Overall sentiment is strongly mixed: reviewers repeatedly praise the physical plant, therapy services, and some individual employees, while also reporting serious operational failures, inconsistent caregiving, and trust/safety issues. The facility is consistently described as attractive, clean, new or modern, with robust therapy/rehab services and an active activities program. Multiple families reported meaningful clinical improvements in residents attributable to the rehabilitation team and praised certain staff members in social services, kitchen, and nursing. These positive experiences coexist with recurring and significant negative reports that affect quality of life and safety for other residents.
Care quality and staffing is the most frequent and consequential theme. While some reviewers describe nurses and aides as attentive and caring, many others describe wide variability in staff competence and attitude — "one or two good employees" versus many inattentive or rude CNAs. Short-staffing is a persistent complaint and is linked to delayed call-button responses, missed showers, skipped meals or snacks, delayed pain medications, and insufficient supervision on nights and weekends. Several reviews explicitly tie staffing shortages to neglectful outcomes such as bedsores, the need for hospital transfer, or risk of inadequate feeding. Families also report that busy nursing staff sometimes leads to limited time for basic engagement and individualized care.
Communication, transparency, and administration emerge as another central cluster of concerns. Multiple reviewers recount miscommunication about appointments and transportation, broken promises about getting residents to medical visits, and even an incident described as impersonation of the head of nursing. There are repeated accusations of dishonesty, lack of accountability, and poor responsiveness from management; some reviewers say attempts to raise issues result in dismissal, retaliation, or terminations. Families report difficulty reaching the director of nursing, and there are several accounts of residents being discharged or transferred without adequate notice or explanation (including transfers with COVID-related concerns). These patterns contribute to family stress and distrust.
Safety and infection control concerns are serious themes in the negative reports. Reported safety lapses include falls, unsafe chairs or beds that were not remediated, and call systems that did not work or were ignored. There are multiple reports of bedsores and delayed wound care culminating in hospitalization. Infection exposure (COVID) and outbreaks are mentioned, sometimes in connection with transfers or poor management practices. Theft or loss of residents' belongings — notably missing clothing and phones — is another alarming and repeated issue, along with delays in returning items. Such reports raise questions about supervision, property policies, and staff screening/oversight.
Dining and dietary care are described inconsistently: some families found the food "fine" or praised specific kitchen staff, while many others raised dietary concerns. Common complaints include meals that are high in carbohydrates and low in protein, poor accommodation for diabetic diets or blood-sugar management, lack of individualized meal plans, confusion over beverage choices (unsweetened tea), and limited snacks or fluids between meals. Several reviewers linked inadequate dining assistance (lack of help at mealtimes) to weight loss or difficulty eating.
Activities, environment, and therapy are clear strengths. The facility is repeatedly noted for a busy activities calendar, holiday decorations, a lively library, and a pleasant communal atmosphere. The rehabilitation and therapy programs receive consistent high marks for quality and intensity; several stories describe measurable health improvement and successful short-term rehab stays. The overall physical environment is often called gorgeous, with clean rooms and no odors.
Patterns and extremes: The reviews reveal a bimodal experience — some families describe outstanding, almost exemplary care and staff who go above and beyond, while others describe neglect, unsafe conditions, dishonesty, and unprofessional behavior. This inconsistency suggests uneven staffing, supervisory gaps, or variability across shifts and teams. Several reviewers describe acute, alarming incidents (impersonation, theft, discharge without notice, denial of feeding, bedsores) that indicate systemic weaknesses rather than isolated lapses. At the same time, named staff and departments (social services Becky, kitchen Joe, therapy team, certain nurses) are repeatedly called out as sources of positive experiences.
In summary, Liberty Village of Carbondale appears to offer strong facilities, an excellent therapy program, and meaningful social/activities options, but families should be aware of recurring operational risks: inconsistent caregiver quality, short-staffing, poor communication, safety and property-control concerns, and dietary/medication management problems. Prospective residents and families would benefit from asking specific, practical questions before placement: current staffing ratios, weekend/night supervision, call-button reliability and response times, wound-care and infection-control protocols, policies for resident belongings and laundering, dietary accommodations (esp. diabetic/protein needs), how care transitions and discharges are handled, and how complaints/retaliation concerns are managed. If these areas are clarified and addressed, many of the facility's notable strengths could be delivered more reliably across residents and shifts.
