Overall sentiment is mixed but consistent in one key pattern: many reviewers praise individual staff members and certain departments for compassionate, attentive care, while at the same time multiple reviewers report systemic problems tied to staffing, management, and safety. Positive comments repeatedly highlight caring nurses, therapy and dietary teams, and individual employees who "go above and beyond" (several reviewers named staff such as Samantha Lewis, Tiffany, Kim, Lenis, John, Susan, and Jennifer). Several families describe a warm, home-like environment, good food, engaging activities, and clear communication with staff. Cleanliness and upkeep were noted as improving in many reviews and the facility was described as smelling pleasant and being welcoming by some visitors.
However, those positive experiences sit alongside serious and recurring concerns. Many reviewers report extreme staffing ratios, high turnover, and multiple changes in leadership (notably several Directors of Nursing changes in 2023). These staffing and leadership instabilities appear to drive inconsistent care: missed or inconsistent baths, delayed or unresponsive call-bell responses, and delayed rehab starts or late discharges. Several reviews describe medical quality problems — overmedication, medication changes that caused sickness, multiple UTIs, and at least one hospitalization for elevated ammonia — and in at least one case a resident was moved to another facility because care was inadequate. Some reviewers explicitly stated hospital care was better than the care received at the facility.
Management and culture issues are a strong recurring theme. Multiple reviews allege favoritism by management, family members occupying supervisory roles creating potential conflicts of interest, gossip and back-stabbing among staff, and management failing to address family concerns. A few reviewers described rude or unhelpful interactions with HR and administration (reports of being hung up on). Conversely, other reviewers praised administrative staff by name as helpful. This split creates a picture of inconsistent leadership and morale that directly affects day-to-day resident experiences.
Safety, equipment, and environment-related problems were also reported. Specific incidents include long waits for assistance, a patient left on the floor, old hand-crank beds that cannot be adjusted, a non-working in-room toilet, and pest sightings (water roaches). Some reviewers urged prospective families to verify state surveys and CMS ratings or requested more frequent health inspections; a small number suggested the facility should be closed, while others strongly disagreed, underscoring the variability in experiences.
Therapy and activities receive mixed but generally positive mentions: therapy staff are praised when they are timely and engaged, and activities staff (e.g., Susan) were appreciated for resident engagement. Yet some families noted delayed rehab starts or felt the facility was not suitable for rehabilitation needs. Dining is mostly positively reviewed with some families noting good food.
Communication and family experience vary: several families reported clear, compassionate communication and felt well informed; others reported poor communication, abrupt or rude responses, or difficulties getting issues resolved. A recurring concern is that residents without family may be overlooked, indicating uneven attention depending on family advocacy.
In summary, Azalea Health & Rehabilitation appears to have strong individual caregivers and departments that many families deeply appreciate. At the same time, systemic issues — insufficient staffing, high turnover, leadership changes, alleged favoritism and conflicts of interest, inconsistent care practices, safety/equipment problems, and isolated but serious adverse events — raise red flags for reliability and resident safety. Prospective families should weigh the many positive personal accounts against these operational and safety concerns. Practical steps recommended by reviewers include checking recent state inspection reports and CMS data, asking about current staffing levels and leadership stability (including the current Director of Nursing), observing call-bell response times and room/equipment condition during visits, and speaking to multiple families or residents to get a broader sense of day-to-day consistency.
