Overall sentiment is mixed, with strong, repeated praise for therapy services and many individual staff members counterbalanced by serious and recurring concerns about staffing levels, safety, cleanliness, and inconsistent nursing care.
Care quality and safety: Reviews present a polarized picture. Multiple families praise the therapy department, noting seven-day therapy, skilled therapists, and successful recoveries that made their loved ones safer and happier. At the same time, several reviews allege below-average or negligent nursing, delayed medication administration, and delayed alarm responses. There are multiple reports describing safety incidents — including falls and at least one hip fracture — and at least one account linking poor response or attitude to a resident death. These safety-related complaints (delayed alarms, slow emergency response, understaffing) are significant because they directly contradict positive comments about clinical skill and raise concerns about consistency and risk management.
Staff behavior and communication: A recurring theme is inconsistency between shifts and staff roles. Many reviewers describe staff as compassionate, attentive, and going out of their way to make residents feel like family. Specific employees (e.g., Joan RN and Jenna in admissions) and whole teams (therapy, some aides and nurses) received strong personal praise for dignity, respect, and warmth, including celebrations and social events that increased resident morale. Conversely, other reviews describe indifference, poor communication, failure to notify family members of incidents, and even unprofessional behavior (such as not assisting a funeral home or failing to offer condolences). Reports of missing clothing, delayed incident reporting, and perceived lack of accountability from management underline communication and administrative weaknesses.
Facilities and cleanliness: Several reviewers report the facility as clean, quiet, and well maintained, praising the garden and wheelchair access. Other reviewers describe rooms as bare and not homey, with minimal decoration and rough “bare-bones” patient rooms. Practical facility shortcomings mentioned include small bathrooms that are not wheelchair friendly, TVs that are too small or placed too far from beds, hallway odors, and specific cleanliness concerns such as floors not being cleaned. A serious allegation of black mold in a walk-in refrigerator was also reported, which would be a major infection control and safety issue if verified.
Dining and activities: Opinions on dining and activities vary. Some families report a great diet and room service, and an active daily schedule that promotes social interaction. Others find the meals disappointing and note limited menu or activity choices. Social programming and staff-led events (birthdays, parties) received positive mention and appear to be an important strength for resident quality of life when present.
Management, staffing, and workplace culture: Staffing shortages and workplace problems are a consistent concern. Reviews explicitly mention short-staffing, delayed responses, and complaints that the facility is a “terrible place to work.” These issues likely contribute to the inconsistency in care and the mixed reports about aides and nurses. Several accounts point to systemic problems with accountability (missing items, delayed incident reporting), and at least one review recounts staff failing to assist with a deceased resident’s body and showing a perceived lack of compassion from management. Cost is mentioned as a relative positive (cheaper than alternatives), but lower cost does not appear to translate consistently into better oversight or staffing.
Patterns and recommendations: The pattern across reviews is one of contrast: a core of dedicated, compassionate, and skilled staff — particularly in therapy — who can and do improve residents’ function and mood, alongside recurring operational problems that create safety and satisfaction risks. For families considering Pinehurst Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center, it would be prudent to: (1) ask about current staffing ratios by shift and turnover statistics, (2) inquire specifically about alarm response times and emergency protocols, (3) request information on laundry and personal belongings policies and incident reporting procedures, (4) inspect rooms and bathrooms for accessibility and cleanliness, and (5) verify infection-control practices (particularly in food storage areas) and ask about any recent sanitation issues.
In short, Pinehurst demonstrates clear strengths in rehabilitation services and has many staff members who provide compassionate, personalized care. However, the facility shows inconsistent nursing care, communication gaps, safety concerns tied to staffing and response times, and some cleanliness/comfort shortcomings. Families should balance the strong therapy and positive staff reports against the serious operational complaints and perform targeted due diligence during visits.
