The reviews for Mescalero Care Center present a polarized and inconsistent picture of the facility, with several reviewers describing excellent, attentive care and others describing serious safety and quality problems. On the positive side, multiple reviewers praised the physical environment and basic upkeep: rooms are described as nice and welcoming, with twice-daily cleaning and repeated comments that the facility is kept clean. Several reviews emphasize that the facility is regularly staffed and that staff are frequently present, providing prompt assistance. Specific care positives include attentive nurses and aides, feeding assistance when needed, and available therapies such as speech and physical therapy. One reviewer noted staff went the extra mile by providing a recliner when a bed was uncomfortable. There are also personal testimonials of very good outcomes — for example, a reviewer stating the facility provided "great care for dad" and another calling it the "best" and "exceptional care," which indicates that for some residents the facility meets or exceeds expectations in staffing and daily care routines.
However, an equally strong theme among other reviewers is serious concern about clinical care and staff behavior. Several summaries allege major lapses: reports of wrong medication administration, no patient check-ups, and a doctor who did not visit. These are expressed in strong language — "worst place," "horrific care experience," "uncaring staff," "lazy staff," and even an allegation that a resident was put at "near‑death risk." Those comments point to potentially dangerous failures in medication management, monitoring, and clinical oversight for at least some patients. The presence of such severe allegations alongside very positive remarks suggests there is considerable variability in the quality and reliability of care, rather than a uniform standard across the facility.
Dining and comfort-related feedback is mixed. Some reviewers complimented the food as "good," while at least one reviewer described the food as "lousy." Similarly, a specific comfort issue — an uncomfortable bed — was raised, though staff responsiveness in that case (providing a recliner) was noted favorably. These contrasting remarks again support the pattern of inconsistent experiences: some residents and families are satisfied with meals and accommodations, while others are not.
Staffing and staff performance appear as a bifurcated theme. Several reviews stress that nurses and aides are informed, attentive, and quick to respond — a core strength for day-to-day resident care. In contrast, other reviewers describe staff as uncaring or lazy, implying problems with attitude, reliability, or perhaps particular shifts/individual employees. The repeated mention that the facility is "always staffed" and also the claim of "great staffing" coexist with complaints about staff behavior and serious clinical oversights; this suggests that staffing numbers may be adequate at times but that training, supervision, consistency, or clinical protocols may be uneven.
Taken together, these reviews indicate that Mescalero Care Center can provide very good, attentive, and well-maintained care for some residents, including rehabilitation services and prompt daily assistance, but there are alarming reports of dangerous lapses for others, especially around medication administration, physician involvement, and routine patient checks. The most significant red flags are the allegations of wrong medication, lack of clinical follow-up, and claims that a doctor never visited — issues that directly affect resident safety. Given the mixed feedback, a prospective resident or family should view the facility as capable of high-quality care in some cases but also as having potential for serious negative outcomes. It would be prudent to seek clarifying information from the facility about their medication administration procedures, physician coverage and rounding practices, incident reporting, staff training and supervision, and how they ensure consistency of care across shifts and units. Additionally, during visits, observe staff–resident interactions, ask to review care plans and therapy schedules, and request references from current families to gauge whether the positive experiences are typical and whether the concerning reports have been addressed.
