Pricing ranges from
    $3,742 – 4,490/month
    AnonymousLoved one of resident
    3.0

    Kind staff, issues with management

    I have mixed feelings. Many staff are kind, affectionate, and helpful - my dad is in good hands, the living room is tidy, and we enjoy the activities and trips (though the per-bed cost feels high). At the same time I see high turnover, favoritism, staff who seem annoyed or who handle situations poorly, and basic rooms with two beds and old carpeting; meals are disappointing. I've noticed missing items and experienced rights/respect concerns from some staff, and management's response is weak. I'm grateful for the caring employees I trust, but I recommend this place with caution.

    Pricing

    $3,742+/moSemi-privateAssisted Living
    $4,490+/mo1 BedroomAssisted Living

    Schedule a Tour

    Amenities

    Healthcare services

    • Activities of daily living assistance
    • Assistance with bathing
    • Assistance with dressing
    • Assistance with transfers
    • Coordination with health care providers
    • Medication management

    Healthcare staffing

    • 24-hour supervision

    Meals and dining

    • Diabetes diet
    • Meal preparation and service
    • Special dietary restrictions

    Room

    • Cable
    • Fully furnished
    • Housekeeping and linen services
    • Telephone
    • Wifi

    Transportation

    • Transportation arrangement (medical)
    • Transportation to doctors appointments

    Community services

    • Move-in coordination

    Activities

    • Community-sponsored activities
    • Scheduled daily activities

    3.20 · 10 reviews

    Overall rating

    1. 5
    2. 4
    3. 3
    4. 2
    5. 1
    • Care

      5.0
    • Staff

      3.4
    • Meals

      1.0
    • Amenities

      1.0
    • Value

      1.0

    Pros

    • Community-based living environment
    • Around-the-clock (24/7) care
    • Kindness and compassion from some staff
    • Impressive and caring staff (reported by several reviewers)
    • Residents described as being 'in good hands'
    • Strong staff–resident relationships (staff like family)
    • Residents show affection and desire to visit often
    • Clean and tidy common living room
    • Staff helpful with problems and resident needs
    • Engaging activities and off-site trips
    • Some reviewers highly recommend the facility
    • Expressed gratitude and positive parting interactions ('see you soon')

    Cons

    • High staff turnover
    • Staff appear annoyed with clients at times
    • Poor handling of difficult situations by staff/management
    • Perceived favoritism toward certain residents
    • Allegations of theft by staff
    • Alleged rights violations and reports of abuse
    • Overpriced per-bed fees
    • Poor quality meals
    • Aged or worn carpeting
    • Shared rooms with two beds (limited privacy)
    • Only basic amenities provided
    • Claims that abuse/theft are common practices

    Summary review

    Overall sentiment in the reviews is mixed and polarized: multiple reviewers praise the compassionate, attentive side of the caregiving team and the community atmosphere, while others raise serious and recurring concerns about staff behavior, safety, and facility management. Positive comments consistently highlight a warm, family-like relationship between many staff members and residents, a clean common living area, and round-the-clock availability of care. Several reviewers explicitly state they would recommend the facility and that their family member (for example, a father) is "in good hands." The programming side also receives favorable notes: organized activities and off-site trips are mentioned as meaningful, and some staff are described as prompt and helpful with resident needs.

    Care quality and staff interactions present the clearest split in reviewer experience. On the positive side, many comments emphasize kindness, compassion, and impressive individual staff members who form affectionate bonds with residents. These reviewers report frequent, warm interactions and express relief and gratitude that loved ones are well-cared-for. Conversely, other reviews report high staff turnover, staff who appear annoyed with clients, and poor handling of incidents. Reviewers allege favoritism where some residents receive preferential treatment while others are overlooked. This juxtaposition suggests variability in day-to-day caregiving that may depend on shift, specific staff assigned, or management oversight.

    Safety and rights-related concerns are among the most serious themes raised. Multiple summaries allege theft by staff and reference rights violations and abuse; one review even characterizes such behavior as a common practice. These are alarming claims that directly affect resident safety and trust. Because the input is a collection of review summaries rather than verified incident reports, the appropriate reading is that several reviewers reported these problems, creating a pattern of worry among some family members and observers. Such allegations warrant prompt attention from prospective families: ask the facility about incident reporting procedures, staff background checks, surveillance/monitoring policies, and records of complaints and resolutions.

    Facility condition and amenities present a mixed picture. The living room and common areas are described as clean and tidy, which reviewers see as a positive sign. However, shortcomings are noted: older carpeting, basic amenities only, and shared rooms with two beds that limit privacy. Multiple reviewers also describe meals as poor in quality. Financial concerns appear as well — several reviewers perceive the per-bed price as high relative to the level of finish and services provided. Taken together, these comments suggest that while common spaces are maintained, the private room environment, furnishing quality, food service, and value-for-cost may not meet all families' expectations.

    Activities and resident engagement are strengths mentioned by some reviewers: staff organize fun activities and trips that contribute to residents' quality of life. This indicates programming capacity and staff who can coordinate outings and events. Yet, the benefits of activities may be undermined in the minds of concerned reviewers if basic safety, staffing consistency, or respectful treatment are in question. Management and oversight are an implicit theme: praise for particular employees suggests there are committed caregivers, but reported high turnover, poor incident handling, favoritism, and alleged misconduct point to potential systemic or supervisory issues.

    In summary, reviewers present a facility with both meaningful strengths and troubling vulnerabilities. Positive reports emphasize compassionate staff relationships, clean shared spaces, 24/7 care, and engaging activities. Negative reports raise systemic concerns about staffing stability, inconsistent staff behavior, possible favoritism, alleged theft and rights violations, substandard meals, dated room features, and pricing that may not align with the physical environment or services. For anyone considering this facility, the reviews indicate it would be essential to perform targeted due diligence: visit multiple times across different shifts, speak privately with current family members and residents, request documentation on staffing ratios and turnover, inquire about background checks and incident logs, review meal plans and sample menus, and clarify room arrangements and fees. These steps can help prospective families reconcile the mixed reviews and determine whether the facility’s strengths outweigh reported risks for their particular needs.

    Location

    Map showing location of Ruth M Smith Center

    About Ruth M Smith Center

    Ruth M Smith Center offers care for adults with intellectual or physical impairments, as well as elderly and disadvantaged people from the region, and the place's got a long history, starting as an orphanage almost a century ago before switching over to other services in the late 1960s. The center sits in Sheffield and has up to 28 adults living in three buildings, which are two ranch style units and a big renovated mansion house from the 1800s. In the mansion, there are six private rooms that share bathrooms and two rooms with their own private baths, while the modern ranch buildings hold four double rooms and two private rooms with baths, giving people a choice in where and how they want to live. Some rooms have private bathrooms and closets, and common areas let residents sit together, read, talk, or dine family style with meals made on site, and the staff always focuses on meeting special dietary needs.

    The Ruth M Smith Center is a Personal Care Home licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare. The staff provides basic support with daily activities, helps move people from bed to wheelchair, watches over residents all day and night, helps with medication, and takes care of laundry and housekeeping. There's a focus on keeping people as independent as possible, and the staff encourages community involvement and friendship among residents. The homes here run under a Christian-based, nonprofit group owned by the United Methodist Women, and United Methodist support from across the conference helps cover costs. There's no Medicare accepted here because the center isn't certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, but fees are generally less than those you might find at a full nursing home, and most residents rely on benevolent care covered by donations and grants since 24 out of 25 can't pay the full amount.

    The programs include support for seniors, people with disabilities, and children, with day care and preschool options for families in the area. The Watson Memorial Home on campus offers even more personal care and help. Activities, from games and exercises to arts and crafts, Bible lessons, and social events, keep residents busy and connected, and the schedule of planned events means those living here know what each day will bring. The center opens itself to people of all races, backgrounds, and beliefs. Staff are available 24 hours for emergencies, and residents can join tours to see the buildings, meet staff and others, and get a feel for daily life. The center has always served the region's most vulnerable, from dependent children and troubled youth to elders, treating everyone with what they call Old Fashioned Care and a focus on dignity, safety, and a sense of community.

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