Overall sentiment in the reviews for Fern Terrace Lodge of Murray is mixed, with a clear split between strong praise for individual staff behaviors and serious concerns about facility conditions and staffing reliability. Multiple reviewers emphasize the dedication and work ethic of caregivers and front-line staff — describing them as hardworking, resilient, and willing to go above and beyond. These staff are credited with keeping residents safe, ensuring meals are provided, and maintaining operations even through bad weather. Several comments specifically call staff friendly and helpful, and at least one reviewer reports the facility as clean and functioning well, with a private room (albeit with a shared bath).
However, those positive reports are juxtaposed with recurring and significant complaints about the facility environment and systemic operational problems. Staffing shortages and staff absenteeism are repeatedly mentioned, creating an impression that the facility is frequently understaffed and that remaining staff are stretched thin. This staffing instability likely contributes to reports of neglected residents and inconsistent care; where staff are praised, it appears to be individual effort rather than consistently adequate staffing levels. Reviewers also mention maintenance and cleanliness problems at a serious level: there are allegations of bed bugs, urine smell, a run-down overall condition, and examples of long maintenance delays such as waiting for handrails to be repaired. One reviewer specifically accuses the facility of false advertising regarding room photos, suggesting that rooms shown publicly do not match the actual condition of rented rooms.
Taken together, the pattern is one of contrast between committed, compassionate employees and organizational shortcomings. The positive themes point to strong individual caregivers who do what they can under difficult circumstances: they work through weather, cover shifts when possible, and attend to resident needs like meals and safety. The negative themes point to deeper problems that individual dedication cannot fully solve: inadequate staffing levels, absenteeism, environmental health concerns (bed bugs, odors), deferred maintenance, and possible misleading marketing. This combination results in mixed experiences for families and residents — some report everything going well and express satisfaction, while others report alarming issues that affect resident dignity and safety.
For prospective residents or family members evaluating Fern Terrace Lodge of Murray, the reviews suggest a need to look beyond individual staff praise and verify current conditions and staffing. Key areas to investigate or inquire about would include current staffing ratios and turnover, pest-control documentation and recent inspection reports, maintenance response times and schedules (especially for safety-related items like handrails), and confirmation of actual room conditions versus advertising. The facility does appear to have committed staff who can provide compassionate care, but systemic issues raised in these reviews — if accurate and unresolved — could materially affect resident comfort, hygiene, and safety.
