Overall sentiment for St. Joseph Manor is strongly mixed, with clear patterns of very positive experiences tied to particular units, shifts, and individual staff members, but also many serious negative reports that raise concerns about consistency, safety, and management. Multiple reviewers praised cleanliness, the campus and gardens, bright rooms and views, and specific clinical staff (notably RNs on the 3rd floor and named nurses such as Michelle, Diana, and Elvira). Short-term rehab and physical therapy received positive comments from families who saw mobility improvements and appreciated timely post-surgery or rehab care. Several reviewers described compassionate, attentive interactions where aides and nurses were responsive and caring, and some families said they would recommend the facility or move relatives there again.
However, a substantial portion of reviews describe systemic problems. Staffing shortages and high turnover are recurring themes: reviewers report frequent changes in cooks, entertainment staff, and care staff, and note tensions between contract and permanent staff. These staffing challenges are linked to non-responsive or rude aides, long waits for assistance, slow medication administration, and inconsistent nursing competence. Several accounts describe neglectful incidents (a bedpan left under a patient, skin indentation from hard surfaces, failed arrangements for transfusion, alleged withholding of treatment) and poor clinical decision-making that in some cases required hospitalization. These serious safety and quality issues contrast sharply with the positive experiences on certain units, indicating variability in care quality across the facility and even across shifts.
Communication and management responsiveness are another major concern. Many reviewers reported horrendous or nonexistent communication from doctors, nurses, therapists, and social workers: families did not receive updates after admission, doctor and PT information was not relayed, conferences were not arranged, discharge planning was mishandled (including a discharge to an empty house in one case), and scheduling for doctor visits and procedures was unorganized. Social worker performance was singled out repeatedly as inadequate or lacking compassion. Several reviewers described staff finger-pointing, non-responsive management, and a lack of accountability when issues arose. These administrative deficiencies compounded clinical concerns and left families frustrated and mistrustful.
Facilities and programming received mixed feedback. The campus, garden courtyard, and certain activity spaces were frequently praised as well-maintained and pleasant. Activities such as puzzles, games, occasional entertainment, and snacks were noted, and some reviewers loved the activity director and engagement opportunities. At the same time, others said activities were often unavailable or limited, rooms were small or in need of paint, and some areas felt outdated. Dining comments ranged from very good meals to merely OK or hospital-style food, showing inconsistency in resident satisfaction with meals.
Financial and privacy concerns also emerged. One reviewer described a privacy breach where staff entered a resident’s apartment twice, and another described being told a private aide was necessary at a substantial additional cost ($1,900 for two weeks). Several reviewers felt the facility was expensive — in one case “more than twice as much” as alternatives — without consistently delivering a uniformly high level of care.
In summary, St. Joseph Manor appears to provide excellent, even exceptional care in pockets—particularly on certain floors and from specific caregivers—combined with a pleasant campus and some strong rehab outcomes. At the same time, there are persistent, serious concerns about staffing adequacy and continuity, inconsistent aide performance, lapses in nursing care, poor communication and discharge planning, occasional neglect or safety incidents, and management disengagement. Prospective families should weigh the facility’s strengths (clean campus, good rehab, dedicated staff on some units) against the variability of care and documented administrative and safety lapses. Asking targeted questions during tours — about staffing ratios, turnover, unit-specific staffing (e.g., 3rd floor performance), social work involvement, medication administration processes, privacy policies, and extra-cost private aide requirements — and seeking recent references from current residents’ families may help to assess whether St. Joseph Manor is the right fit for a particular resident.
