This review is of the independent living and assisted living. My mom lives in the independent living community, and, for the most part, she's been fairly happy living here. The apartments are nicely laid out and comfortable, the staff are mostly kind and friendly, there are plenty of activities, and the residents have been welcoming.
Unfortunately, there have also been some significant issues that have been disappointing over the last 2 years. For example, her apartment has experienced two sewage backups, including sewage coming up through her kitchen sink and into her dishwasher (ruining multiple items that were in the dishwasher at the time). While the plumbing issue was addressed, the dishwasher was never replaced. It's hard to feel confident that simply running a cleaning cycle is an adequate solution after sewage contamination.
We've also had negative experiences with the assisted living/physical therapy living area while she was there for physical therapy, and the level of care was concerning. Staff did not check on her regularly, and when she needed assistance, it often took pressing the call button multiple times before anyone responded. Weekend staffing appeared especially limited - no PT was provided on weekends, and it did not seem like there were enough caregivers available to provide the level of attention residents deserve. The rooms in the assisted living area are also very unappealing and outdated. I would be really unhappy if my mom had to transition to the assisted living wing full time sometime in the future.
Holly Creek has some strengths, particularly in independent living, but there are some serious operational issues that need to be addressed—particularly around staffing in the assisted living area. I hope management takes these concerns seriously because the community has the potential to be excellent.
I wish I could give 4 1/2 stars.
Holly Creek Retirement Community is by no means perfect, but it is one of the best run and transparent communities in the Denver metro area. My parents have lived in independent living since 2022 and have found it to be incredibly comfortable, there’s an attentive staff, and lots of activities. They knew quite a few people when they moved in, but have also made some wonderful new friends.
My father recently moved to The Suites, which is the assisted living/memory care/skilled nursing/short-term rehab “wing,” and has received above average care. It was shaky first, but that can often happen with a move. Overall, he’s well cared for, and the administration and staff is very open to feedback. It sometimes takes too long to address what seem like easy issues, but they have good intentions and most suggestions are implemented.
As a child of parents at this community, I also appreciate how transparent HC and CLC are in their financial status and in giving regular updates on how the community is running and the departments are performing.
Like many retirement communities these days, hiring and retaining high-quality staff is incredibly difficult. This is a challenge that not only Holly Creek faces, but all over the state and certainly all over the country. I think HC works very hard to find highly qualified staff, whether that is medical, care team, cooks and servers, activity, leaders, administrators, etc., but I do feel like there is a touch of high turnover. But, I think of the majority of that is not related to the community specifically, and rather the retirement living landscape nationwide. Times are tight for so many people, so I think employees at retirement facilities, not just at Holly Creek but at most facilities, are not as loyal and if they can get paid $3 to $5 to $7 an hour more; they’re going to take it even if the facility is new and not as established or not as well run or reputable. I think the slightly higher turnover is not necessarily due to Holly Creek specifically, rather the overarching retirement/independent living/assisted living industry as employees look for higher hourly rate rates.
Overall, HC a great place for our parents, offering them a safe, friendly, and thriving environment. It’s not perfect, and I wish that they had more care staff and nurses in The Suites, but it really can’t be beat in comparison to other local facilities and communities. It’s top-tier.
