I visited in August, 2025 to consider moving in. The building is gorgeous and Danville is very appealing. Not much for grounds though. Huge parking lot. No bus into Danville. For most who live here the walk is likely prohibitive, probably can be a big risk being alone with no sidewalks. Wouldn't want to fail out there by myself. Seems like an appropriate place to have a car. Hmmm
Magnolia is definately beautiful, picture perfect. Outside and inside. It is an relatively small facility, 36 residents maximum. Only 30 when I was there. That's a 17% shortfall. The small size could be very, very good, intimate and more homelike. But here it is a huge liability. Their cash flow is underwater. The 3 hours I spent looking at life there left me totally disappointed, even scared. As appealing as the property is, inside and out, I cannot consider living in this environment.
Several reasons. Food, resident's rooms, too many people wandering about looking abandoned, no real and consistent activities to engage the residents, no real landscaped grounds for exercise, no easy access into Danville, no big screen tv in the lounge area, etc.
There are some group activities that look really engaging and happy. But still, there are individuals who appear to find themselves completely alone.
The staff however, is very friendly and completely welcoming and it appears totally clean and safe.
Looking more closely however, the individual rooms are beyond depressing. It feels like nothing has changed in decades. Like a scary motel in a Hitchcock movie. I'm not jesting. The bed I was shown was either from the 1940s or somebody's garage sale. The stuff if nightmares. Magnolia could be absolutely inviting and comfortable. A missed opportunity. Maybe later.....
Anyway, as I was preparing to leave Heidi offered to consider a few requests for me such as offering a big screen tv ($300) and plain but large and healthy salads for lunch and dinner.
(Assisted living facilities are charging five to eight thousand a month.) Dinner and an inexpensive tv seem very reasonable expectations from over here.
Oops, they don't serve dinner. They crank out sandwiches. Got to be that pesky budget.
Anyway. Heidi, who is unbelievably charming and full of positive energy - promised to talk with her boss about my requests, incidental as they were, but critical for me, and call me to resolve my questions.
Nothing. No follow through. Wow. Another nail in the coffin, so to speak. No inference to the elderly intended. Hey that's me too. Lol.
If you are considering Magnolia, share lunch in the dining room with the residents. You'll want to plan dinner elsewhere. Maybe an after lunch - lunch. Where is that big screen tv in a public space. Climbing into or on one's bed to watch tv 24/7 is just unacceptable, at least for me. And please, look closely at the rooms where residents are living. You may find it appealing. Maybe not so much.
Food is a huge component of life for residents here. The food is abominable. Seriously. The residents appeared oblivious or resigned. The plate I received was ABSOLUTELY INEDIBLE. The management and staff should eat what they serve to the residents. Management 101.
The staff, who are all very, very nice, made lunch for themselves while the residents ate. The Filipino lunch (I believe) the staff enjoyed looked totally delicious (and plentiful). Their table was really happy. It looked like a party. Good enough but the residents should definitely come first. And the portions offered to the residents are quite small. Perhaps appropriate for older diners, perhaps not.
I was shocked. I have owned high end restaurants (plural) in Denver, Aspen and San Francisco. I know food service. This is inexcusable,
Hello... so - pick up the phone. please. read more