Extendicare Health Center

    950 S St Andrews St, Dothan, AL, 36301
    3.5 · 13 reviews
    • Assisted living
    • Memory care
    • Skilled nursing
    AnonymousLoved one of resident
    2.0

    Compassionate staff but overworked, underpaid

    I've seen truly caring, compassionate nurses and CNAs, but they're clearly overworked and underpaid. Call bells often go unanswered, basic care and communication suffer, and meals and housekeeping have noticeably declined since new corporate changes. I worry about residents' welfare despite some great people doing their best.

    Pricing

    Schedule a Tour

    Amenities

    Healthcare services

    • Activities of daily living assistance
    • Assistance with bathing
    • Assistance with dressing
    • Assistance with transfers
    • Medication management
    • Mental wellness program

    Healthcare staffing

    • 12-16 hour nursing
    • 24-hour call system
    • 24-hour supervision

    Meals and dining

    • Diabetes diet
    • Meal preparation and service
    • Restaurant-style dining
    • Special dietary restrictions

    Room

    • Air-conditioning
    • Cable
    • Fully furnished
    • Housekeeping and linen services
    • Kitchenettes
    • Private bathrooms
    • Telephone
    • Wifi

    Transportation

    • Community operated transportation
    • Transportation arrangement
    • Transportation arrangement (non-medical)

    Common areas

    • Beauty salon
    • Computer center
    • Dining room
    • Fitness room
    • Gaming room
    • Garden
    • Outdoor space
    • Small library
    • Wellness center

    Community services

    • Concierge services
    • Fitness programs
    • Move-in coordination

    Activities

    • Community-sponsored activities
    • Planned day trips
    • Resident-run activities
    • Scheduled daily activities

    3.46 · 13 reviews

    Overall rating

    1. 5
    2. 4
    3. 3
    4. 2
    5. 1
    • Care

      3.2
    • Staff

      3.0
    • Meals

      2.0
    • Amenities

      1.0
    • Value

      2.0

    Pros

    • Spotless facility and excellent housekeeping (reported by some)
    • Caring nursing and CNA staff
    • Compassionate staff providing good end-of-life care
    • Friendly staff who are great with patients
    • Some employees report it is a great place to work

    Cons

    • Poor staff responsiveness and long call-bell response times
    • Neglect of patients; nurses ignoring residents
    • Residents not always receiving proper care
    • Decline in meal quality
    • Terrible housekeeping and unpleasant smells (reported by others)
    • Negative impact from new corporate ownership
    • Understaffed, underpaid, and overworked staff
    • Harsh lateness policy affecting staff morale
    • Poor communication and some unfriendly staff
    • Concerns about residents' overall welfare
    • Furniture/equipment issues (bed too short; pillow placed on footboard)

    Summary review

    Overall sentiment in the reviews is mixed but leans toward concern. Several reviewers praise individual caregivers — nurses and CNAs — describing them as caring, compassionate, friendly, and effective, particularly in providing comfort during residents' final months. However, a recurring and significant theme is inconsistent care quality. Multiple accounts describe long call-bell response times, nurses ignoring patients, and residents not receiving proper care. These issues suggest systemic problems rather than isolated incidents.

    Staffing and workforce issues appear central to many negative reports. Reviewers repeatedly mention understaffing, employees being overworked, and being underpaid. These conditions are described as contributing to poor responsiveness, neglect, and lower overall quality of care. Some reviewers also note a harsh lateness policy that likely affects staff morale. At the same time, a subset of reviews indicates that some staff enjoy working at the facility and that those caregivers can be very good and compassionate; this contrast suggests variability in employee experience and performance, possibly tied to shift staffing levels and employee turnover.

    Facility maintenance and housekeeping comments are contradictory. A number of reviews describe the facility as spotless with excellent housekeeping, while others report terrible housekeeping and persistent smells. This split may indicate uneven standards across units or times, or a decline over time. Several reviewers explicitly link negative changes to recent corporate ownership, stating that new management has had a detrimental effect on operations, including housekeeping and overall service quality.

    Dining also draws criticism: multiple reviews note a decline in meal quality. Though specific details about menu, nutrition, or meal service are limited in the summaries provided, the consistent mention of declining meals should be treated as a meaningful pattern affecting resident satisfaction.

    Communication and family relations are another area of concern. Some reviewers report poor communication and unfriendly interactions from staff, which can exacerbate worries about residents' welfare. The combination of slow responsiveness, inconsistent housekeeping, and poor communication creates a perception that management and operations are not reliably meeting residents' needs.

    There are also specific, tangible issues raised: at least one reviewer mentioned furniture or equipment problems such as a bed being too short and a pillow placed awkwardly on the footboard. These details underscore that, beyond staffing and management concerns, there are practical comfort and safety issues for residents.

    In sum, the dominant themes are a strong appreciation for individual caregivers who provide compassionate, high-quality interactions, contrasted with systemic problems—particularly understaffing, inconsistent housekeeping, slower response times, and management changes—that are undermining consistent delivery of care. The reviews point to variability: some residents and families have very positive experiences, while others report neglect and operational decline. Addressing staffing levels, supervision, communication, and consistency in housekeeping and dining would be the most direct ways to reduce negative experiences and better align the facility's performance with the positive accounts of individual staff members.

    Location

    Map showing location of Extendicare Health Center

    About Extendicare Health Center

    Extendicare Health Center is a senior living community in Dothan, Alabama, located at 950 S St Andrews St on a tree-lined, historic street, and it's been part of the community since 1977. The campus is known for its original hand-painted murals that show Dothan's old neighborhoods and buildings, which give the place a homelike feeling, and landscaped gardens that circle the outdoor areas where residents can relax or go for a walk when the weather's nice. The community offers many types of care, including assisted living, independent living, skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and memory care, focusing on serving older adults with different needs.

    Extendicare has 170 skilled nursing beds, with 110 private rooms and 30 semi-private rooms, plus 24 private beds made especially for those needing rehabilitation after hospital stays or surgeries. Residents get medical care like nursing, respiratory therapy, infusion therapy, occupational therapy, wound care, medication help, diabetic care, and rehabilitation for strokes or heart problems, plus help with daily living such as dressing and grooming, incontinence, and non-ambulatory care, and there's always staff on hand - more than 300 people cover day and night shifts. The team also assists with memory care or behavioral support for those with complex needs, and there's a Personal Emergency Response System in every unit for safety.

    The facility feels social and lively, with group outings for shopping or dining out, daily activities like bingo, games, crafts, clubs, movies, music, church services, Bible studies, exercise classes, and veterans groups, as well as devotional programs and special programs supporting groups like the Alzheimer's Society of Canada. Three dining rooms serve tasty, nutritious meals cooked by chefs and meal planners, and afternoon "Tea Time" snack service is part of the daily schedule. There are two complimentary beauty shops, open all week for hair and nail care. Every room comes with private TV, phone, and internet, and the building is equipped with sprinklers, safety and handicap features, and washers and dryers. Housekeeping, laundry, and maintenance services are standard, with guest parking and private entrances for visitors.

    Walking and wheelchair assistance, transportation for errands and doctor visits, and free laundry and housekeeping help residents stay comfortable. Residents who want privacy can choose private rooms, and everyone gets to enjoy community events and the company of friends in the many gathering spaces inside and out. Arts and crafts activities, social time, on-site and off-site events, and education programs are regular parts of life, and there are also special services like podiatry and restorative nursing. New residents get pre-admission assessments and help with move-in, and there's careful attention to different care levels and individualized plans. Consultations go over costs, contracts, and what each service entails. The facility recently transitioned ownership from the Dennis family to Noland Health Services, a not-for-profit group, and it's still committed to long-term, personalized care. Visiting hours are open and flexible, so families can drop by any time. Reviews average 3.9 out of 5, based on 12 opinions, and staff offers resources to help families understand care options, schedule tours, and make choices that fit each person's needs.

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