Dirigo Pines Retirement Community
Anonymous
"Mixed Experience at Assisted Living Facility"
I think it's hard to take care of people with dementia. But the sales team promised things that the staff couldn't deliver. The place always seemed short-staffed, and the staff didn't seem interested. The facility wasn't very clean, especially my mom's bathroom. I don't have anything to compare it to, but it feels like they're trying to do too much with too little. I work in healthcare, so I understand, but overall, I wasn't impressed. As for recommending it? I'm not sure. My mom wasn't safe at home, so she had to move. Dealing with dementia is tough.
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Judith
"Assisted Living Review: Dirigo Pines Offers Beauty and Caring Staff"
Dirigo Pines didn't provide clear instructions for daily needs like hair appointments, visitor policies, or medical care. A guidebook would have helped adjust to this big change. Still, we recommend it for its beauty, caring staff.
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Dilkusha B
"Staff and Facility Shine Amid COVID Challenges"
The assisted living place was short on staff because of COVID-19. Despite this, they did a good job, but they only offer certain services. There wasn't much enrichment activities, but that was also due to COVID-19. It's on the pricey side. The staff are amazing, caring, friendly, and always around. The facility itself is nice – quiet area with beautiful gardens. They focus more on memory care and offer fewer services for people with physical limitations. They're really putting in a lot of effort in a tough situation.
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Anonymous
"Beautiful Outside, But Expensive and Dated Inside"
The place is very expensive for assisted living. The outside looks gorgeous, but the inside is dark, old, and some areas aren't very clean.
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Anonymous
"Mixed Feelings About Assisted Living Tour Experience"
I really liked the community when we toured it. The staff was very nice, and the dining was really good, especially the food. However, the room they had wasn't as big as we hoped for our loved one. Also, the view from that room wasn't very nice.
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Lindsay
"Dog Rehoming Leading to Resident's Suffering in Assisted Living Facility"
I work as a dog walker and walk a client's dog at this assisted living facility at least twice a week. The family was asked to find a new home for the dog because it barked at night, disturbing the other residents. The family and carers tried to find a solution, but the director wasn't open to the suggestions. I spoke to a woman at the front desk who suggested keeping the dog in her office at night where she wouldn't disturb anyone. Even though she would wear a bark collar, the resident would try to remove it. The management isn't concerned, and it's hard. I get the complaints about the noise but I would have done anything to keep the resident and the dog together. The resident's health is getting worse, and her loved ones and aides will watch her suffer once her dog is gone. The most frustrating thing is that the people running this place seem to only care about what's convenient for them. They ignore the difficulty of doing what's right. This place is also very expensive! I truly can't stand this place anymore, and I won't be coming back here to walk dogs. The resident's further health decline will be their responsibility.
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Tina R
"Not the Right Fit for Us"
The community seemed old. The outside looked nice, but inside it felt dark and dated. Plus, it was expensive. The tour was good, but not right for my loved one.
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anonymous
"Community Distance Concerns"
Our family visited Dirigo Pines in person, and it was pleasant. However, the community felt too far away.
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Teri
"Communication Issues but Good Care at Facility"
It's really hard to get a callback from billing or the nurses. Overall, my loved one seems well adjusted and likes it there, so I rate them highly. However, his clothes look a bit dirty, and he looks a little unkempt. They asked me to send another razor because the $100 one he came with was misplaced. We've brought many grooming materials, and the staff seems unsure where they are. With dementia, it might be my loved one moving them, it's hard to tell. Covid makes things tough, but hopefully, it will get better. Communicating about my loved one or billing has been difficult.
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K.J.
"Aunt loves Dirigo Pines; staff is kind and helpful."
My aunt is at Dirigo Pines in assisted living, and she is so happy there. She adores the staff. I live in Massachusetts and don’t get to see her often, but when I do, I’m grateful she’s at Dirigo. The staff is kind and helpful, and I’ve even been able to Skype with her.
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Concerned Daughter
"Grace Management Leads Decline in Quality of Care"
This place is all talk and no show. Just three years ago, it was the ideal assisted living home before Grace Management arrived on the scene. They began slashing staff numbers, cutting down on nurses, and filling those gaps with people not as skilled as the previous ones, their main task being to provide medication. Families voice their troubles, but it falls on deaf ears.
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My Poor Dad
"Quality Drop in Alzheimer's Care After New Management Takes Over"
My father has been living here since the fall of 2015. The former director, a nurse by profession, was a real caregiver. This caring attitude was reflected in her staff as well. They made it feel like a family atmosphere, and every staff member respected and showed genuine concern for the residents. They would visit just to see how my dad, who isn't much of a social butterfly, was doing. These are examples of their numerous random deeds of kindness and their commitment to upholding high standards. Unfortunately, Dirigo Pines has gone downhill since Grace Management took over. As far as I can tell, almost all the staff have changed. My father lives in a memory care unit where a consistent routine is vitally important. Despite our numerous requests, they can't seem to maintain a simple schedule for trimming my father's nails. Even after several reminders, they just can't seem to get it right. During the COVID-19 period, I've left multiple voicemails in his "neighborhood" but no one returns my calls. His doctor also tried to coordinate a Zoom meeting for two consecutive days. I also tried to email the nursing staff in advance to prevent any surprises, as my father doesn't handle them well. However, no one responded until it was too late, and the excuse was that due to "staff cutbacks", there were no appointments scheduled for the day. If family members and doctors can't get through when needed, then who is looking after our vulnerable loved ones?
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Stacey sipe
"Not Worth the Cost: Untrustworthy Assisted Living Facility"
Extremely devious, absolutely not worth the expense...
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Anonymous
"Beautiful Assisted Living with Friendly Staff"
Nice 2nd floor apartment with friendly staff. Beautiful grounds.
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Disappointed
"Untrustworthy Management at Assisted Living Facility"
Although the establishment seems tidy and decent, the management is tricky and unhelpful. When my mom moved there, they made some promises that were one-sided and would only benefit the people running the facility. Nevertheless, once they received the payment, suddenly, those promises were no longer valid. It feels like dealing with a scam! My mom tried to leave and sell her spot, but the management's assistance was, at best mediocre. It's an outrage that businesses like this are allowed to cheat our older citizens in their later years.
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Davlin
"Cash only at Dirigo Pines and No Property Leeway"
If you're thinking about buying a cottage at Dirigo Pines, you should know it's a cash-only deal. Even though you're putting a lot of money into it, you're not allowed to use that money once it's invested. You can't use this property to get more money. We were promised something different and now we're stuck. Our only option is to sell our house, which has been very hard to do.
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Anonymous
"Nice Place, But Mom Not Sold"
My mom and I thought she'd like living in a community, but it wasn't her thing. Still, I'd suggest this place for what they offer. It's kept really nice, and the food's tasty. The folks who work there are amazing, friendly, and get where you're coming from.
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Sally
"Mixed Experience, Closer Options Considered"
My mom stayed there for about a year and a half. There was always a nurse at the desk, so they could see everything well. But the problem was, Mom wasn't like the other patients with dementia. She felt out of place and had a hard time making friends, so she stayed in her room a lot. She didn't like sharing a bathroom. With all the snow and ice, I thought it would be better to find a place closer to me.
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