Overall sentiment across the reviews is mixed but leans positive in many aspects. Repeated strengths include a clean and well-maintained environment, compassionate and helpful staff (nurses, aides, therapists, housekeeping, and dietary teams), high-quality therapy and rehabilitation services, and scratch-made food that many residents and families praise. Multiple reviewers singled out administration and specific contacts (e.g., Sarah, Fawn, Carly) and the director of nursing as helpful and communicative. Activities programming, dining socialization, and a welcoming, family-owned culture were frequently cited as contributing to residents' quality of life.
Care quality and staffing present a clear pattern of variability. Numerous reviews describe excellent, attentive, and professional nursing and therapy services that supported good recoveries and comfort at end of life. At the same time, several serious complaints indicate inconsistent care: reports of unprepared charge nurses, mean or rude nursing staff, medication issues, long waits for assistance, and accusations of neglect. Specific incidents described by reviewers include a delayed chest x-ray, a wound-vac alarm caused by incorrect equipment setup, and an extended period without a shower (two weeks). These accounts suggest that although many residents receive high-quality care, some families experienced lapses that raise concerns about reliability and consistency.
Staff behavior and communication also show a split pattern. Many reviewers praise staff as kind, compassionate, and cross-departmentally dedicated; front-desk and office staff are described as pleasant in numerous summaries, and the facility was commended for clear COVID communication in some cases. Conversely, other reviewers reported unprofessional behavior such as staff on personal phones or chatting in hallways, rude or unhelpful nurses, a HIPAA/privacy breach, poor responsiveness to phone calls, and inadequate incident reporting (including a report of a fall and a death allegedly not being reported to family). Language barriers were also mentioned, with some staff described as hard to understand. This mix points to generally strong interpersonal care for many residents, but also to occasional breakdowns in professional standards and communication.
Facility condition and amenities receive largely positive notes for cleanliness, pleasant smell, and nicely finished areas after redecorating. Several reviewers said the facility is clean, pristine, and well-organized. However, there are consistent comments that the building is older, some rooms are small or outdated, and parts of the facility are under renovation. A few reviewers noted an undesirable marijuana odor, indicating occasional issues with on-site behavior or odor control. Amenities are described as limited by some, so prospective residents should weigh the attractive common areas and cleanliness against smaller or older private rooms.
Dining and therapy are strong selling points for many families. Multiple reviewers praise the culinary team for scratch-made meals, chef flexibility, and a pleasant dining atmosphere that promotes socialization. The therapy department (PT/OT/ST) is repeatedly singled out as skilled and instrumental to recovery. A minority of reviews mention food or service quality needing improvement, which reinforces the larger theme of variability across experiences.
Management, safety, and accountability show both positives and concerning negatives. Several families credit management and specific administrators with being informative, responsive, and helpful—particularly during COVID changes and end-of-life planning. On the other hand, more serious concerns arise around safety and accountability: reports of short-staffing, long response times for calls, equipment setup errors, delayed diagnostics, infection/virus outbreaks resulting in transfers, and alleged failures to report incidents to families. These are significant red flags for prospective residents and families, because they speak to systemic issues that can affect clinical outcomes and trust.
In summary, New Brighton Care Center appears to provide excellent care, therapy, and dining for many residents, backed by a caring and dedicated core of staff and administration. The facility is frequently described as clean and welcoming, with standout therapy, culinary services, and engaged activities. However, reviews also document substantial inconsistencies: occasional unprofessional staff behavior, communication breakdowns, safety and clinical lapses, language barriers, and infrastructure limitations. The most prudent interpretation is that experiences vary significantly depending on unit, shift, or staff on duty. Families considering this facility should schedule a tour, ask specific questions about staffing ratios, bathing schedules, incident reporting procedures, infection control measures, language support, and how management addresses the kinds of incidents described (delayed tests, equipment errors, privacy breaches). Doing so will help determine whether the facility's strong elements will consistently meet their loved one’s needs and mitigate the documented concerns.
