Overall impression: Reviews for Friendship Village of South Hills are highly polarized. A large number of reviewers report excellent experiences — particularly in independent living and short-term rehabilitation — praising compassionate staff, strong therapy programs, attractive grounds, good food, and a robust calendar of activities. At the same time, a substantial set of reviews recount serious problems in the health center and skilled nursing contexts: staffing shortages, inconsistent or neglectful care, infection-control concerns, cleanliness issues, and troubling safety incidents. In short, many residents and families feel well cared for and satisfied, while others experienced lapses in care severe enough to cause hospitalization or death. This split suggests variability by unit, shift, or time period and indicates strengths in certain services and weaknesses in others.
Care quality and clinical services: Therapy (PT/OT/SLP) and short-term rehab receive frequent, enthusiastic praise. Multiple reviewers call out motivating, effective therapists and very good rehab outcomes — “top-notch” therapy, professionals who go the extra mile, and coordinated post-discharge planning are recurring positives. Nursing and long-term skilled-care performance, however, shows mixed-to-poor ratings in many reviews. Complaints include delays in pain medication, missed wound care, dehydration, UTIs, poor wound VAC management, extended delays in assistance after falls, and in some cases transfer to hospital for conditions reviewers believe should have been managed. Several reports describe understaffing, long nurse/wait times, and instances of neglect. These clinical variance patterns are significant: where therapy and short-term rehab are well-staffed and organized, outcomes and satisfaction are high; where staff shortages or high turnover affect nursing shifts, negative clinical events are more likely.
Staffing, culture, and communication: Staff are described both as the community’s strongest asset and as a source of frustration. Many reviewers name individual staff, social workers, or therapists as compassionate, attentive, and highly professional; staff remembering names and engaging residents is repeatedly cited. Conversely, there are numerous accounts of high turnover, heavy reliance on agency staff, and behavior problems (staff yelling in hallways, sleeping on duty, vaping, using phones, inconsistent aides). Communication from management is praised in some experiences (helpful admissions staff, effective discharge planning) but criticized in others for failing to notify families about infections, incidents, or deteriorations in condition. Allegations of cover-ups, failure to report assaults or infections, and poor responsiveness to family inquiries are among the most serious recurring concerns.
Facilities, cleanliness, and maintenance: The campus and grounds are frequently described as beautiful, well-landscaped, and pleasant for walking. Many apartments are bright with large windows; parts of the community have been renovated and are described as modern and comfortable. Conversely, multiple reviewers report areas that are dirty or in disrepair — including reports of filth, urine odors, broken wheelchairs or walkers, and rooms left in unacceptable condition. Renovations are underway in places and some reviews note dust and construction disruption. These mixed facility reports again suggest variability across the community and over time: some wings appear newly updated and well-maintained while other areas, particularly parts of the health center or memory care, have maintenance and cleanliness problems.
Dining and amenities: Dining is another polarized area. Many residents praise restaurant-style dining, talented chefs, varied menus, and special items (brick-oven pizzas, grilled sandwiches). Others complain of repetitive or prepackaged meals in certain units, snack cabinets that are limited, extra charges for in-room dining, and days when dining options feel limited. Amenities — library, woodshop, pool table, exercise classes, clubs, trips, worship services — are repeatedly noted as robust and life-enriching. These offerings contribute to a strong sense of community and active lifestyle in independent living, but dining and food quality appear inconsistent across care levels.
Safety, infection control, and incident reporting: Several reviewers reported serious safety issues, including falls where residents were left on the floor, delayed response after calls for help, and alleged unreported assaults. Infection control complaints include COVID-19 management concerns, inadequate disclosure about infections, and instances where staff tested positive. Some reviewers were satisfied with pandemic precautions and visitation policies, while others described poor communication and distressing restrictions. The presence of strong allegations — neglected wound care, infection leading to hospitalization, and delayed or absent clinical responses — are red flags that emerge repeatedly and merit attention.
Management, cost, and overall value: Many families feel the community provides peace of mind and high-value services for independent living and short-term rehab, citing professional administration and helpful social work. Yet the community is described as expensive by many reviewers, and several feel the cost is not justified when skilled nursing or long-term care quality is inconsistent. Reports of staff firings related to vaccination status also raised concerns about staffing stability and the community’s ability to maintain experienced clinical personnel.
Patterns and recommendations: The most consistent pattern is a split between generally strong independent-living experience and therapy/rehab services, versus an inconsistent, often problematic experience in parts of the skilled nursing and memory-care services. If considering Friendship Village of South Hills, prospective families should: (1) tour the specific unit and wing where care would be provided (look at both independent living and health center spaces), (2) ask about current staffing ratios, agency-staff reliance, and turnover, (3) inquire specifically about infection-control policies, incident reporting, and family communication protocols, (4) clarify dining charges and in-room dining availability, and (5) request references for recent residents in the same care level. Many reviewers report excellent individual staff and life-enrichment offerings, but the documented incidents of neglect, safety lapses, and inconsistent cleanliness indicate that outcomes can vary considerably depending on staffing and unit conditions.
