Golden LivingCenter - Black Hills

Pros

• The facility makes an amazing first impression from the parking lot with beautiful landscaping, a clean interior, and a fresh smell.
• Visitors are greeted by friendly staff across every department.
• The administrator is highly trusted and demonstrates passionate leadership for quality care.
• The nursing staff is great, and resident activities are fun and ever-changing.
• A Thanksgiving meal for residents surpassed expectations with live music, nice table settings, friendly staff, and tasty food.
• Hospice care provided from arrival to the day of death was excellent, with staff who genuinely cared.
• Many staff have 10+ years, showing they truly love residents and put them at the forefront.
• Families feel their loved ones are cared for, loved, and protected, with caregivers who treat them like family.
• Avantara North is described as a wonderful home for loved ones with dementia and has become a second home for families.
• The staff show compassion and deliver quality care, making the facility feel like a home.

Cons

• A reviewer reported difficulty contacting Avantara North by phone, noting multiple rings (11) before the line went busy while attempting to check on a dad.
• A reviewer claimed the facility lacks sufficient staff, with constantly changing kitchen staff, hospital-like food described as bad, a menu that is not followed, and patients paying over $200 per day for mediocre service.
• A reviewer criticized the coronavirus visitation policy, stating that no visitors were allowed while staff could come and go all day, which made no sense.

Review

Avantara North makes an immediate and lasting impression. Arriving from the parking lot, the landscape is beautifully maintained and inviting, setting a peaceful tone before you even step through the front door. Inside, the facility is clean and fresh-smelling, and the overall environment feels calm and welcoming. Throughout the tour, staff in every department offered friendly, courteous service, reinforcing the sense that this is a place where a loved one could settle in with confidence and peace.

Even for those who haven't had a chance to walk the halls themselves, the administrator has left a strong impression. One reviewer who has worked with her professionally spoke highly of her leadership and, above all, her passion for ensuring high-quality care. It's clear that the person in charge prioritizes both the welfare of residents and the integrity of the care team, which provides reassurance to families seeking a trusted home for their relatives.

Nursing staff at Avantara North receive consistently positive mentions. Reviewers describe them as capable, compassionate, and engaged, with a commitment to meeting residents' needs. This emphasis on quality care is reinforced by the activities program, which is described as varied and enjoyable - keeping residents mentally and socially engaged. A Thanksgiving meal held for families and residents showcased the facility's strengths: live music, nicely arranged tables, friendly service, and a menu that was well-received, highlighting the ability of the staff to create special, celebratory moments for residents and their loved ones.

Hospice care at Avantara North has left a deeply meaningful mark on families. One family shared a profoundly personal account of their father's final days in the hospice, noting that from arrival to death the care was excellent and the staff showed genuine compassion. They appreciated the nurses' and aides' responsiveness, the prompt attention to needs, and the sense of peace their father found in the facility. The involvement of spiritual support - pastors who visited, sang hymns, and prayed - along with individual caregivers who stood out by name (Irene, a nurse, and Jerri, a CNA) - made a lasting impression in a difficult time.

Loyalty and warmth permeate the staff. Several accounts highlight that many staff members have been at Avantara North for 10 years or more, a testament to a stable, experienced team that clearly loves the residents. This longevity translates into a depth of familiarity with each person's routines, preferences, and history, helping residents feel at home and cared for rather than just housed.

The stories of care extend beyond a single success - many families describe a home-like atmosphere that helped their loved ones thrive. One reviewer spoke movingly about their mother, who lived at Avantara North for more than three years and passed away surrounded by caregivers who treated her as family. The nursing staff were described as amazing and professional, the caregivers as patient and kind, and administration as welcoming and helpful. Activities kept residents active and engaged, contributing to the sense that Avantara North was more than a place to live - it was a place to be loved. Another reviewer with a family member who has dementia called Avantara North a wonderful home and noted that it also became a second home for them, with wonderful people taking care of their loved one.

Yet the experience is not without its challenges. One reviewer, attempting to check on their father, encountered a lengthy phone wait that ended in frustration, highlighting the occasional gaps in communication. More widespread concerns focus on staffing levels and consistency, with comments that the facility sometimes struggles to keep enough staff on hand, particularly in the kitchen where staff changes are frequent. There is also feedback about the quality and consistency of meals, with some residents receiving meals that differ from the posted menu and others expressing concern over the cost - over $200 per day in some cases - for what they perceive as mediocre service. These notes underscore the realities that even highly regarded facilities can face around resource management and service consistency.

Despite these concerns, many reviewers continue to offer strong endorsements. The dedicated, compassionate staff are repeatedly highlighted as a defining strength. Phrases like "some of the best people work here," "the staff care," and "the CNA and nursing staff rock" appear throughout the testimonials, painting a portrait of a team that treats residents with dignity and affection. The sense that the staff take pride in their work, and that residents are genuinely cared for as if they were family, resonates in multiple stories and reinforces a strong sense that Avantara North can be a stabilizing, comforting home for those in need.

Visitor policies during the pandemic era also surface in these reviews, with one comment noting that visitors were not allowed to see family, while staff and other personnel continued to move in and out. The contrast highlights the tension that facilities faced balancing safety with family presence, a nuance that families consider when evaluating a long-term care home. It's a reminder that even with excellent day-to-day care and a loving staff, external factors beyond the facility's control can shape the overall impression.

In sum, Avantara North emerges as a place defined by its warmth, leadership, and unwavering commitment to residents. The consensus across these accounts is that the facility can feel like a home where residents are loved, safe, and engaged. High points include a welcoming landscape and interior, a front-line staff that genuinely cares, an administrator who leads with passion for quality, meaningful activities, and strong hospice and end-of-life care. While there are legitimate concerns about staffing consistency and occasional service gaps, the overarching narrative is one of care with heart - where families feel their loved ones are valued, respected, and cherished every day.

This area of Rapid City, South Dakota, offers a variety of amenities and services that cater to senior living needs. With several restaurants nearby such as Wendy's, Taco John's, Applebee's, IHOP, and Olive Garden, seniors have plenty of dining options to choose from. Additionally, there are pharmacies like Walgreens and Walmart Pharmacy within a short distance for easy access to medications. For medical care, Black Hills Urgent Care and other physician offices are conveniently located nearby. Parks like College Park and Memorial Park provide opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation. Places of worship such as Bethel Assembly Of God and First United Methodist Church offer spiritual support for residents. Overall, this area provides a mix of conveniences that can enhance the quality of life for seniors looking to settle in Rapid City.

Restaurants

• Wendy's (0.3 miles)
• Taco John's (0.4 miles)
• Applebee's (0.5 miles)
• IHOP (0.6 miles)
• Olive Garden (0.7 miles)
• Grille (1 miles)
• Minervas (1.2 miles)

Physicians

• Black Hills Urgent Care (0.4 miles)
• First Administrators (1.1 miles)
• Founders Park Clinic (1.2 miles)
• Ultimate Hearing (1.3 miles)
• Rapid City Community Health Center (1.4 miles)
• Diamond Family Medicine (1.5 miles)
• Independent Optical (1.6 miles)

Parks

• College Park (0.6 miles)
• Memorial Park (0.9 miles)
• Vickie Powers Park (1.1 miles)
• Dinosaur Park (1.8 miles)
• Wilson Park (2.2 miles)
• Sioux Park (2.2 miles)

Places of Worship

• Bethel Assembly Of God (0.9 miles)
• First United Methodist Church (1.5 miles)

Cafes

• Essence Of Coffee (1.3 miles)
• Pure Bean (1.5 miles)
• Starbucks (1.6 miles)
• Cambell Street Cafe (2.1 miles)
• Starbucks (2.3 miles)
• Starbucks (2.3 miles)
• Scotters Coffee (2.3 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (1.4 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (1.5 miles)
• Walgreens (1.8 miles)
• Safeway Pharmacy (1.8 miles)
• Boyds Drug Mart (1.9 miles)
• Rushmore Compounding (1.9 miles)
• Medicine Shoppe (1.9 miles)

Transportation

• U-Haul Moving & Storage (1.8 miles)

Hospitals

• Monument Health Dialysis Center (1.9 miles)
• Rushmore Ambulatory Surgery Center (2.2 miles)