Sensations
Memory Care, Adult Day Care & Respite Care · Charlotte, MI
Sensations
Memory Care, Adult Day Care & Respite Care · Charlotte, MI
Overview of Sensations
Sensations is a 39-bed memory care residence at 511 East Shepherd in Charlotte, Eaton County, Michigan, operated by AWL Companies LLC. Originally licensed in March 2011, it offers memory care with permanent residency, respite care, and adult day care. Twenty-four-hour staffing is provided. Amenities include on-site wellness center, meals included, laundry service, outdoor commons areas, and activities including fitness, music, games, and pet therapy.
Walk score 81 reflects a highly walkable location where most errands are possible on foot. The facility’s location in Charlotte’s downtown area provides residents with genuine neighborhood access, not isolation. License.
Over 15 years, Sensations accumulated only 3 deficiencies at 0.2 annually, placing it 63 percent better than Michigan’s state average. Original licensing in March 2011 found zero deficiencies with substantial compliance. Administrative renewal in March 2024 confirmed zero deficiencies and continued substantial compliance. This sustained posture for 13 years is objectively strong.
A March 2023 renewal identified one deficiency regarding service plan documentation. Resident service plans lacked adequate information about bedside assistive devices, including their purpose, staff responsibility for safety verification, and maintenance schedules. This is a documentation failure rather than a care failure and appears corrected by the 2024 renewal.
A March 4, 2025, complaint investigation identified two deficiencies stemming from a medication incident in February 2025. Resident A was prescribed Haldol and ran out of medication for 48 hours after staff placed it in a locked drawer without notifying others. Investigation documented 4 missed doses from this single incident. The facility also lacked a formal policy for how staff should proceed when a resident’s medication supply is interrupted.
For a facility with 14 clean years before this incident, the February 2025 medication issue appears isolated rather than systemic. The track record suggests genuine attention to compliance.
Families placing residents in memory care should ask about the February 2025 incident, the corrective action plan, and whether the medication shortage policy has been implemented.
39-bed community Rank #294 / 431Bed count — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 294th out of 431 homes in Michigan for Bed Count. Shows this facility's certified or reported bed count compared to other Michigan facilities. Larger communities may offer more amenities, programs, and on-site services for residents and families.Facilities with the same value for a metric share the same rank. Rankings are based only on facilities in Michigan that report data for that category. Facilities without available data are excluded from the ranking.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.
A moderately sized community that may balance personal attention with shared amenities and social activities.
Walk Score: 81 / 100 Rank #27 / 703Walk Score — State benchmarkedThis home is ranked 27th out of 703 homes in Michigan for Walk Score. Shows how walkable this facility's neighborhood is compared to the average Walk Score across Michigan facilities. Higher scores benefit residents, families, and staff.Facilities with the same value for a metric share the same rank. Rankings are based only on facilities in Michigan that report data for that category. Facilities without available data are excluded from the ranking.Click the rank badge to see the full State ranking.Click here to see the full State ranking.
Very walkable. Most errands can be accomplished on foot, and many essentials are within a short walk.
About this community
Facility TypeHomes For The Aged
StatusRegular
IssuanceAugust 1, 2025
ExpirationJuly 31, 2026 Expires in 21 days
CountyEaton
License NumberAH230303551
Owner NameAwl Companies LLC
Respite Care
Licensed Nurses/CNAs
24-Hour Staffing
Permanent Residency
Pets not allowed
24-Hour Care
On-Site Wellness Center
Meals Included
Laundry Service
Outdoor Commons Areas
ActivitiesActivities include fitness, music, games, and pet therapy
Touring HoursMonday-Friday: 9am-5pm
Inspection History
In Michigan, the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) conducts unannounced inspections and investigations to ensure long-term care facilities comply with state health codes.
Since 2011 · 15 years of data
3 deficiencies
Inspection Scorecard
This scorecard compares key inspection, deficiency, and complaint metrics at this facility against the Michigan state average. Metrics rated ≥15% worse than average are highlighted in red; those ≥15% better are highlighted in green.
Since 2011 vs. Michigan state average
Overall vs. MI average
0 Worse
No metrics in this bucket.
2 Better
Metrics better than Michigan average:
• Total deficiencies (63% below)
• Deficiencies per year (60% below)
• Total deficiencies (63% below)
• Deficiencies per year (60% below)
Latest Inspection
March 4, 2025
Complaint Investigation
Deficiencies
| This Facility | MI Average | vs. MI Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Total deficiencies
Formal regulatory issues recorded by inspectors across all inspection types.
| 3 | 8 | This facility has 63% fewer total deficiencies than a typical Michigan assisted living residence (3 vs. MI avg 8).↓ 63% better |
|
Deficiencies per year
Average deficiencies per year since 2011.
| 0.2 | 0.5 | This facility has 60% fewer deficiencies per year than a typical Michigan assisted living residence (0.2 vs. MI avg 0.5).↓ 60% better |
Inspection Reports Summary
An editor-reviewed summary of the themes and findings across this facility's recent inspection reports.
- March 4, 2025 complaint investigation substantiated that Resident A missed multiple doses of prescribed medication and the facility lacked a policy for handling medication shortages.
- March 24, 2023 renewal inspection found one deficiency for incomplete service plans missing details on bedside assistive devices and staff responsibilities.
- March 18, 2024 renewal inspection found the facility in substantial compliance, resulting in license renewal without deficiencies.
Places of interest near Sensations
0.0 miles from city center
Estimated distance in miles from Charlotte's city center to Sensations's address, calculated via Google Maps.
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Compare Memory Care around the area
The information below is reported by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA).
| Chelsea Retirement Community | MC AL IL NH SNF | Chelsea | 172 | Yes | - | 13 | Studio / 1 Bed / 2 Bed / Cottage |
| Porter Hills Village | MC NH AL IL | Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids Charter Township) | 100 | No | - | 1 | Private Rooms |
| IHM Senior Living Community | MC NH AL IL | Monroe (Ihm Campus) | 58 | No | - | 40 | 1 Bed |
| Friendship Village – Kalamazoo | MC AL IL NH SNF | Kalamazoo | 57 | Yes | A+ | 7 | 1 Bed / 2 Bed |
| Sensations | MC ADC RC | Shepherd Charlotte | 39 | No | - | 81 | - |
Frequently Asked Questions about Sensations
Who is the owner of Sensations?
Sensations is legally operated by AWL Companies LLC.
Is Sensations in a walkable area?
Sensations has a walk score of 81. Very walkable. Most errands can be accomplished on foot, and many essentials are within a short walk.
What is the license number of Sensations?
According to MI state health department records, Sensations's license number is AH230303551.
When does Sensations's license expire?
According to MI state health department records, Sensations's license expires on July 31, 2026.
Are pets allowed at Sensations?
No, Sensations has a no-pet policy.
How many beds does Sensations have?
Sensations has 39 beds.
Are there photos of Sensations?
Yes — there are 8 photos of Sensations in the photo gallery on this page.
Guides for Better Senior Living
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