Overall sentiment across the reviews is mixed but centers on a consistent pattern: direct care staff (nurses, CNAs, therapists) receive frequent, heartfelt praise for compassion, professionalism, and responsiveness, while management, staffing levels, facility maintenance, and consistency of care are the primary sources of concern.
Care quality: Many reviewers describe excellent, even extraordinary, hands-on care. Families repeatedly thanked specific staff members (e.g., DON Gerrie Campbell, ADON Saudra Smith, Rose Kelley RN, and Dr. Christopher O.) and credited therapists and CNAs with meaningful improvements in residents’ mobility and independence. Weekly nurse updates, quick responses to family questions, and smooth admissions processes were cited as positive care-system features. At the same time, multiple accounts note inconsistent care—some CNAs or shifts were described as uncaring or inattentive, and several reviewers reported neglectful incidents or rumors of mistreatment. Understaffing, particularly overnight, and reported lack of training appear to contribute to these inconsistencies.
Staff and culture: A strong theme is the distinction between frontline caregivers and administrative leadership. Frontline employees are praised for being friendly, personable, and going out of their way to comfort residents; volunteers and staff fostered close friendships, organized social activities, and provided one-on-one attention. However, management and administration drew frequent criticism for poor communication, perceived lack of leadership, curt or rude behavior from administrators, and an impression that profit motives sometimes trump quality oversight. Staff burnout and high-pressure conditions were mentioned, which likely exacerbate variability in resident experience.
Facilities and cleanliness: Reviews present conflicting impressions. Numerous reviewers call the building spotless, free of the typical nursing-home smell, with clean rooms, fresh hallways, and daily housekeeping. Conversely, other reviewers report serious sanitation problems—roach infestations, pervasive urine odors, filthy curtains, missing linens, and general filth. Construction and cosmetic issues (scraped walls, old building) were noted alongside praise for some maintenance staff. The contradictory reports suggest that cleanliness and environmental conditions may vary by unit, time period, or shift.
Safety and operational concerns: Several reviewers raised safety-related issues, including a reported broken fire system and lack of basic infection-control supplies like hand sanitizer. These are significant red flags. Missing items, alleged theft, and reports of poor staff training further contribute to family concerns about resident safety and oversight.
Dining and nutrition: Opinions on food are mixed. Some residents and families praised palatable meals, attractive food smells, and a coffee cart service to rooms. Others described food as poor, unhealthy, or unappetizing. There are also reports that some residents have limited dining access (e.g., restricted to certain days), which could reflect dining policies or staffing limitations.
Activities and social life: Several positive examples of engaging programming appear—chapel services, movies, dominoes, dancing to 1950s music, coffee carts, and close social bonds among residents—indicating that staff and volunteers sometimes deliver meaningful activity offerings. However, other reviewers felt activities were unstimulating (largely watching TV), with limited outdoor time and ongoing construction reducing options.
Consistency and patterns: The dominant pattern is that experiences at Magnolia Manor of Midway are uneven. When well-staffed and with engaged caregivers present, residents and families report compassionate, effective care, cleanliness, and meaningful daily life. When staffing, leadership, or maintenance lapses occur, families report serious problems—unsanitary conditions, safety issues, poor communication, and neglectful care. Several reviewers explicitly recommend family vigilance and involvement.
Bottom line: The facility appears to have strong, dedicated caregiving staff capable of delivering excellent care and meaningful quality-of-life programming. However, substantial concerns about administration, staffing levels/consistency, sanitation, safety systems, and food/nutrition are repeatedly reported. Prospective families should weigh the positive testimonies about individual caregivers and therapy outcomes against the recurring operational and environmental complaints, and consider asking facility leadership about staffing ratios, infection-control practices, recent citations or remediation for pests/odors, fire and safety system status, and how they address reported inconsistencies across shifts or units.
