Penfield Place

    1700 Penfield Rd, Penfield, NY, 14526
    3.8 · 39 reviews
    • Assisted living
    • Memory care
    • Skilled nursing
    AnonymousLoved one of resident
    3.0

    Strong therapy, inconsistent and understaffed

    I have mixed feelings. The rehab/therapy team was excellent - professional, proactive, and got my loved one moving - and several nurses/CNAs and social workers were caring and communicative. But the facility often felt understaffed and inconsistent: missed pain meds, ignored call bells, pervasive urine odor, dark worn rooms, poor meals/dietary lapses, and at least one serious medical lapse. If you consider this place, treat it as a short-term rehab option (therapy is strong) and closely monitor meds, nutrition, and night staffing.

    Pricing

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    Amenities

    Healthcare services

    • Activities of daily living assistance
    • Assistance with bathing
    • Assistance with dressing
    • Assistance with transfers
    • Medication management
    • Mental wellness program

    Healthcare staffing

    • 24-hour call system
    • 24-hour supervision

    Meals and dining

    • Diabetes diet
    • Meal preparation and service
    • Restaurant-style dining
    • Special dietary restrictions

    Room

    • Cable
    • Fully furnished
    • Housekeeping and linen services
    • Kitchenettes
    • Telephone
    • Wifi

    Common areas

    • Beauty salon
    • Dining room
    • Garden
    • Outdoor space
    • Small library

    Community services

    • Move-in coordination

    Activities

    • Community-sponsored activities
    • Resident-run activities
    • Scheduled daily activities

    3.82 · 39 reviews

    Overall rating

    1. 5
    2. 4
    3. 3
    4. 2
    5. 1
    • Care

      3.7
    • Staff

      3.8
    • Meals

      1.6
    • Amenities

      3.0
    • Value

      1.0

    Pros

    • Caring, attentive nursing staff
    • Excellent physical and occupational therapy (PT/OT)
    • Knowledgeable and compassionate CNAs and aides
    • Dedicated social work team (named staff: Meghan and Sara)
    • Outstanding individual staff members called out by name (e.g., Megan)
    • Person-centered care with dignity focus
    • Staff who learn residents’ names and engage personally
    • Quick response time reported by many families
    • Clean and well-maintained areas reported in multiple reviews
    • Renovated, bright rehab wing and private rooms
    • Strong short-term rehab outcomes and return-home successes
    • On-site activities (bingo, live music) and social programming
    • On-site medical support (doctor visits) and visiting clergy
    • Laundry and hairdressing services available
    • Transportation availability and flexible visiting hours
    • Dietary accommodations reported as available in some cases
    • Long-tenured, reliable staff praised by families
    • Generous visiting hours and open rehab bed availability
    • Responsive business office and admissions staff in positive reports
    • Safe post-operative care and successful discharges documented

    Cons

    • Persistent urine/strong odor reported in multiple reviews
    • Old, worn, dark rooms and general shabby appearance in some areas
    • Inconsistent cleanliness: clean in some reports, dirty/crowded halls in others
    • Poor quality or processed food; several reports of disgusting meals
    • Dietary restrictions not always respected; choking hazard concerns
    • Understaffing, especially overnight and on night shifts
    • Ignored call bells and poor night responsiveness
    • Missed medications and inadequate pain management reported
    • Serious clinical lapses (ulcers progressing to cellulitis, sepsis, hospitalizations)
    • Inadequate incontinence care (soiled/wet garments and bedding)
    • Administrative miscommunication, evasive responses, or unhelpful administration
    • Medicaid paperwork not completed / billing and capacity issues
    • High cost reported (over $600/day) with some feeling poor value
    • Inconsistent staff quality; some staff described as lazy, rude, or unkind
    • Social worker unprofessionalism and misinformation in some cases
    • Facility temperature control issues (too hot/too cold, not adjustable)
    • Personal items misplaced (e.g., hearing aids) reported
    • Lack of follow-up after serious events or hospital transfers
    • Some reviewers describe the place as misrepresented as a rehab when it was not
    • Mixed reports on rehabilitation focus and goal-tracking adequacy

    Summary review

    Overall impression: The reviews for Penfield Place are highly polarized, producing a mixed but distinct pattern. Many reviewers report outstanding short-term rehabilitation experiences: strong, professional PT/OT teams, individualized therapy plans, bright renovated rehab wings, private rooms, and successful returns home. At the same time, a significant number of reviews cite serious problems—most commonly facility condition, inconsistent staffing, lapses in basic nursing care, and troubling clinical outcomes (including infections and missed medications). The result is a facility that appears to deliver excellent therapy and compassionate care in many cases but also shows variability that has led to severe negative outcomes for some families.

    Care quality and staff: The dominant positive theme is the presence of caring, attentive clinical and caregiving staff. Multiple reviewers praise nurses, CNAs, therapists, and specific social work staff for compassion, communication, and person-centered care. Staff are often described as knowing residents by name, encouraging independence, and focusing on dignity. Several reviews single out long-tenured personnel and named individuals (Meghan, Sara, Megan) as exceptional. Conversely, inconsistency in staff quality is a clear pattern: while some shifts and staff members are lauded, other reviewers report rude, indifferent, or lazy staff. Nighttime care appears to be a recurrent weak point—ignored call bells, slow responses, and reports of residents left wet or in pain overnight suggest staffing shortages or supervisory gaps during off-hours.

    Therapy and rehab outcomes: A frequent and emphatic positive motif is the high quality of rehabilitation services. Many families describe Penfield Place as an excellent rehab option: skilled therapists, progress toward goals, increased activity levels, and prompt, visible improvements that lead to safe discharges home. The rehab wing is repeatedly described as bright, renovated, and conducive to recovery. However, there are counterexamples where reviewers felt the facility did not prioritize rehabilitation sufficiently; these appear less common but important, particularly when therapy expectations are not met.

    Facilities and cleanliness: Reviews conflict strongly on the physical environment. Numerous accounts praise clean, well-kept areas, updated rooms in the rehab wing, and pleasant outdoor spaces. In direct contrast, many other reviews describe an old, run-down facility with dark rooms, worn furniture, dirty rugs, pervasive urine odor, and crowded, dingy hallways. This dichotomy suggests variability across wings, rooms, or periods of time—some parts of the building may be renovated and well-maintained while others show neglect. Potential visitors should verify the specific wing or room they will use and tour at different times of day.

    Dining and nutrition: Dining is another divisive area. Several reviewers enjoyed delicious meals and noted dietary accommodations, while an equally strong group criticized processed, unappetizing food and failures to respect dietary restrictions—one reviewer even reported a choking hazard and meals that were not corrected after issues were raised. Weigh-loss and poor culinary experiences are mentioned alongside reports of good food, indicating inconsistency or variable kitchen oversight.

    Safety, clinical concerns, and communication: The most serious recurring negative themes are clinical safety lapses and poor communication in select cases. Reports range from inadequate incontinence care and poor hygiene to missed medications and under-treatment of pain. Several reviewers recounted escalation of wounds to cellulitis and subsequent sepsis requiring hospitalization and ICU care; families then reported lack of follow-up or poor handoffs. Administrative or social work miscommunication and, in a few cases, unprofessional conduct were cited. These are red flags that warrant careful inquiry for anyone considering Penfield Place, especially for long-term placement or residents with complex medical needs.

    Management, administration, and cost: Opinions about administration vary. Positive reviews note helpful business office staff, smooth transitions, and proactive social work outreach (including guidance and referrals). Negative reviews describe evasive or unhelpful administrators, misinformation around medical proxies or vaccinations, and incomplete Medicaid paperwork. Cost was explicitly criticized by at least one reviewer (noting rates above $600/day) who felt the price was not justified by the inconsistent quality of care.

    Activities and amenities: Many reviewers appreciated on-site activities—bingo, live music performances (Beatles song set mentioned), socialization in the dining room, and additional services like laundry, hairdressing, and transportation. Visiting hours are described as generous, and there is on-site medical coverage and clergy visits, which some families valued highly.

    Patterns and takeaways: The strongest pattern is variability. When Penfield Place is at its best—well-staffed shifts, engaged social workers, strong therapy teams, and the renovated rehab wing—families report exemplary, dignified care and excellent rehab outcomes. When staffing is thin (often nights), supervision breaks down, or administrative miscommunication occurs, families report neglect, poor hygiene, missed meds, and even serious medical complications. Physical conditions also vary across the property: some areas are renovated and clean, while others are described as old, smelly, and in need of overhaul.

    Practical recommendations based on reviews: Prospective residents or family members should (1) tour the specific wing and room they would occupy, ideally at different times (including evenings/nights) to gauge night staffing and noise; (2) ask directly about current staffing ratios, night coverage, and nurse supervisor availability; (3) confirm the names and schedules of therapists if rehab is the goal, and request to see therapy goal-tracking practices; (4) inquire about nutrition management and how dietary restrictions and choking risks are handled; (5) verify billing and Medicaid paperwork processes before placement; and (6) request recent inspection reports and any incident follow-up records. If placing a medically complex or high-dependency loved one, consider whether the facility’s variable reports on clinical vigilance and overnight care meet your safety requirements.

    Bottom line: Penfield Place appears capable of delivering excellent, compassionate short-term rehabilitation and has many staff who are praised for going above and beyond. However, significant, repeated reports of facility odor and condition issues, inconsistent staff behavior, overnight neglect, missed medications, and serious clinical lapses mean families should proceed with caution—especially for long-term placements or residents with high medical needs. Verify current conditions, staffing, and paperwork processes in person and prioritize direct observation during different shifts before making a placement decision.

    Location

    Map showing location of Penfield Place

    About Penfield Place

    Penfield Place sits in a lovely, wooded setting with gracious surroundings where folks can get short-term rehabilitation and long-term care, and the place has 50 private beds, which is something you don't see everywhere, and all the rooms come with telephone, cable, and WIFI, plus there's a nurse-call system in both bedrooms and bathrooms, so people feel safer. The staff here know a lot about geriatric care and always try to be friendly, helpful, and kind, which makes for a welcoming environment, and the care covers things like bathing, dressing, medication management, plus there's specialized support for those living with Alzheimer's or other kinds of dementia because the memory care is set up to lower confusion and keep folks from wandering. People can also get independent living if they're active and prefer a hassle-free lifestyle, and there are home care services where aides help out and offer company, as well as live-in caregivers for residents needing more support in a shared, neighborhood home setting.

    When it comes to health, Penfield Place has 24-hour skilled nursing care along with physical, speech, and occupational therapies, which help with recovery from surgery or managing diseases, and they handle tricky things like post-acute care, tube feeding, wound care, catheter care, and oxygen therapy. They also arrange for audiology, dental, podiatry, and mental health services, so residents have a range of help on hand, and dietitian services and nutritional counseling are available for those who need help planning meals or dealing with dietary needs. Meals are made by chefs and checked by meal planners to be nutritious, and people can eat together in the spacious dining rooms.

    There are quite a few social and activity programs, people get to go on outings and field trips using wheelchair-accessible transportation, and you'll find chapel services along with visits from area clergy if someone wants spiritual support, plus living rooms and activity rooms for gathering with friends or resting. There's a barbershop and beauty shop, which means folks can stay comfortable without leaving the grounds, and both private and semi-private rooms are available, all designed for comfort and to help people recover or relax, depending on what they need. Penfield Place accepts Medicare and Medicaid, and has been recognized with awards like Best of Senior Living and All Star, which says a lot about the level of care and support on offer. Everything here is meant to give seniors the help they need, whether they're looking to stay independent, recovering from something, or needing long-term comfort and security among people who treat them well.

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