Overall sentiment across the reviews is strongly mixed, with a clear split between highly positive experiences and deeply negative reports. A substantial number of reviewers praise the staff — nurses, CNAs, therapists and specific administrators — for being kind, attentive, compassionate, and professionally capable. Many families highlight excellent rehabilitation outcomes (PT/OT), quick functional improvement, and thoughtful discharge preparation. Several reviewers specifically commended case managers, Medicare directors, and named staff (e.g., Executive Director Meghan, DON Tiffany, and various rehab or nursing staff) for clear communication, hands-on support, and coordination of care. Positive remarks also note an efficient admissions process with health screening, supportive social programming (bingo, music, snack/coffee carts), and in many accounts a clean, well-maintained facility with welcoming public spaces.
However, a recurrent and significant theme is understaffing and the consequences that follow. Multiple reviewers reported floors left with only one CNA during evenings, slow nurse responses, missed showers, unattended calls, and situations they described as neglectful. These staffing shortages are tied in some reviews to high turnover, morale issues, and alleged pay cuts — factors that reviewers feel directly impact the consistency and quality of daily care. Several reviewers characterize this as a systemic problem rather than isolated incidents, and it is frequently cited as the driver behind communication failures, inattentive care, and safety risks.
Cleanliness and facility condition appear inconsistent across accounts. Many families describe the center as beautiful, well-kept, odor-free, and clean — even calling housekeeping outstanding. Conversely, a number of very serious reports describe filthy rooms, dirty bedding, trash on floors, flies, soaked bedmates, and other unsanitary conditions. This divergence suggests variability between units, shifts, or time periods: some residents experience well-maintained rooms and attentive housekeeping, while others report highly concerning lapses. These conflicting reports make it important for prospective families to tour the specific unit and ask targeted questions about current staffing and housekeeping routines.
Food and dining quality is another frequently mentioned negative. Multiple reviewers called the food disgusting, overly processed (canned/frozen), and not nutritious, with some noting portions or offerings that felt overpriced for the quality. Yet some residents said they enjoyed the meals. Like cleanliness, dining satisfaction appears inconsistent and varies by individual expectation and perhaps by dining location or meal. Activities and social engagement, by contrast, are generally viewed positively — many reviews mention bingo, music, socialization opportunities, and staff who encourage resident participation.
Management and professionalism receive mixed marks. Several reviews praise specific leaders and frontline managers for transparency, timely updates, and responsiveness, and recount personal touches such as thoughtful notes. At the same time, others describe rude or unhelpful management and HR, abrupt or insensitive staff comments about patients, and staff behaving unprofessionally (eye-rolling, disrespect). These polarized impressions may reflect differences in which staff or managers families interact with and underscore concerns about inconsistent culture or training across shifts.
Safety is a recurring concern for those reporting negative experiences: falls risk, poor lighting, and times when only one caregiver covers multiple high-need residents were mentioned. Positive reviews, however, describe prompt action when problems arise, timely oxygen administration, clear care plans, and staff who are knowledgeable about discharge and home-safety needs. The split again indicates that safety and responsiveness can be strong in many instances but may degrade when staffing is stretched.
In summary, Exeter Center elicits two dominant narratives. One is of a competent, compassionate care environment with strong rehab services, supportive therapy and case-management teams, engaging activities, and clean, well-run units led by caring staff and administrators. The other is of a facility struggling with staffing, inconsistent cleanliness and food quality, occasional unprofessionalism, and safety vulnerabilities that lead some families to report neglectful or unacceptable conditions. Prospective residents and families should weigh these mixed reports by visiting the specific unit, asking for current staffing ratios and turnover data, inquiring about housekeeping and infection-control practices, meeting nursing leadership, and seeking references from recent families in the unit where placement is being considered. Where reviews praise named individuals and teams, those are strengths to seek out; where complaints cluster (night staffing, food, cleanliness), those are issues to probe further before placement.
