The reviews for Lakewood Care Center present a strongly mixed and polarized picture. A substantial subset of reviewers praise the facility for its small, family-owned atmosphere, caring and attentive staff, and a social environment that fosters neighborly interactions. Positive comments frequently note staff who know residents personally, low staff turnover, engaging activities such as bingo, painting, holiday events, musical entertainment and therapy dog visits, monthly outings (for example to Walmart), and visits from church groups. Several families emphasize that meals appear warm and nutritious, staff are helpful with financial and administrative matters, and communication with families is prompt in many instances. The facility’s outdoor space (gazebo and picnic tables) and a large activities room are repeatedly cited as assets, and some rooms have been updated with new televisions. Overall, numerous reviewers explicitly state their loved ones are well cared for and recommend the facility.
Counterbalancing those positives are repeated and serious complaints about cleanliness, maintenance, and staff professionalism. Multiple reviewers report pervasive urine odor at the entrance and in common areas, urine puddles on floors, filthy common rooms, dirty windows, cobwebs, peeling paint, and even crumbling ceilings. Rooms are described as overcrowded, used for storage, or dormitory-style and in need of renovation. Some recreational items and areas—such as a pool table and community room—are described as filthy or misused. These environmental and housekeeping concerns are consistent across numerous reports and are often tied to perceptions of neglect or under-resourcing.
Concerns about staffing and staff behavior are a major theme. While many reviews praise individual staff members as compassionate and professional, a contrasting set of reviews accuses staff of indifference, hostility, and unprofessional conduct. Specific serious allegations include staff harassment and inappropriate sexual advances, nurses yelling at residents, withholding or mishandling medications, aides engaging in unprofessional behavior, staff cursing, and staff being inattentive or distracted (on phones, smoking outside during shifts). There are also notes that some staff may lack sufficient clinical training or knowledge. These conflicting accounts suggest variability in staff performance or inconsistency in oversight and training.
Activity programming and social engagement show similar mixed impressions. Several reviewers report robust activities: bingo, painting, nail care, holiday events, visiting performers, and therapy animals. Others state there are not many activities, or that the activities room is inaccessible or unused. Likewise, dining receives both praise and criticism: some families say meals are nutritious and enjoyed by residents, while others describe poor food quality and unappetizing offerings. Such disparities point to inconsistent resident experiences that may depend on shift, unit, or the time of visit.
Management and administration are viewed inconsistently. Some reviewers compliment the administrator as kind, knowledgeable, and compassionate and describe good responsiveness to families’ needs. Others describe indifferent leadership, poor management, and recommend closure or relocation of residents. One review notes a state survey was passed despite many described deficiencies; this raises a pattern where regulatory compliance may not align with some families’ observations or expectations.
A few practical attributes are repeatedly mentioned: the facility is described as affordable, conveniently close for some families, and having a neighborly small-community vibe. Conversely, several reviewers call the facility rundown, low-end, or in need of significant renovation and maintenance. The net impression is that Lakewood Care Center delivers positive interpersonal care and community engagement in many cases, but suffers from pervasive environmental and operational problems in others. These include sanitation and maintenance failures, inconsistent staffing quality and training, alleged unprofessional or abusive behaviors by some staff, and variable programming and dining experiences.
For prospective families, the reviews suggest a careful, multi-pronged approach: (1) visit multiple times at different times of day to assess cleanliness, odors, and staff-resident interactions across shifts; (2) ask specific questions about staffing levels, staff training, and turnover; (3) inspect resident rooms and common areas for maintenance and housekeeping standards; (4) inquire about incident reporting, medication administration protocols, and references from current families; and (5) tour activities and dining during meal or program times to confirm consistency. The volume and severity of negative reports—especially those alleging mistreatment, harassment, or clinical negligence—warrant particular scrutiny and direct conversations with management about remediation, oversight, and any recent regulatory or licensing actions. At the same time, positive testimony about compassionate caregivers and meaningful social programming indicates that some residents and families are satisfied. The reviews reflect a facility with real strengths in personal, relational care for many residents, combined with recurring and significant operational and environmental weaknesses that should be investigated and monitored before any placement decision.
