Avante At Lynchburg

Pros

• The staff at Seven Hills is very friendly under new management.
• The place is lovely.
• The atmosphere is wonderful and the staff are excellent; everyone is kind and the environment is welcoming.
• The environment is clean and friendly, with nice, welcoming staff that provide excellent care.
• The visit to the facility was pleasant; staff from the front desk to caretakers were friendly and welcoming, and the facility outshines others.
• The new courtyard is gorgeous and provides a lovely space for residents to get fresh air.
• The entire staff is great and very kind and attentive; PT and OT therapists are outstanding.
• Meals are good and the nursing care is good.
• Cordell is the best admissions coordinator.
• The facility is great, clean, and pleasant to speak with; rooms are updated and spacious.

Cons

• They would not send their worst enemy here.
• The staff are rude and unprofessional.
• Management treats staff terribly and abuses them.
• Residents can get a 30-day notice to leave or be moved without discussion.
• The administration fails to return phone calls and makes it hard to contact them.
• The facility is infested with ants and staffed by incompetent workers.
• The dining/medical care was mishandled, including not following renal/diabetic diets and missed dialysis.
• Residents were left outside at night with no front-desk coverage.
• There was no on-site doctor; orders were placed by someone not locally present.
• The facility failed to contact the family after a resident's death.

Review

The collection of reviews paints a complex picture of Seven Hills Rehabilitation and Nursing in Lynchburg, revealing a facility that many people praise for warmth, cleanliness, and a strong therapy program, while others condemn it for serious lapses in care, communication, and management. On the positive side, numerous reviewers describe a very friendly, welcoming environment with staff who are kind and attentive. They note a transformation under new management, including updated facilities, remodeled rooms, and a new courtyard that residents and families appreciate as a pleasant place to get fresh air. Several comments highlight the breadth and dedication of the team, from front-desk staff and admissions to CNAs, nurses, therapists, social workers, housekeeping, and dietary staff, who are described as caring, communicative, and collaborative.

In particular, several accounts emphasize the facility's improvements in structure and culture. The admissions process is singled out for praise, with Cordell - an admissions coordinator - featured prominently in a positive light for guiding tours and helping families feel welcomed. One reviewer even calls the facility the best nursing home in Lynchburg, while others recount that their loved ones received attentive, patient-centered care in a team-based environment. The therapy department is repeatedly commended for its role in patient progress, with reviewers citing both physical therapy and occupational therapy as outstanding and noting that staff work together to tailor care to individual goals. The overall tone from these reviews is one of optimism about the potential for Seven Hills to be a compassionate place for rehabilitation and recovery.

Alongside these affirming voices are a number of deeply negative experiences that raise concerns about care quality, safety, and communication. Some reviewers go so far as to say they would not want to send their worst enemy to this facility, characterizing it as unprofessional and, in some cases, as focusing on appearances rather than genuine patient welfare. A common thread in these accounts is frustration with management practices, including allegations that some leaders treat staff poorly and engage in patterns of refused care reporting, threats of eviction, and a sense that staff are afraid to speak up. Several reviewers mention a lack of on-site medical leadership, noting that there isn't a locally-based physician and that orders come from offsite or non-local clinicians, which raises concerns for timely, clear decision-making in patient care.

Medical mishaps and lapses in communication feature prominently in serious criticisms. There are claims that patients were not fed according to medical diet orders, that important care decisions were mishandled or not properly documented, and that critical information was not shared with families or coordinating physicians in a timely manner. One distressing entry describes a patient who did not receive proper care for renal dietary restrictions, followed by a concerning sequence of events involving missed dialysis and a lack of medical records when the patient was transported to an emergency department. There are also accounts of families not being informed promptly about a loved one's passing, and of difficulty reaching the administrative team, with voicemails left unanswered. These anecdotes contribute to a perception that, for some residents, at least certain aspects of care and communication fall far short of expectations.

Other reviewers recount frightening safety and sanitation problems that would understandably alarm families. An eye-opening report describes an ant infestation in September 2023, with a meal container contaminated by ants and evidence of unsanitary handling that led the reviewer to strongly caution others about placing loved ones there. Additional complaints include incidents of residents left outside at night with doors working improperly or not consistently staffed, and a sense that the front desk is not always available to assist families or residents in a timely manner. In combination, these episodes contribute to a view of a facility that is at times chaotic or poorly supervised, particularly in terms of day-to-day operations and responsiveness.

Amid the contrasting experiences, there is a thread of ongoing hope and a stated commitment to improvement from the facility's staff. A member of the Seven Hills team explicitly acknowledges both the positive and negative reviews and frames them as opportunities for growth. The post speaks of new owners, a new administrator, a remodeled building, and a refreshed nursing staff, inviting families to come by and see the changes for themselves. The tone suggests that leadership understands the gravity of the criticisms and is encouraging potential residents and families to schedule visits to observe first-hand how the facility operates now, with a promise of transparency and continued improvements.

Taken together, the reviews suggest Seven Hills Rehabilitation and Nursing is a place of juxtaposition: remarkable warmth, dedication, and progress reported by many residents and families, alongside serious accusations of neglect, mismanagement, and safety lapses voiced by others. The most constructive way to interpret this landscape is to recognize the variability in experiences across different staff teams, shifts, and timeframes, and to underscore the importance of prospective families visiting, interviewing current residents and staff, and asking pointed questions about care plans, diet adherence, dialysis coordination, emergency communications, and the availability of a dedicated, on-site medical leadership. For some, Seven Hills holds the promise of a caring, well-staffed environment with recent improvements; for others, the concerns raised demand careful scrutiny and a decision-making process that weighs both the positive experiences and the red flags.

Located in Lynchburg, Virginia, this area offers a variety of amenities and services that would cater well to seniors. With multiple physicians' offices and hospitals nearby, residents have easy access to healthcare services. Additionally, there are several pharmacies in close proximity for convenience. The area also boasts a selection of restaurants offering diverse dining options, as well as cafes for socializing or enjoying a quiet cup of coffee. For leisure and recreation, parks such as Riverside Park and Peaks View Park provide opportunities for outdoor activities. Places of worship are also within reach for those looking to maintain their spiritual practices. Overall, this neighborhood offers a blend of healthcare facilities, dining options, recreational activities, and community resources that would make it a suitable choice for seniors looking to settle down in Lynchburg.

Physicians

• UVA Dialysis Lynchburg (0.2 miles)
• Orthopaedic Center of Central Virginia (0.4 miles)
• Ortho Virginia (0.4 miles)
• Internal Medicine Associates (0.4 miles)
• Medical Associates of Central Virginia (0.4 miles)
• Surgery Center of Lynchburg (0.4 miles)
• Shawn Broxton Clark (0.4 miles)

Hospitals

• Centra Health (0.5 miles)
• Centra (0.6 miles)
• Centra Health (0.7 miles)
• Virginia Baptist Hospital (1.8 miles)
• Centra Health Home Health (1.8 miles)
• Lynchburg General Hospital (1.8 miles)
• Arise Residential Treatment (2 miles)

Restaurants

• La Carreta Mexican Restaurant (0.5 miles)
• Wendy's (1.1 miles)
• King's Island Restaurant (1.2 miles)
• Bedford Avenue Meat Shop (1.4 miles)
• McDonald's (1.4 miles)
• Harbor Inn Seafood (1.6 miles)
• Brauburgers Craft (1.7 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.6 miles)
• Robertson Drug Co. (3 miles)
• Walgreens (3.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.8 miles)

Theaters

• Venue Cinemas (0.7 miles)

Transportation

• Amtrak (1.5 miles)

Parks

• Riverside Park (1.6 miles)
• Peaks View Park (2.4 miles)
• Riveredge Park (2.5 miles)
• Percival's Island (2.6 miles)
• Ivy Creek Park (2.9 miles)

Places of Worship

• Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (1.6 miles)
• Faith & Victory Church of Worship (1.9 miles)
• Gospel Community Church (2 miles)
• First Presbyterian Church (2 miles)
• Southern Baptist Convention (2.4 miles)
• Heritage Baptist Church (2.8 miles)
• Amelon United Methodist Church (2.8 miles)

Cafes

• Golf Park Coffee (1.7 miles)
• 5th St Grind (1.8 miles)
• Mission House Coffee (2.2 miles)
• Cinn City (2.4 miles)
• Starbucks (3 miles)