The reviews present a strongly mixed picture of Capitol Lakes Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation, with clear strengths in dining (for independent living), therapy services, and pockets of very attentive clinical care, alongside serious and concerning complaints about skilled nursing accommodation, cleanliness, and care consistency.
Dining and environment: reviewers repeatedly praise the independent living dining room, describing the food as gourmet and the setting as artful. That praise suggests a high-quality dining experience for independent living residents. However, there is a marked discrepancy reported between independent living dining and what is provided in skilled nursing: several reviewers note that skilled nursing residents receive different meals that are not the same as the independent-living fare. This perceived inequity is an important theme because it directly affects resident satisfaction and suggests a divide in resource allocation or operational practices between modalities.
Care quality and staff: many reviewers commend the clinical and therapy staff—nursing and adjunct staff are described as caring, professional, and well organized. Social services, physical therapy, and occupational therapy are singled out positively, with some reviewers calling therapy “outstanding.” Several comments emphasize attentive staff and a cohesive care team, and some reviewers explicitly highly recommend the facility based on those experiences. These positive comments point to strong aspects of the facility’s clinical program and interdisciplinary coordination.
Serious concerns and inconsistency: alongside praise, there are severe negative reports that cannot be overlooked. Complaints include neglect, inadequate staffing, poor care quality, and at least one allegation of a death connected with care concerns. Multiple reviewers report cleanliness problems—specifically fecal and urine odors in rooms and hallways—and describe skilled nursing rooms as too small and cluttered with medical equipment, which impedes wheelchair maneuverability. Reviewers also say photos are misleading, implying that marketing materials do not accurately reflect the on-site conditions. Together, these issues indicate significant variability in resident experience and potential systemic problems in skilled nursing areas.
Facilities and accessibility: specific facility-related criticisms focus on the physical layout and condition of skilled nursing rooms. Small rooms crowded with equipment reduce accessibility for residents using wheelchairs and may increase safety risks or impede care delivery. Cleanliness problems extend beyond aesthetics to health and dignity concerns. In contrast, the independent living areas (notably the dining room) are painted in a much better light, reinforcing the pattern that independent living and skilled nursing experiences may differ substantially.
Overall pattern and implications: the dominant pattern is one of polarization—some reviewers describe exemplary, compassionate care and excellent therapy, while others report neglect, dangerous conditions, and serious hygiene problems. This inconsistency suggests either variable staffing/oversight across shifts or wings, or differences in expectations and experiences between independent living and skilled nursing populations. Given the gravity of some complaints (odor of bodily waste, reports of neglect and death), these negative reports should be treated as significant red flags for prospective residents and families.
In summary, Capitol Lakes Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation appears to offer high-quality dining in independent living and strong therapy and some very caring clinical teams. However, there are recurring and serious complaints about skilled nursing room size and layout, cleanliness (notably fecal/urine odors), unequal dining experiences between levels of care, and reports of neglect and inadequate staffing. The net impression is mixed: prospective residents should weigh the positive testimonials about staff and therapy against the severe and recurring facility and care concerns, verify current conditions in person, and ask targeted questions about skilled nursing room size, cleaning protocols, staffing levels, and how meals are managed across care levels.
