The Fremont Senior Living

Richard R.

The Fremont Senior Living facility in Springfield, Mo. is poorly managed from the corporate level, (Arrow Management), and poorly operated and severely understaffed at the local level. I spent a lifetime there one month transitioning a family elder from independent living (IL) to assisted living (AL). I slept many nights in his apartment and took him to and from meals. I was privileged to get to know many residents and staff workers. While almost all front-line workers are kind and caring, they are overwhelmed by the volume of service needed by the residents. Service for which the residents pay handsomely. The most glaring area of poor performance on the IL side is food service. A lot of items on the regular menu are oftentimes not available, from simple items such as sliced fresh fruit and an English muffin to featured entrees. There is no real kitchen on the IL side, only a small grill for frying eggs and burgers. Most menu items and all entrees have to be transported from across the parking lot in AL where the real kitchen and cooks work to prepare food for both sides of the facility. This results in poor service and diminished food quality, (temperature and freshness), on the IL side. And on the AL side, waiting 30 minutes to an hour for your ordered food to be served is not uncommon. While poor food service is frustrating, much more significant service problems exist on the AL side of the facility. Residents are given a medallion with an “alert” button on it to be pushed when the resident requires immediate assistance. There are also pull chain alert devices in the rooms designed for the same purpose. Neither system works well at all. Not because of a mechanical or hardware deficiency, but because the minimal staff is so overwhelmed with service requests that they have become apathetic and do not respond immediately to the alarms. My elder lay on the floor for 30 minutes after he used the system to call for help when he fell and couldn’t get himself back up. He probably would have stayed down longer if I hadn’t come to his apartment after he failed numerous times to answer the phone. My elder requires the use of a catheter and is charged an extra fee for the Fremont to care for his needs in that area. Because the staff does not respond to his calls he most often performs those tasks himself which results in an unsanitary catheter bag and tubing. My elder is incontinent and has to use disposable diapers and soils himself several times a day. It is not uncommon for me to walk into his apartment and smell feces because his waste containers have not been emptied. I have not decided if the floor attendant for my elder is a Saint or an Angel, but she is one of the two. I have never met a sweeter, kinder, or harder-working person than her. The problem, however, is that D.J. has 32 residents under her care. There is no way one person, no matter how exceptional she is, can possibly keep up with that demand. Her span of control is simply untenable. This is Arrow Management putting higher profit ahead of resident care. Selecting a retirement facility may well be one of the last big decisions we make in life. Once the choice of the facility has been made and we’ve moved in, it’s a real hassle to uproot and move again. I have visited with several of the Fremont residents who feel stuck now for that reason. If you are reading this and considering the Fremont, or any Arrow facility, I would encourage you to perform thorough due diligence. Eat several meals at different times in the two dining halls. Visit with as many existing residents as possible privately in order to get their candid opinion. If your family elder is currently a resident in one of these facilities and is not receiving the care you feel they need, complain vociferously. However, I have voiced my concerns to both the Fremont Interim Executive Director and the Wellness Director to no avail, hence this poor review.

Brooke Decker

Such a beautiful place for seniors to live out their golden years!

Mary German

For several years after living as a widow in my three story house, I started looking for a place where I would be safe and not likely to fall. I just lived a few minutes away but wasn't aware of the The Fremont. Having a pedicure one day she mentioned that she had a client who lives here. I came directly across the street and signed up for a villa. I was in an apartment for six months and have been here since January. It is actually one of the smartest moves I have ever made. I think it was fate that brought me here. I would highly recommend this life to any senior. My relatives and my family are all happy to see me safely here, not sitting home alone, and very happy.

Melinda Summers

My Mother moved to the Fremont in June 2022. She enjoys her apartment and everyone who lives there. The staff is friendly, but there is a problem with the food service. When my Mother goes to the dining room, there is not enough help to wait on residents and they have always run out of items that are on the menu. This has been an ongoing problem since she moved in. We have complained about this to management, but nothing ever gets resolved. If she went to eat at 4pm, they might be able to accommodate her with all the choices on the menu. This is extremely upsetting to her, as well as, my sister and I. Living at the Fremont is not Inexpensive and for what she pays every month, she should be able to eat in the dining room anytime of the day and be able to be served items that are on the menu, instead of being told, sorry, we are out of that. It’s very disappointing, when my Mother tells us that maybe she should start cooking for herself again.