Overall sentiment from the collected reviews is mixed but leans positive with significant and recurring concerns. The strongest and most consistent praise centers on the staff: reviewers frequently describe staff as polite, friendly, caring, attentive, and knowledgeable. Several reviewers explicitly state that care quality is high and that staff provide excellent, compassionate assistance. The facility's atmosphere is commonly described as welcoming, comfortable, and enjoyable, with multiple mentions of a nice chapel, roomy single-floor layout, and a variety of activities that contribute to residents' quality of life.
Dining and food are another clear positive thread. Multiple reviewers note that the food looks and tastes good, and that dining and kitchen areas are kept clean. These comments support the impression that day-to-day resident services like meals and communal spaces are generally well managed. Activities programming also receives praise, with reviewers appreciating the availability of things to do, contributing to the "wonderful atmosphere" several comments mention.
Despite these positives, staffing and operational issues appear repeatedly and are the main drivers of negative sentiment. "Understaffed" is a recurring complaint; several reviews explicitly say the facility is greatly understaffed and that temporary or traveling nurses are being used. These staffing pressures are linked to other concerns such as a perceived decline in staff friendliness and the need for better orientation and training for beginning staff. Some reviewers suggest employees are underpaid, which may be connected to turnover and reliance on temporary staff.
Cleanliness and maintenance receive mixed feedback. Many reviewers emphasize that the facility is very clean, with specific praise for kitchen and dining areas. However, there are notable outlier reports describing lapses in hygiene and room maintenance — dust on the floor, an empty urine bottle left on the floor, and a room that looked like a storage area for wheelchairs. At least one reviewer contrasted a previous clean experience with a later disappointing visit, suggesting possible inconsistency in standards or recent decline. Additionally, structural issues such as thin walls that cause echo and noise were mentioned, and several reviewers feel the facility could use updating.
Communication and management responsiveness are clear pain points. Multiple summaries report difficulty reaching administration, unresponsive communication, unanswered questions, and in one case being hung up on. These complaints often accompany serious concerns about a loved one’s care and contribute strongly to negative ratings. Such administrative issues, combined with staffing shortages, suggest gaps in oversight and family engagement.
In summary, Dove Healthcare - St Croix Falls appears to provide many strengths that families and residents appreciate: attentive, caring staff (when present), clean communal areas, appealing food, and a welcoming environment with activities and a nice chapel. However, persistent concerns about understaffing, reliance on temporary nurses, inconsistent cleanliness in individual rooms, specific hygiene incidents, noisy/thin walls, aging facilities, and poor administrative communication temper those positives. Prospective residents and families should weigh the high marks for direct care and atmosphere against the operational and communication concerns; asking targeted questions about current staffing levels, orientation and training practices, recent cleanliness audits, incident handling, and channels for family communication would help assess whether the facility’s positive attributes are consistently maintained.
