Fair Oaks Lodge Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation

    201 Shady Ln Dr, Wadena, MN, 56482
    3.3 · 37 reviews
    • Assisted living
    • Memory care
    • Skilled nursing
    AnonymousCurrent/former resident
    2.0

    Inconsistent care, mostly negative experience

    I had a mixed but mostly negative experience. Care was inconsistent and understaffed-missed meds, poor diabetes/insulin management, wound-care concerns, weight loss and mental decline-and staff communication was slow or unresponsive. The building felt old, small and sometimes unclean (no AC or TV in my room, small windows), meals were often wrong or delivered, and parking/access was difficult. That said, a few nurses, the admissions director and hospice staff were compassionate and went above and beyond. Overall I cannot recommend this place for short- or long-term care unless you are lucky enough to get those few dedicated caregivers.

    Pricing

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    Amenities

    Healthcare services

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

    Healthcare staffing

    • 24-hour call system
    • 24-hour supervision

    Meals and dining

    • Diabetes diet
    • Meal preparation and service
    • Special dietary restrictions

    Room

    • Cable
    • Fully furnished
    • Housekeeping and linen services
    • Kitchenettes
    • Telephone
    • Wifi

    Transportation

    • Transportation arrangement (medical)
    • Transportation to doctors appointments

    Common areas

    • Beauty salon
    • Dining room
    • Garden
    • Outdoor space

    Community services

    • Move-in coordination

    Activities

    • Community-sponsored activities
    • Scheduled daily activities

    3.30 · 37 reviews

    Overall rating

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

      2.9
    • Staff

      3.2
    • Meals

      2.0
    • Amenities

      1.7
    • Value

      3.3

    Pros

    • Caring, compassionate and dedicated staff reported by multiple reviewers
    • Strong hospice support and excellent hospice care
    • Helpful, professional, and accommodating admissions director
    • Rehab support and readiness for long-term care in some cases
    • Qualified nursing and therapy staff mentioned in positive reviews
    • Some reports of a clean, well-run facility and recent renovations
    • Residents feeling loved, comfortable, and treated like family
    • Positive interactions with social worker in certain instances
    • Facility described as a community 'gem' and proud to serve residents
    • Easy and quick admissions/process described by some families

    Cons

    • Chronic understaffing and slow staff response times
    • Inconsistent and uneven quality of care across shifts or units
    • Medication errors and missed medications (including insulin)
    • Poor diabetes management and serious medical safety concerns
    • Wound-care concerns and reports of ignored patients
    • Rude, unhelpful, or aggressive staff in intake or clinical roles
    • Threats of eviction and reports of family/husband threatened with jail
    • Poor communication with families; long phone hold times and unresponsiveness
    • Facility cleanliness issues and shabby accommodations in some reports
    • Old, small rooms with minimal natural light and limited amenities (no TV, no AC)
    • Limited dining space, incorrect meals served, and inconsistent meal service
    • Little to no visible activity calendar and few resident activities
    • Residents left unattended outdoors or in courtyard; accessibility/elevator problems
    • Visitor parking problems and employee-blocked parking requiring long walks
    • Preemptive discharges and reports of weight loss, mental decline, and deaths

    Summary review

    Overall sentiment in the reviews is strongly mixed, with a clear divide between accounts praising the people and those reporting significant systemic problems. Many reviewers highlight exemplary individual staff members — particularly an admissions director, hospice teams, and some nurses and therapists — who manage admissions smoothly, provide compassionate end-of-life care, and support rehabilitation. Those positive reviews describe a facility where residents feel loved and cared for, where staff act like family, and where recent renovations and cleanliness contribute to a comfortable environment.

    Conversely, a substantial portion of reviewers describe alarming operational and care-quality failures. The most frequent complaints center on chronic understaffing and inconsistent staffing, which reviewers link to slow responses, staff idling or not checking on residents, and unacceptable lapses in clinical care. Several reviewers reported missed medications, daily insulin being incorrectly managed or missed, and other medication errors; these accounts include serious consequences such as weight loss, mental decline, and even death. Wound-care concerns and accusations that patients were ignored further amplify safety worries.

    Communication and conduct are another major theme. Families report long hold times on phone calls and unresponsive communication, making it difficult to get updates or raise concerns. Some reviewers experienced rude or aggressive behavior from intake staff and certain nurses; there are disturbing claims of threats of eviction and threats toward family members. Other reports say helpful and compassionate social workers interacted positively, indicating inconsistency in staff behavior and training across roles.

    Facility and amenity complaints are frequent and specific: many reviewers note small, old rooms with minimal natural light or small windows, sometimes lacking air conditioning or in-room TVs. Dining issues include limited dining space, meals being delivered rather than served, incorrect meal orders, and specific incidents where no alternative was offered (for example an "oatmeal-day" with no substitute). Activity programming appears sparse or poorly communicated — reviewers mention no visible activity calendar and few scheduled activities. Accessibility problems (elevator issues, long walks from distant parking) and blocked parking spots for visitors are also recurring practical concerns.

    There is evidence of uneven facility condition and management: some reviewers describe a clean, well-run place with renovated areas, while others call the accommodations shabby and dirty. This polarization suggests variability by unit, shift, or time period, and points to inconsistent oversight. The presence of highly praised staff members alongside reports of serious safety incidents and poor care indicates that individual staff dedication may be mitigating, but not fully compensating for, systemic problems such as staffing shortages, communication breakdowns, and lapses in clinical protocols.

    In sum, the reviews paint a picture of a facility with strong relational strengths — certain compassionate caregivers, hospice excellence, and positive admissions experiences — but also significant and recurring operational and safety concerns. The most serious patterns to note are medication mismanagement (especially with diabetes/insulin), wound-care neglect, understaffing-related delays, abrasive or unhelpful staff interactions, and inconsistent cleanliness and amenities. Prospective families should weigh the facility’s praised hospice and rehab capabilities and dedicated staff against the reported risks tied to staffing, clinical consistency, and communication. The overall pattern is one of high variability: some residents have very positive, caring experiences, while others have experienced harmful lapses and poor treatment.

    Location

    Map showing location of Fair Oaks Lodge Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation

    About Fair Oaks Lodge Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation

    Fair Oaks Lodge Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation sits on a scenic campus where seniors can find many levels of care and housing-including the Fair Oaks Lodge Nursing Home, Focused Short Term Rehabilitation, Sheltering Oaks Adult Day Services, as well as Fair Oaks Apartments for independent seniors, and all these different areas suit a wide range of needs. The facility is nonprofit and part of the Eden Senior Care Network, aiming to bring residents a warm, compassionate setting where staff treat people like family, always respecting their dignity and providing plenty of smiles and support in daily life. Fair Oaks Lodge employs care assistants, licensed practical nurses, and a director of social services, along with a dedicated activities department, and provides twenty-four-hour skilled care solutions supporting both long-term residents and those here for post-acute or short-term rehabilitation.

    You'll find residents have access to a full list of healthcare services, including primary and specialty care, medication management, post-surgical care, orthopedic and bariatric rehabilitation, pulmonary and respiratory support, cardiac and stroke care, wound care, IV therapy, total parenteral nutrition, renal management, pain, behavioral support, enteral feeding, and more. Memory care, respite care, and hospice support are all available, and services stay personalized to fit each person's needs, always focusing on restoring independence when possible, with in-house and outpatient physical, occupational, and speech therapies. Daily routines can include arts and crafts, games, clubs, pet visits, community outings, and activities meant to keep residents active and connected, while spiritual needs are met at the on-campus chapel.

    The 75-bed skilled nursing area, which has recently seen updates, offers a comfortable, homelike feel. Folks enjoy amenities such as an on-site beauty salon, spa, barbershop, and a dining room serving meals. Housekeeping, laundry, cable TV, Wi-Fi, phone service, and transportation are all provided, and banking services make it easy for residents to handle their affairs without leaving campus. There are patios and courtyards for fresh air, and residents can use complimentary iPads to stay in touch or entertained. Dietary consultations help ensure everyone's nutrition is looked after, and medical needs are actively managed by a team trained to handle complex cases. Fair Oaks Lodge is known for a mix of structure and flexibility-people are encouraged to take part in clubs, social programs, educational and recreational events, and to set their own pace for daily life. Family involvement, honest communication, and humor are all valued highly, and the staff works to make everyone feel at home-safe, respected, and supported through each stage of care.

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