The reviews for Hickory Falls Health and Rehab present a deeply mixed and polarized picture, with strong praise for individual staff members, therapy services, and the facility environment contrasted sharply by recurring reports of staffing, safety, and management failures. Positive accounts emphasize caring, compassionate CNAs and nurses, an effective therapy team (physical, occupational, and speech therapy available onsite), clean rooms and grounds, private rooms with private bathrooms, and an active, home-like atmosphere with daily activities. Several reviewers explicitly stated they would recommend the facility, praising named staff, the social worker, diligent cleaning, and staff who go above and beyond. A subset of reviewers described very good short-term rehab outcomes and smooth intake processes, as well as helpful transportation to medical appointments and on-site beauty/grooming services.
However, a substantial body of reviews details serious and recurring problems that significantly undermine the facility's overall reliability. The most consistent negative themes are poor and inconsistent communication with families, chronic understaffing, and failure to deliver promised therapy and services. Multiple reviewers reported that therapy hours were missed or not delivered as promised (including a report of only three PT sessions in five weeks), that rehab started late or was insufficient, and that patients left weaker than expected. Family members frequently described not being informed of clinical changes, room moves made without notice, and administrative unresponsiveness when concerns were raised.
Safety and clinical care concerns appear in many of the negative reports and range from medication management errors (including problems with pain medication and Ativan) to hygiene neglect such as poor turning, inadequate diaper changes, resulting bedsores, infections, and even sepsis. There are multiple alarming accounts of delayed hospital transfers, rapid deterioration while in the facility, and reports from emergency staff that patients arrived in worse condition than expected from a rehab facility. Some reviewers explicitly labeled care as negligent or incompetent. These are high-severity allegations and suggest systemic lapses in monitoring, escalation, and clinical oversight for some residents.
Operational and management shortcomings are also prominent. Reviewers report laundry mix-ups, missing clothes, and food service failures such as trays left out, limited or poor-quality meal choices, and menus that are not diabetic-friendly. Several reviews cited problems with food temperature and overall dining quality. There are also repeated complaints about staff demeanor — rudeness, yelling at patients, and night shift performance being notably poor. Other administrative issues include billing concerns, low state inspection scores cited by reviewers, and claims of misrepresentation regarding private rooms (promised private rooms that were actually shared or small). Infection control incidents were mentioned in at least one account where staff tested positive for COVID-19, prompting concern among families.
Taken together, the pattern is one of inconsistent performance: when staffing, communication, and management are working well, the facility can deliver compassionate, effective care with good therapy outcomes, clean rooms, and pleasant grounds. When those systems fail or are stretched (often described as understaffing and overworked staff), the quality drops sharply, with missed therapy, medication and hygiene lapses, and in the worst cases, serious medical complications. This variability appears to be the primary risk to prospective residents and families — the experience is highly dependent on which staff and leadership are on duty and how well the unit is resourced at that time.
For families considering Hickory Falls, these reviews suggest several practical precautions: verify therapy schedules and documentation in writing, confirm medication reconciliation and nursing monitoring plans on admission, establish clear communication expectations with the social worker or administrator, inspect laundry and labeling procedures, and ask about staffing ratios on the intended unit and shifts. The strong positive reviews for particular staff and departments indicate potential for very good care, but the frequency and severity of the negative reports warrant careful oversight and active engagement by family members during stays to reduce the risk of unmet needs or adverse events.
