Overall sentiment in these reviews is highly divided, with a majority of reviewers praising Skiatook Nursing Home for its warm, family-like environment and compassionate staff, while a significant minority describe serious care failures and troubling neglect. Many former and current family members emphasize that the staff are kind, patient, and go the extra mile — citing administrators (specifically Melissa), nurses, aides, volunteers, and department heads as attentive and dependable. Positive reviewers frequently highlight cleanliness, regular linen changes, frequent mopping, a welcoming environment for visitors, and meaningful activities such as bingo, outings, church visits, and volunteer engagement. Hospice care is repeatedly mentioned positively, with reviewers noting strong end-of-life support and sensitive care during dying and bereavement. The facility's small size is often framed as a benefit, creating close relationships and a home-like atmosphere where residents are treated like family.
However, multiple reviews recount severe lapses in care for some residents, particularly those who are immobile or highly dependent. Specific and serious allegations include patients not being moved or cleaned for extended periods (one report cites 10 days), lack of regular offered water or feeding, dentures left unused, untreated bed sores, and gowns or hospital clothing not being changed. Such accounts describe undignified care and inadequate monitoring that in at least one report resulted in a resident death or other critical outcomes. These extreme negative experiences are outsize concerns because they speak to safety, basic nursing care, and quality control. They contrast sharply with the many positive accounts and indicate inconsistent standards of care across shifts, wings, or times.
Staff behavior and staffing levels are another major mixed theme. Numerous reviews praise staff as loving, dedicated, long-tenured, and highly capable; many families express deep trust and gratitude for specific caregivers and for leadership involvement. Conversely, there are multiple allegations of rude aides, discrimination based on skin color, ignored call lights, and understaffing that leaves residents unattended. Some reviewers explicitly state that family members end up providing most hands-on care during visits, suggesting gaps in daily care delivery. The coexistence of strong, praised staff and reports of poor conduct suggests variability in staff performance, possible staffing shortages at particular times, or uneven management oversight.
Facility condition and hygiene comments are also inconsistent. A large number of reviewers describe rooms as clean, beds made, and the overall building maintained, while others report unsanitary conditions, dogs roaming hallways, and disturbing incidents such as staff eating from resident plates. These conflicting accounts could reflect different time periods, different units, or isolated incidents rather than facility-wide chronic conditions. Nevertheless, because both cleanliness and infection control are central to resident safety, even isolated negative reports are important and warrant attention.
Dining, activities, and ancillary services are generally reported favorably by many families: food is liked, activities are planned and engaging, and spiritual needs are supported by church visits. A few reviewers suggested practical improvements such as assistance with hearing aid insertion/removal and better support for dentures, which align with the reported gaps in care for more dependent residents. Administrative leadership receives praise from many reviewers for hands-on involvement, responsiveness, and strong leadership — yet other reviews criticize administration as poor or abusive. The named director, Melissa, is singled out positively in multiple reviews, indicating that leadership style may be a notable factor in the facility's strengths.
In summary, Skiatook Nursing Home appears to provide excellent, compassionate care for many residents and can be a loving, home-like place with engaged staff, good hospice services, consistent activities, and supportive leadership. At the same time, there are serious, specific allegations of neglect and poor care for some residents — especially immobile or highly dependent patients — including untreated pressure injuries, inadequate hygiene, and lack of basic monitoring. Prospective residents and families should weigh the positive testimonials about dedicated staff and community atmosphere against the reports of inconsistent care and potential safety issues. Recommended next steps for families considering this facility include: visiting multiple times and at different times of day, asking about staffing ratios and turnover, inquiring how the facility monitors and prevents pressure injuries and ensures daily hygiene for immobile residents, requesting references from current families, and clarifying policies on dementia care, discrimination complaints, and hospice coordination. Management should be asked directly how they investigate and remediate serious complaints to reconcile the wide variation in experiences described by reviewers.
