Heritage Lakeside

    1016 Lakeshore Dr, Rice Lake, WI, 54868
    2.4 · 18 reviews
    • Assisted living
    • Memory care
    • Skilled nursing
    AnonymousLoved one of resident
    1.0

    Understaffed, filthy facility; caring staff

    I appreciated the kind, respectful staff and the excellent PT/OT, but I found the facility filthy, poorly maintained, and run for profit at the expense of residents. It was severely understaffed (call lights delayed, often only one shower a week, dirty clothing), management was unresponsive with billing/insurance chaos and reported state violations, and I witnessed discriminatory and neglectful behavior. Despite caring employees, I would avoid this place.

    Pricing

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    Amenities

    Healthcare services

    • Activities of daily living assistance
    • Assistance with bathing
    • Assistance with dressing
    • Assistance with transfers
    • Medication management
    • Mental wellness program

    Healthcare staffing

    • 12-16 hour nursing
    • 24-hour call system
    • 24-hour supervision

    Meals and dining

    • Diabetes diet
    • Meal preparation and service
    • Restaurant-style dining
    • Special dietary restrictions

    Room

    • Air-conditioning
    • Cable
    • Fully furnished
    • Housekeeping and linen services
    • Kitchenettes
    • Private bathrooms
    • Telephone
    • Wifi

    Transportation

    • Community operated transportation
    • Transportation arrangement
    • Transportation arrangement (non-medical)

    Common areas

    • Beauty salon
    • Computer center
    • Dining room
    • Fitness room
    • Gaming room
    • Garden
    • Outdoor space
    • Small library
    • Wellness center

    Community services

    • Concierge services
    • Fitness programs
    • Move-in coordination

    Activities

    • Community-sponsored activities
    • Planned day trips
    • Resident-run activities
    • Scheduled daily activities

    2.39 · 18 reviews

    Overall rating

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

      2.7
    • Staff

      2.8
    • Meals

      3.3
    • Amenities

      2.3
    • Value

      1.0

    Pros

    • Caring and kind direct care staff
    • Respectful treatment and dignity for residents
    • Strong physical and occupational therapy/rehabilitation services
    • Helpful and supportive therapy team
    • Transportation arranged for appointments
    • Frequent visiting allowed
    • Pleasant downstairs/common areas and lake view
    • Lots of activities available
    • Some families report residents returned home after rehab
    • Some families reported good meals

    Cons

    • Severe understaffing (examples: 2 CNAs for 32 residents)
    • Delayed or ignored call lights
    • Staff burnout and overwork
    • Rude or unprofessional administration
    • Bullying and threats toward staff by management
    • Allegations of management pressuring licensure
    • Poor communication with families
    • Failed to notify family of hospital transfers
    • Neglectful care leading to resident decline or death
    • Filthy or poorly maintained facility areas
    • Cheap/sloppy maintenance and renovations
    • Only one shower per week and dirty clothing reported
    • Forced transfers and abrupt moves
    • Billing delays and late insurance submissions
    • Families billed or paying for late/incorrect charges
    • Court-related stress and time-sheet disputes
    • State violations and safety concerns cited
    • Reports of racism and discriminatory behavior
    • Inconsistent food quality (reports range from great to horrible)
    • For-profit facility concerns and misleading promotional materials
    • Inconsistent experiences (some high praise, some severe complaints)
    • Allegations calling for facility closure or avoidance

    Summary review

    Overall sentiment across these reviews is highly mixed and polarized, with a clear split between strong praise for certain caregiving and therapy staff and serious, recurring concerns about management, staffing levels, facility cleanliness, communication, and safety. Multiple reviewers praise the direct caregivers and therapy team — citing kindness, dignity in resident treatment, excellent physical and occupational therapy, arranged transportation for appointments, active programming, and the ability to visit frequently. Some families reported positive outcomes such as residents improving in rehab and returning home, and a few reviewers described meals and specific staff as "great" or "awesome."

    However, these positive reports are frequently contradicted by numerous serious negative reports that indicate systemic problems. Understaffing and staff burnout are among the most consistent themes: examples include extreme CNA-to-resident ratios, delayed or unanswered call lights, only one shower per week, dirty clothing, and unresponsive staff. These staffing shortages are tied directly in the reviews to neglectful care, lack of timely communication with families (including failure to inform families about hospital transfers), and in at least one account, resident decline and death. Several reviewers explicitly said they moved loved ones out to facilities with better care.

    Management and leadership receive substantial criticism across many reviews. Allegations include bullying and threats toward staff, rude administrators, alleged pressure surrounding licensing, timesheet and court-related disputes, and accusations of racism and discriminatory behavior. Reviewers mention billing and administrative dysfunction as well: delayed billing, late insurance submissions causing families to pay unexpected charges, and general poor communication about charges. Multiple reviews cite state violations and safety concerns, with some reviewers advising others to avoid the facility entirely or even calling for its closure.

    Facility condition and maintenance are another consistent area of complaint. Several reviewers describe filthy areas, poor upkeep, and cheap or sloppy renovation work that appears misleading compared to promotional photos. Conversely, a smaller number of reviewers describe pleasant common areas and a lake view, or note that a remodeling and new management occurred — indicating that conditions may have changed over time or vary by area within the building. Dining impressions are mixed: while some families praise the meals, others describe them as horrible and a sign of deterioration.

    A notable pattern is the inconsistency of experiences: some reviewers give five-star praise for staff and therapy, while many others report severe issues that raise safety and quality-of-care concerns. This suggests variability by unit, shift, timeframe, or even changes in management. Given the frequency of serious allegations — understaffing, missed care, poor communication about hospital transfers, billing problems, management bullying, and cited state violations — the reviews collectively indicate risk and warrant caution.

    If evaluating this facility, prospective residents and families should: 1) verify the most recent state inspection reports and any corrective action plans, 2) ask about current staffing levels (especially CNA-to-resident ratios and on-call RN coverage), 3) request written policies on hospital transfers and family notification, 4) review recent management changes and renovation timelines, and 5) speak directly with multiple families who have current residents to get up-to-date, shift-specific impressions. The mixed nature of the reviews means some positive experiences are possible — especially around therapy and certain direct care staff — but the recurring systemic issues raise significant concerns that should be carefully investigated before decision-making.

    Location

    Map showing location of Heritage Lakeside

    About Heritage Lakeside

    Heritage Lakeside sits in a quiet residential area in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, right on Lakeshore Drive with a peaceful lake view, where you can sometimes spot geese and ducklings going by, and it's been a steady part of the community for fifty years. The building has 50 beds and serves as a skilled nursing facility and a rehabilitation center, so residents can stay for a long time or just for a short-term recovery or respite care. There's a team of skilled nurses who work on personalized care plans, looking after each person's health while respecting their dignity, privacy, and comfort, and this includes physical, spiritual, social, and emotional needs. The facility has a special rehabilitation unit that offers tailored rehab programs to help residents regain strength and relearn skills, and there are therapy services available onsite, which can really make things easier for both new and long-time residents. The dining services focus on providing nutritious and tasty food, and there's always a schedule full of activities, some that keep everyone busy and others that are just for fun or to help folks meet new friends. Heritage Lakeside puts a focus on the whole person, and with its unique spiritual care program, everyone gets some extra support if they want it. The staff and residents all seem to know each other well, creating a place where people help one another and feel like they belong, and the atmosphere is always warm and welcoming. The location is close to the amenities that make daily living easier, and with a rating of 3.0 from two reviews, people say it offers good care, though like anywhere else, some things might not be perfect for everyone.

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