Overall sentiment about Signature HealthCARE of Kinston is highly mixed, with strong polarization between reviewers who experienced attentive, compassionate care and those who reported neglectful, disrespectful, or unsafe conditions. Multiple reviewers praised frontline staff, therapists, and certain leaders for providing clinically effective, person-centered care that produced tangible recovery outcomes. These positive accounts frequently mention physical therapists (notably Tracey and Patrick), activities staff such as Nikki Jerkins/Jenkins, and CNAs like Collins O Ike as exemplars of attentive, kind, and competent care. Several families described staff bonding with residents as though family, effective hospice coordination, celebratory resident events, and an environment where residents felt safe, comfortable, and engaged. Administrator Dean Smith received explicit praise in some reviews, and social workers/liaisons were noted as helpful and communicative in many successful cases.
However, a substantial portion of reviews describe serious problems that point to systemic inconsistencies. Common negative themes include rude or demeaning staff behavior, understaffing (especially overnight), and inconsistent care quality between shifts or units. Several reviewers reported neglect-related issues — bedsores, urine-soiled residents, calls for help ignored, inadequate assistance with meals and bathroom needs, and delayed bathing. There are also multiple accounts of poor discharge planning and communication that left families scrambling to manage next steps, as well as billing disputes and denials of requested equipment (for example, a denied lift chair). These recurring concerns suggest gaps in supervision, staffing levels, training, or standard operating procedures that produce uneven resident experiences.
Cleanliness and infection-control impressions are likewise split. Some families praised COVID-19 diligence and reported safe practices, while others described alarming environmental issues: a roach on a ceiling, unpleasant bathroom or facility odors, unswept floors, and food trays left out for hours. The contrast between reports of a clean, hospitable facility and accounts of unsanitary conditions indicates variability over time or across units. Dining drew mixed feedback too — several reviewers commended food and hospitality, whereas others complained about poor quality, lack of fresh vegetables, and unappetizing meals.
Rehabilitation and therapy emerged as a relative strength in many accounts: reviewers described effective, motivating rehab, measurable progress (helped walking again), and staff who were patient and solution-focused. Yet even among positive rehab experiences, discharge coordination was frequently criticized — families often reported no clear post-discharge plan, poor handoffs, or minimal guidance on next steps. Communication overall is another bifurcated area: many families felt well-informed and reassured by staff and management, but an equal number experienced poor communication, rude responses, or perceived indifference during crises, including failure to offer condolences or empathetic engagement after adverse outcomes.
Leadership and culture appear mixed as well. While some reviewers singled out administrators and specific leaders for responsiveness and good management, other reviews expressed a poor perception of management, citing arrogance, lack of oversight, and advice to “do homework” before sending a family member. Safety and access issues were also raised — locked entrance doors that delayed visits, COVID visitation policies that frustrated families, and at least one claim that the facility’s standards compared unfavorably to even animal shelters (SPCA metaphor). There are also occasional allegations of medication mismanagement (under-dosing) and grave outcomes including patient deaths, which heighten concern and underscore the need for careful vetting.
In summary, Signature HealthCARE of Kinston receives a broad spectrum of feedback. Strengths include compassionate, committed staff members, strong rehab programs, meaningful activities, and instances of excellent clinical and hospice care. The most significant weaknesses are inconsistent staffing and care quality, disrespectful or negligent behavior by some employees, lapses in cleanliness and basic assistance, problematic discharge processes, and administrative issues such as billing and access delays. Prospective residents and families should weigh these polarized reports carefully: investigate recent, specific unit-level experiences; ask about staffing ratios, turnover, infection-control protocols, discharge planning processes, and complaint resolution; and seek direct references or recent inspections to corroborate the aspects most important to their loved one.
