Overall sentiment across the reviews for Meadowbrook Manor - Bolingbrook is highly mixed, with clear strengths in therapy and compassionate individual caregivers but recurring systemic problems related to staffing, cleanliness, dining, communication, and safety. Many reviewers praise the facility's therapy programs (OT, PT, speech)—repeatedly described as phenomenal, hands-on, and instrumental in improving residents' mobility and function. Rehabilitation and the rehab wing are frequently identified as standout aspects, with families noting measurable progress, frequent therapy sessions, and good information flow from therapy staff. Specific employees (Ralph, Erwin, Colleen) and other nurses and therapists receive repeated accolades for going above and beyond, arranging timely admissions, driving residents when needed, and providing attentive, compassionate care.
Staffing and care quality are the most divergent themes. A substantial portion of reviews highlight genuinely caring CNAs, attentive nurses, and professional staff who provide compassionate assistance, cleaning, and clear explanations. Yet an equally large and vocal set of reviews reports inconsistent care: chronic understaffing, slow or nonresponsive call-button responses, aides who do very little, and residents left in soiled clothing or diapers for extended periods. These contrasts create a polarized experience where positive outcomes and attentive one-on-one care coexist with instances of neglect. Several reviews detail deeply concerning incidents—residents left unattended in bathrooms, medication timing errors or wrong dosages, and at least one fall resulting in serious injury (hip and vertebrae) that reviewers attribute to negligence or inadequate supervision.
Cleanliness and facility environment are another area of split perception. Many reviewers state that common areas, dining rooms, and certain rooms are well-kept and that housekeeping is active, calling the facility “very clean” in places. However, other reviews describe persistent odors of urine and feces, dirty carpets, overflowing trash, and first-floor odors so strong they affect the atmosphere. Some reviews call the building dark and depressing, while others find it home-like and inviting. The inconsistency suggests variable performance by housekeeping and care teams across shifts or units.
Dining and dietary management are frequent and specific pain points. Multiple reviewers describe meals as truly horrible, served cold, bland, or inedible—some even claim liquid diets made food awful. There are repeated complaints that dietary preferences and restrictions (e.g., dislike of fish or rice) are not honored despite notes and conversations with staff. Conversely, a number of families report acceptable or tasty meals and available alternatives, indicating that food quality may vary by menu cycle, kitchen staff, or individual dietary handling.
Communication and management responsiveness show a mixed record. Several families praise good communication, regular updates, and administrators who listen and act—some administrators personally assist with problems, and therapy staff often keep families informed. At the same time, many reviews cite poor communication among staff (care plans not shared, aides unaware of instructions), unreturned calls from administration, front-desk unresponsiveness, and social workers perceived as incompetent. There are also troubling operational reports—staff sleeping while on duty, language barriers that impede care, and accounts of staff being overworked or paid poorly. A few reviews even raise concerns about physician involvement being limited to paperwork without real patient evaluation and about pressure for unnecessary, insurance-driven procedures.
Safety and clinical concerns appear in multiple reviews and are serious where they occur. Medication mistakes, delayed administration, lack of supervision during PT or daily routines, and reports of residents confined to wheelchairs without adequate strengthening/rehab are cited. There are also accounts of COVID outbreaks with resultant isolation, which affected residents’ access to activities and family visitation. A nontrivial number of reviewers express worry that staffing shortages and inattentive staff create unsafe conditions; some mention lost or stolen items and inconsistent documentation.
Activities and resident life receive generally positive mentions: movie nights, bingo, a small ice cream shop, and engaging programming are appreciated by many families. These offerings, along with responsive therapists and some warm, friendly staff, contribute to a strong experience for residents in several cases. Additionally, practical positives such as proximity to the emergency room and acceptance of Medicaid add to the facility's suitability for some families.
In summary, Meadowbrook Manor - Bolingbrook presents as a facility with clear strengths—especially in therapy services and among certain dedicated staff and departments—but also with significant and recurring weaknesses that affect resident safety, comfort, and satisfaction. If you value strong rehabilitation and have supportive family engagement, you may encounter excellent care and measurable improvement. However, the inconsistent staffing, hygiene concerns, dining problems, medication and safety incidents, and variable administrative responsiveness are important red flags. Prospective residents and families should ask targeted questions about staffing ratios, medication administration protocols, toileting/incontinence care practices, dining accommodations, and how the facility addresses odor/housekeeping issues. Visiting during different shifts, speaking with therapy staff, and checking on recent state inspection reports would help assess whether the positive aspects highlighted by many reviewers are consistent at the time of placement.
