together, the reviews reveal a facility that clearly has strengths in some areas but significant deficiencies in others, depending on who you are and when you visit.

Several reviewers highlight the facility as a bright spot in a sea of options. They describe staff as polite, welcoming, and attentive, and they emphasize that their loved ones are clean, dressed, and treated with kindness. Some reviewers specifically point to successful therapy programs - physical and occupational - that help residents regain or maintain function. There are mentions of memory care units where caregivers are involved and patient progress is celebrated. A number of families feel reassured by the dedicated therapists and by staff members who go out of their way to make a resident feel comfortable. For these families, the atmosphere feels calm and the care seems individualized, even if it isn't perfect in every moment.

Yet a large portion of the feedback centers on troubling experiences that disrupt trust and raise serious red flags. Several reviewers recount episodes of neglect or insufficient attention to basic needs, such as delays in medications, nonfunctional call bells, or the perception that staff are overwhelmed and unavailable when help is needed. One account describes a patient arriving with significant care needs, only to be left unattended for long stretches; another details a situation where pain medication was delayed and staff communication faltered, prompting the patient's family to intervene directly with hospice services. Some reviewers report encounters with staff who are brusque, absent, or inattentive, emphasizing how critical consistent bedside manner and timely response are in a setting where residents rely on caregivers at all hours.

Concerns about the living environment and privacy also recur. Several reviews describe rooms that feel cramped, outdated, or lacking in privacy - particularly in shared rooms where personal medical information can feel exposed. Odors in bathrooms and insufficient cleaning routines are mentioned, along with complaints that housekeeping duties sometimes seem to amount to "moving dirt around" rather than addressing it. The sense that privacy and dignity are compromised in everyday routines weighs heavily in these accounts and contrasts sharply with the moments when families note that trauma-informed or compassionate care is present.

The issue of safety and appropriate conduct extends beyond cleanliness and timely meds. A number of reviewers allege inappropriate or unsafe behavior by staff, including accusations of theft or mishandling of belongings, and even serious concerns about bruising or injury without clear accountability. One account asserts that a beloved relative was harmed while in care, while another claims personal belongings were stolen after a loved one passed away. There are also complaints about the conduct of security or front-desk personnel - ranging from rude behavior to unhelpful responses when families attempt to access a resident or secure information. These narratives contribute to a climate of fear or mistrust among some families, even as others acknowledge that a core group of staff members remains helpful and professional.

Communication appears to be a central fault line in many reviews. Families report repeatedly unanswered calls and difficulty getting through to administrators, social workers, or the director of nursing. There are stories of miscommunications about discharge dates, insurance approvals, and the availability of extra days for therapy or recovery. In one moving example, a patient worked hard to secure a longer stay, only to fall through the cracks of a disjointed system, only to learn later that an externally managed approval could have extended the stay if the right person had been reachable. These kinds of breakdowns fragment care and leave families feeling left in the dark at precisely the moments when they need clarity most.

There is also a sense of variability in the experience depending on whom you encounter. Several reviews acknowledge that a small number of staff members are excellent - compassionate, responsive, and genuinely engaged with residents. But for many others, the day-to-day reality can feel mismanaged, under-resourced, or inefficient. This inconsistency makes for a challenging reputation: a place that can be a real source of comfort and trust for some families, and a source of deep frustration and fear for others.

Ultimately, these reviews portray a facility that is doing some things right - cleanliness in some areas, engaging therapy programs, and some caregivers who go above and beyond. At the same time, they reveal persistent concerns around medication management, timely responses to calls, patient privacy, facility conditions, and overall safety. The range of experiences suggests that families should approach placement with careful, proactive engagement: verify staffing levels and shift coverage, tour multiple times, ask direct questions about medication protocols and incident reporting, request a clear point of contact for discharge planning and billing, and - before any admission - discuss what's in place to protect privacy and maintain dignity in shared spaces. If you have loved ones in this facility, it may also be wise to document routines, set up regular check-ins with administrators, and consider reporting concerns to state regulators or an elder-care ombudsman if you observe ongoing safety or care gaps. The stories here are a reminder that excellent care is possible within this setting, but only if the serious shortcomings are addressed with transparency, accountability, and steady, compassionate leadership.

This part of Detroit, Michigan, offers a variety of amenities that can cater to the needs of seniors. With several pharmacies located within close proximity, accessing medication and healthcare supplies is convenient. Additionally, there are hospitals nearby for any emergency medical needs. The presence of various restaurants and cafes provides a range of dining options for seniors looking to enjoy meals outside their homes. Places of worship are also easily accessible for those who seek spiritual fulfillment. Furthermore, the numerous parks in the area offer opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation. Lastly, there are reputable physicians and medical centers within a reasonable distance for ongoing healthcare needs. Overall, this neighborhood provides a well-rounded environment that could be suitable for seniors considering senior living in Detroit.

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.2 miles)
• Walgreens (0.6 miles)
• Rite Aid (1.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.1 miles)
• Walgreens (2.9 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.3 miles)

Hospitals

• Select Specialty Hospital (0.7 miles)
• St John Hospital & Medical Center (0.7 miles)
• Henry Ford Medical Center (1.1 miles)
• Detroit Receiving Hospital (8 miles)
• St John Macomb Hospital (8.1 miles)
• St John Macomb-Oakland Hospital Warren Emergency Care (8.1 miles)
• DMC Heart Hospital (8.1 miles)

Restaurants

• Cadieux Cafe (0.8 miles)
• National Coney Island (2.9 miles)
• Little Caesars Pizza (3.3 miles)
• Joseph's Coney Island (3.5 miles)
• Gilbert's Lodge (3.5 miles)
• Wally's Frozen Custard (3.6 miles)
• Shores Inn Food & Spirits (4 miles)

Places of Worship

• Grosse Pointe United Methodist Church (1.1 miles)
• St Joan Of Arc Church (3.1 miles)
• St Charles Church (5.8 miles)
• St John's Presbyterian Church (7.5 miles)

Parks

• Matthew C Patterson Park (3 miles)
• Windmill Pointe Park (3.4 miles)
• Lac St Claire Park (6.2 miles)
• Belle Isle Park (6.2 miles)
• Lakewood Park (6.3 miles)
• Valade Park (7.4 miles)
• Center Line Memorial Park (7.7 miles)

Physicians

• Pointes Allergy And As (4 miles)
• Beaumont East Area Family Physicians (7.7 miles)
• Childrens Hospital Of Michigan Specialty Center - Detroit (8 miles)
• University Health Center (8.1 miles)
• Henry Ford Macomb Family Medicine & Gynecology (8.5 miles)

Cafes

• Tim Hortons (6.3 miles)
• Tim Hortons (6.6 miles)
• Tim Hortons (7.1 miles)
• Tim Hortons (7.5 miles)
• Panera Bread (8.4 miles)