Overall sentiment about Elmbrook Home is mixed and polarized: several reviewers praise the staff, the social environment, and tailored dining, while others report serious care and cleanliness concerns. Positive comments describe attentive nurses, flexible visiting policies, and residents who enjoyed their time there; several reviewers explicitly recommend the facility. Negative comments include multiple accounts of inadequate personal care, unresponsive staff, and facility maintenance and hygiene problems.
Care quality appears inconsistent. Multiple reviewers describe excellent care and express satisfaction—citing attentive nurses and individualized dietary accommodations—suggesting that, for some residents, clinical and day-to-day needs were met. Conversely, a number of reviews allege significant neglect: delayed or missed bathing, clothing not changed, strong odors indicating lack of hygiene, and even reports of urine-soaked briefs. There are also statements that call buttons were ignored and that family members felt they had to perform routine care tasks themselves. This pattern implies variability in the quality and timeliness of direct care depending on staff availability or unit assignment.
Staffing and staff behavior are another area of contrast. Many reviewers call out "great workers" and staff with "big hearts," and some families had personal connections or friends employed there who provided positive impressions. At the same time, other reviewers report staff unresponsiveness and safety/hygiene red flags—reports of long fingernails and blood on hands are particularly concerning because they suggest lapses in infection control and professional standards. These conflicting reports point to uneven performance across staff members or shifts rather than a uniformly high or low standard.
Facility condition and cleanliness were raised as notable concerns by several reviewers. Complaints include dirty conditions, peeling vinyl chairs, and strong odors, which contribute to impressions of neglect. One review explicitly warns about particular areas (referred to as the "north halls"), indicating that problems may be localized rather than facility-wide. There is also an expressed worry about inspection/compliance, suggesting that at least some reviewers question regulatory oversight or the facility’s adherence to standards.
Dining and social life receive predominantly positive mentions. One review specifically notes that dietary needs were accommodated, and other comments reference an engaging resident community and enjoyable experiences for loved ones. Flexible visitation policies and a warm resident population are recurring positives that may support resident well-being despite other deficits.
Management and recommendations are mixed as well. Some reviewers describe a positive connection with management or base their comfort on personal recommendations from staff/friends, while others issue strong warnings and labels such as "worst place I have ever been." The coexistence of enthusiastic endorsements and very negative accounts suggests significant variability in experiences—potentially related to unit, shift, or staff turnover.
Patterns and takeaways: the reviews indicate a dichotomy—some families encountered compassionate, attentive care and felt comfortable recommending Elmbrook Home, while others experienced neglect, hygiene failures, and unresponsiveness severe enough to warrant warnings. The problems reported (bathing neglect, ignored call buttons, urine-soaked briefs, and visible facility deterioration) are serious and recurrent enough to merit careful scrutiny. Meanwhile, positive reports about individualized diets, flexible visits, and friendly staff suggest the facility can provide good care under some circumstances.
If you are evaluating Elmbrook Home, consider an in-person tour that includes direct observation of the specific unit you are considering (ask about the "north halls" if the reference applies), inspect cleanliness and resident appearance, ask about staff-to-resident ratios and call-button response times, review recent inspection reports, and request evidence of infection-control practices and staff training. Balance the positive reports of attentive nurses and a caring community against the more serious allegations of neglect and cleanliness issues to make an informed decision.
