Transitions Healthcare Shook Home

    55 S 2nd St, Chambersburg, PA, 17201
    3.7 · 35 reviews
    • Independent living
    • Assisted living
    • Skilled nursing
    AnonymousCurrent/former resident
    4.0

    Friendly facility but understaffed concerns

    I like the small, clean, well-run facility and downtown location - the staff are mostly kind, professional and attentive, meals are excellent, and activities (arts & crafts, bingo, bible study) are enjoyable. That said, understaffing has caused canceled events, unreliable call bells and occasional delayed care or questionable rehab experiences, so I'd check current staffing and rehab quality. Overall I feel comfortable here and would recommend it for friendly, caring everyday care with those caveats.

    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

    • 24-hour call system
    • 24-hour supervision

    Meals and dining

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

    Room

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

    Common areas

    • Beauty salon
    • Dining room
    • Garden
    • Outdoor space
    • Small library

    Community services

    • Move-in coordination

    Activities

    • Community-sponsored activities
    • Resident-run activities
    • Scheduled daily activities

    3.66 · 35 reviews

    Overall rating

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

      3.2
    • Staff

      3.6
    • Meals

      4.3
    • Amenities

      4.0
    • Value

      5.0

    Pros

    • Kind, helpful, and caring staff and caregivers
    • Excellent resident-to-caregiver ratio (reported by some reviewers)
    • High-quality, professional and respectful care (reported by many)
    • Clean, neat, and well-maintained facility interior and exterior
    • Comfortable, modern or hospital-like setting
    • Responsive staff who know residents and are attentive
    • Good dining — tasty meals, meal choices, and on-time service
    • Regular menu items and dessert/drink options (ice cream, coffee, hot chocolate, tea)
    • Active activities department offering bingo, arts & crafts, bible studies, singing
    • Activities that many residents enjoy and find accommodating
    • On-site nursing/home care available
    • Staff who assist with appointments and resident needs
    • Some standout caregivers named positively (e.g., Rayna, Faith)
    • Long-term residents report satisfaction and willingness to recommend
    • Employees report a positive workplace environment

    Cons

    • Inconsistent quality of care across different stays or units
    • Understaffing and staffing shortages reported
    • Instances of staff neglect or inadequate attention (e.g., leaving patients in hallways)
    • Delayed checks and assistance (e.g., 20-minute diaper checks)
    • Unreliable call bell system and lack of accountability for missed calls
    • Serious clinical/safety incidents reported (aspiration risk, hospital transfers)
    • Admissions process problems for some residents
    • Management/administrative issues and perceived poor communication
    • Activity budget concerns and event cancellations
    • Limited variety in activity programming (activity board lacking variety)
    • Hygiene/food-safety concern mentioned (Norovirus remark about kitchen)
    • Low official quality rating noted (Medicare 2-star mention)
    • Limited transportation options
    • Conflicting reports about staff friendliness and consistency
    • Workplace safety concerns during heavy patient transfer and related work comp disputes

    Summary review

    Overall sentiment about Transitions Healthcare Shook Home is mixed but leans positive on many day-to-day resident experience aspects while flagging important clinical, staffing, and administrative concerns. A large portion of reviewers praise the staff as kind, helpful, and caring; they repeatedly note individual caregivers who made stays comfortable and attentive. Many reviews highlight a favorable resident-to-caregiver ratio, responsive staff who know residents well, and an environment described as clean, neat, and even modern or hospital-like. Long-term patrons and several family members explicitly recommend the facility and point to strong dining service (good meals, choices, on-time service, and desserts/drinks) and an activities program that many residents enjoy (bingo, arts & crafts, bible studies, hymn singing). Employees have also reported a positive workplace atmosphere, which aligns with multiple comments about staff pride in their work.

    Despite these positives, significant and recurring concerns appear across the reviews and create an uneven picture of care quality. Several accounts describe understaffing, delayed responses to resident needs (for example, 20-minute diaper checks), unreliable call bells, and even instances where nurses left patients in hallways. More serious clinical issues are alleged in a few reviews — including risk of aspiration, transfers to hospital-level care, and claims of neglect during rehabilitation — which are especially troubling because they directly affect resident safety. These reports contrast sharply with other reviewers’ experiences of “excellent care,” indicating variability in care that may depend on unit, shift, or specific personnel. A mention of the facility’s Medicare rating being 2 stars was included in the reviews and may reflect broader quality concerns that some families perceived.

    Management and administrative issues are another notable theme. Reviewers described problems during admission for at least one resident (initial admission deemed unacceptable), unresponsive case workers, and a perceived lack of accountability when problems occur. There are also allegations relating to activity budget constraints and the cancellation of scheduled events (one cited canceled August 12 performance and claims that an activities budget was slashed despite corporate denials). These items suggest possible tensions between local management and corporate oversight, and they have direct impact on resident quality of life. Additionally, a kitchen hygiene remark referencing Norovirus raises a food-safety concern that would merit follow-up and clarification from the facility.

    Activities and resident engagement receive mixed feedback. Many residents enjoy the existing programming and find it accommodating, but others find the activity board lacks variety and want more options. Transportation options are limited according to reviewers, which can restrict access to offsite outings or medical appointments for some residents. On balance, the activities department is viewed positively by many, but the cancellations, perceived budget cuts, and calls for broader programming variety indicate opportunities for improvement.

    In summary, Transitions Healthcare Shook Home shows strengths in staff compassion, facility cleanliness, meal quality, and activity offerings that satisfy many residents and families. However, notable weaknesses — including inconsistent care quality, understaffing, safety-related incidents, administrative shortcomings, and activity budget/variety issues — create real concerns for some reviewers. Prospective residents and families should weigh the many positive firsthand accounts of attentive care and clean facilities against the serious safety and responsiveness issues raised by others. If considering this facility, ask management about recent staffing levels, call bell reliability, incident history (including any infection-control events), activity funding and schedules, and how the facility addresses and investigates care complaints to get a clearer, current picture of performance.

    Location

    Map showing location of Transitions Healthcare Shook Home

    About Transitions Healthcare Shook Home

    Transitions Healthcare Shook Home is a senior living community at 55 S 2nd St in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, that's been serving older adults for several years now, sitting right in historic downtown, so people living there get easy access to local shops, restaurants, doctors' offices, and medical centers without having to go far, and the place itself has a campus setting with beautiful gardens, spacious living areas, landscaped courtyards, and common rooms where folks can gather or relax alone if they want, which some people seem to like for the calm it brings. They've got semi-furnished private rooms, and you'll find a dining hall with a steam table and "restaurant style" point-of-service, which means residents can pick what they want to eat, and the meals are made fresh right on site. There's an in-house beauty salon and barber shop run by a licensed beautician, which helps folks stay looking and feeling their best, and they run daily activities, plus devotional services off-site for those who want them.

    Shook Home covers a whole range of health needs-senior care, assisted living, memory care, companion care, rehabilitation, and even nursing home care, with skilled nurses on hand around the clock for people who need ongoing help, so whether someone's dealing with memory problems like Alzheimer's or needs help with regular things like bathing, taking medicine, walking, or managing diabetes, they handle all that. The staff focuses on reducing confusion for folks with dementia, including safety features to prevent wandering, and there are medical alert systems such as Medical Guardian and ADT, plus home security, medication dispensers, and walk-in tubs, meant to help keep everyone safe. The thing about Shook Home is they personalize care, so services fit each resident's needs-whether it's rehabilitation after surgery or illness, diabetic care, incontinence help, palliative care, or more.

    Amenities include indoor common areas with Wi-Fi, pet-friendly policies, handicap accessibility, and resources for folks who might need help with the costs of staying there. They've also got technology services for seniors, paying attention to things like internet access, cell phones, and hearing aid resources, trying to make things a bit easier for daily living. There's a focus on supporting people through life's changes-helping with transitions from hospital to home, giving both short- and long-term care, and keeping in touch with doctors' treatment plans. You'll see activities on-site and devotional activities off-site, plus companion care and social gatherings meant to help folks not feel lonely. Shook Home has independent living apartments, senior apartments, townhomes, and even condos for seniors who want to live a bit more on their own but with support close by, and they offer support for caregivers as well.

    Transitions Healthcare Shook Home is one of seven communities run by Transitions Healthcare, LLC, focusing on a holistic approach to elder care, aiming to give both compassionate and practical support, and making it possible for people to age in place with as much comfort, dignity, and safety as possible, in a friendly environment with beautiful outdoor spaces and a strong staff that knows how to respond to changing care needs over time.

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