Overall impression: Reviews for Harbor Haven Health & Rehabilitation are sharply mixed, with a large cluster of highly positive comments about frontline caregivers, therapy services, facilities and social programming, and a smaller but serious set of negative reports describing clinical mismanagement, poor communication, and troubling staff or provider behavior. Many reviewers praise individual staff members, rehabilitation outcomes, rooms and dining, while others report systemic problems that in a few accounts had severe medical consequences. The consensus theme is variability: the facility is capable of providing very good rehab and compassionate care for some residents, but there are notable and recurring concerns that prospective residents and families should investigate further.
Care quality and clinical safety: A central and troubling pattern in the negative reviews is alleged medication mismanagement, specifically insulin under-dosing, with at least one reviewer linking such errors to emergency room transfer and a death, and describing a risk of ketoacidosis. These reviews name a provider (Dr. Lisa Weber) and assert that a doctor and a nurse practitioner were involved in selling medication; those are serious allegations reported by family members. In contrast, other reviewers describe "high-quality care," excellent rehabilitation outcomes, and satisfaction with clinical responsiveness (including positive remarks about COVID-19 handling). The takeaway is that clinical performance appears inconsistent: some patients receive attentive, effective medical and rehab care, while others report lapses in medication administration, assessment, and escalation that had critical consequences.
Staff behavior and interpersonal care: Many reviews applaud caring, attentive, and friendly staff — caregivers described as "phenomenal," attentive, and above-and-beyond, with specific social workers (Cindy and Carla) receiving praise. Therapy staff and physical therapists are frequently commended. Conversely, several reviews describe rude or unprofessional staff, yelling, blackmailing residents to accept medications, punitive loss of privileges, and bizarre or nasty attitudes in some employees. There are widespread notes about staff burnout and disengagement, attributed by reviewers to negative management style and long staff tenure without constructive change. This creates a bifurcated experience where interpersonal treatment can range from exemplary to hostile depending on the shift, team, or unit.
Facilities, therapy, dining and activities: Positive reports consistently highlight the facility's physical environment: spacious, clean rooms (sometimes with two beds), a well-equipped therapy room, an open dining area, and pleasant outdoor garden seating. Meals receive mixed-to-positive feedback — many praise the food and desserts, though a few say they did not like the food. Recreational programming is a strength for some reviewers: dog visits, karaoke nights, daily activities, and special touches such as gifts and brunch for patients are mentioned. Rehabilitation services and the therapy environment are a frequent reason families choose or recommend the facility, and several reviewers call the rehab "top-rate."
Management, staffing levels and responsiveness: Understaffing and slow response times are recurring negatives; reviewers report missed showers, delayed assistance for mobility-limited residents, and a perception that the staff are stretched too thin. Several reviews tie these operational issues to management shortcomings — a negative management style, poor engagement with resident input, and staff burnout are cited as root causes of inconsistent care and poor communication. Administrative issues such as unclear caller identification and inadequate responsiveness to families also appear in the complaints. Positive operational notes (timely rehab, helpful social workers) coexist with these criticisms, reinforcing the theme of inconsistency.
Notable patterns and recommendations: The most significant pattern is variability in outcome and experience. For many residents Harbor Haven delivers compassionate caregiving, effective rehab, clean rooms and enjoyable activities; for others the experience includes poor clinical oversight, dangerous medication handling, rude or punitive staff behavior, and insufficient staffing. Given the severity of some allegations, prospective residents and families should ask direct, specific questions before admission: inquire about medication administration protocols and oversight, staff-to-resident ratios on relevant units/shifts, management turnover and approaches to staff training, examples of recent quality improvement initiatives, and how the facility handles concerns or adverse events. If clinical complexity (e.g., insulin-dependent diabetes) is present, request to speak with nursing leadership and the medical director, verify how insulin is monitored and administered, and ask whether specific providers referenced in reviews still practice there. Also consider seeking references from current residents or families and observing a meal and a therapy session to assess consistency with the positive aspects many reviewers describe.
Bottom line: Harbor Haven can provide excellent rehabilitation, compassionate caregivers, attractive facilities and engaging activities, but the reviews also contain serious, specific complaints about medication management, provider behavior, staffing shortages and management problems. These mixed signals warrant careful, targeted due diligence by families and residents — validate current clinical oversight and staffing practices, and clarify how the facility prevents and responds to the kinds of problems reported in negative reviews.
