The reviews of Sherman Oaks Health & Rehab present a wide and polarized range of experiences, creating a complex overall picture. Many reviewers praise the rehabilitation services, specific clinicians, and programs: physical and occupational therapy successes, wound care, and the rehab unit are repeatedly credited with improving mobility and returning residents toward independence. Numerous reviewers name individual staff members (nurses, CNAs, therapists, activities personnel, and an accessible administrator) as compassionate, professional, and instrumental in positive outcomes. Some families describe the facility as clean, bright, and well-run, noting recently upgraded showers, pleasant public spaces, multiple patios and lounges, and an active activities calendar that includes special events like candlelight dinners. Pet therapy and a visible safety committee are additional positives mentioned.
Contrasting sharply with those accounts are multiple, serious allegations of neglect and abuse. Several reviewers report CNAs failing to feed residents, refusing or neglecting toileting and hygiene assistance, and not washing hands before meals. There are accounts of cold showers, raw or poor-quality food, weight loss, anemia, aspiration pneumonia attributed to inadequate diets or feeding, and at least one report of a resident being dropped during transport resulting in fractures. A pattern emerges in several reviews of inconsistent care quality: day staff are often described as attentive and caring while night staff are characterized as indifferent or cruel. These accounts also include grave outcomes — hospitalizations, ICU admissions, coma, and deaths — which reviewers attribute to neglect or delayed medical response. Multiple families express that doctors did not adequately examine residents or that medical conditions and medications were not properly managed.
Staffing, management, and safety are recurring areas of concern. Reviewers frequently cite understaffing, unprofessional behavior (LVNs chatting or passing work), language barriers, and limited clinical competence among some staff. Several reviews accuse management of prioritizing the bottom line, manipulating online reviews, banning critical family members, or otherwise avoiding accountability; there are mentions of lawsuits and calls for legal consequences. Security incidents, including an armed gunman reported by at least one reviewer, and complaints about lack of on-site security heighten family concerns. Infection control issues are also flagged — especially room-sharing without testing and alleged lax practices — contributing to perceived risks for vulnerable residents.
Facility condition impressions are mixed: reviewers note a 2016 update and spa-like upgraded showers and describe immaculate public areas, yet many also report resident rooms that look neglected or like a 'flophouse,' unpleasant odors, and crowded curtain-separated spaces. Dining reviews vary widely — while some praise attentive staff and nutrition support, others report 'garbage' food, inadequate meals (e.g., tuna sandwich and chips), and food that prompted refusal or led to medical complications. Belongings lost and poor handling during transport are specific, recurring negative incidents.
Patterns across reviews suggest variability depending on unit, shift, and individual staff. Positive experiences are concentrated around the rehab unit, named therapists and nurses, activities staff, and times when staff levels and engagement are sufficient. Negative experiences often center on long-term care rooms, night shifts, administrative interactions around complaints, and serious safety events. Because the reports include both strong endorsements and severe allegations of neglect and harm, prospective residents and families should approach the facility with caution: verify specific programs and staffing for the intended unit and shift, ask for names and roles of primary caregivers, review incident and staffing records if possible, observe room conditions and meal service, and maintain frequent in-person oversight and clear communication with administration.
In summary, Sherman Oaks Health & Rehab appears to provide exemplary rehabilitation and compassionate care in many instances, driven by dedicated therapists, nurses, and activities staff, but it also has multiple reports of critical failures in basic caregiving, safety, and management responsiveness. The most salient themes are the stark inconsistency of care, significant allegations of neglect and abuse, and the coexistence of high-quality rehab outcomes with troubling long-term care reports. Families should weigh these mixed signals carefully, conduct thorough, targeted inquiries, and remain actively involved in care decisions and monitoring if choosing this facility.
