S M
Jun 2026
My uncle used to live at The Forest at Duke. I spent a lot of time visiting him there, and while the place looks beautiful and luxurious, the service does not match the price residents are paying. The biggest mistake people can make is judging this place by how it looks. The buildings, landscaping, and amenities are impressive, but once you spend enough time there, you start to notice issues in day-to-day operations. There are some great employees who genuinely care about residents, but they feel like a small percentage of the staff. I often saw staff members sitting around, on their phones, or not paying attention to residents who needed help. What concerned me most was seeing how some residents with cognitive or mental health challenges were sometimes treated in a way that felt impatient or lacking in compassion. That was difficult to witness. I did bring up some of these concerns in conversations with staff and also asked to speak with someone in leadership. The responses I received made it seem like these issues were either difficult to address or not a current priority. Overall, the impression I got was that while the facility presents itself as a high-end community, the day-to-day level of service and attention did not consistently reflect that standard. For the amount of money residents are paying, I expected much better. Based on what I personally observed over many visits, I would encourage families to look closely at other options before making a decision.
