Hickory Falls Health and Rehabilitation
Strong Medicare quality ratings; families often praise engaging activity programs. Still worth an in-person visit.
based on 80 Google reviews

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What this means for your family
Hickory Falls offers a clean, well-maintained environment with a highly regarded activities program and therapy team. However, families should be extremely cautious regarding communication and clinical oversight; we strongly recommend asking for a direct point of contact for medical updates and monitoring your loved one's health status closely, as multiple reviewers reported significant issues with staff responsiveness and medical neglect.
Google Reviews
Google Reviews
80 reviews on Google“Hickory Falls Health and Rehabilitation receives highly polarized feedback, with many reviewers praising the facility's appearance, activities, and specific staff members, while others report severe concerns regarding medical neglect and poor communication. Families frequently cite inconsistent care quality, noting that while some staff are compassionate, others appear undertrained or unresponsive to urgent health needs. Prospective families should be aware that experiences vary significantly, with several reports of poor outcomes during rehabilitation stays.”
Quality Themes
Tap a score for detailsStrengths
- Engaging activity programs
- Clean and well-maintained physical environment
- Dedicated and compassionate individual staff members
- Effective rehabilitation therapy team
Concerns
- Poor communication and lack of staff knowledge regarding patient status (mentioned by 4 reviewers)
- Understaffing leading to neglect or slow response times (mentioned by 4 reviewers)
- Poor quality or inappropriate food service (mentioned by 3 reviewers)
- Inadequate medical management and neglect of health conditions (mentioned by 4 reviewers)
Rating Trends
Tap a year to see what changed
Distribution · 66 analyzed
How They Respond to Reviews
This facility actively engages with reviewer feedback.
Questions for Your Tour
- 1I noticed your team is very active in responding to online feedback; how do you use that family input to improve daily communication regarding a resident's health status?
- 2With a 120-resident capacity, what specific protocols do you have in place to ensure consistent, timely responses to call lights when the facility is at full occupancy?
- 3I've heard great things about your rehabilitation team; how do they coordinate with nursing staff to ensure that medical management and physical therapy goals are aligned for my loved one?
- 4Given that dining is a central part of daily life, could you walk me through how you handle dietary preferences and ensure the quality of meals meets individual nutritional needs?
- 5What is your process for keeping families updated on changes in a resident's condition, and who would be our primary point of contact for medical updates?
- 6I see your activity program is highly regarded; what are some of the most popular ways residents interact and socialize throughout the week?
Personalized based on this facility's data
Key Review Excerpts
“The nurses and staff are all very nice, and he seems to receive attentive care. The therapy department is caring & provides great services. The food is not good however. I would liken it to prison food honestly.”
“My mother had a brief stay here in April (24 hours) and she ended up in the hospital for a month. Staff was negligent and refused to listen to multiple family concerns regarding her health declining rapidly.”
“Daddy was cared for and felt like the aides, nurses, and therapists were his friends, not just his caregivers. They celebrated his birthday (cards and small gifts) and honored him (and other residents) on Veterans Day.”
Staffing
Staffing Hours
per resident/day · Medicare 2026Both RN and total nursing hours are below national benchmarks. This can mean less clinical attention per resident, so ask about their staffing plan.
Quality Measures
Quality Measures
Resident outcomes compared with national, state, and local averages · 17 measures
10
measures
3
measures
4
measures
Residents with depression symptoms
Highly dependent on how each facility screens and codes depressive symptoms, so it varies widely between facilities.
Residents on anti-anxiety or sleep medication
Residents on antipsychotic medication
Residents vaccinated for pneumonia
Residents vaccinated for the flu
Residents whose walking got worse
Short-stay residents vaccinated for the flu
Short-stay residents vaccinated for pneumonia
Short-stay residents newly given antipsychotics
US average from Medicare published data
Inspection History
Medicare Inspection History
3-year lookback · Medicare 2026
Hickory Falls has concerning patterns of recurring deficiencies across multiple surveys, including repeated issues with resident abuse protection, building safety systems, and electrical/fire safety equipment. A family filed a complaint in 2024 regarding resident protection from abuse, which had already been cited in 2022. While most violations appear corrected, the facility shows persistent problems with fundamental safety systems and care standards that families should carefully evaluate before considering placement.
May 21, 2025Routine6
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Safeguard resident-identifiable information and/or maintain medical records on each resident that are in accordance with accepted professional standards.
Infection Control Deficiencies
Provide and implement an infection prevention and control program.
Egress Deficiencies
Keep aisles, corridors, and exits free of obstruction in case of emergency.
Smoke Deficiencies
Ensure that special areas are constructed so that walls can resist fire for one hour or have an approved fire extinguishing system.
Services Deficiencies
Have properly installed electrical wiring and gas equipment.
Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies
Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.
May 31, 2024Complaint1
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies
Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.
Jan 18, 2024Routine7
Construction Deficiencies
Use approved construction type or materials.
Egress Deficiencies
Install proper backup exit lighting.
Smoke Deficiencies
Ensure that special areas are constructed so that walls can resist fire for one hour or have an approved fire extinguishing system.
Smoke Deficiencies
Inspect, test, and maintain automatic sprinkler systems.
Services Deficiencies
Ensure heating and ventilation systems that have been properly installed according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies
Ensure receptacles at patient bed locations and where general anesthesia is administered, are tested after initial installation, replacement or servicing.
Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies
Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.
Sep 20, 2022Routine12
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies
Protect each resident from all types of abuse such as physical, mental, sexual abuse, physical punishment, and neglect by anybody.
Freedom from Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation Deficiencies
Develop and implement policies and procedures to prevent abuse, neglect, and theft.
Construction Deficiencies
Use approved construction type or materials.
Smoke Deficiencies
Ensure smoke barriers are constructed to a 1 hour fire resistance rating.
Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies
Have generator or other power source capable of supplying service within 10 seconds.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Ensure each resident receives an accurate assessment.
Pharmacy Service Deficiencies
Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs.
Administration Deficiencies
Set up an ongoing quality assessment and assurance group to review quality deficiencies and develop corrective plans of action.
Services Deficiencies
Have properly installed electrical wiring and gas equipment.
Services Deficiencies
Ensure heating and ventilation systems that have been properly installed according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Gas, Vacuum, and Electrical Systems Deficiencies
Have proper medical gas storage and administration areas.
Resident Assessment and Care Planning Deficiencies
Encode each resident’s assessment data and transmit these data to the State within 7 days of assessment.
Federal Penalties
Fine
May 31, 2024
$51,188
Ownership & Operations
Who Operates This Facility
Hickory Falls Health and Rehabilitation
for profit
Chain Affiliation
Sanstone Health & Rehabilitation
18 facilities nationwide
Chain avg rating: 4.1/5 · Rank 10 of 17
Ownership & Management
Owners
Ardent Health and Rehabilitation Co
Owner · Organization
Sprenger, Christopher
Owner (parent company)
Key personnel
Contact
Get in Touch
Contact this facility directly and verify the details that matter most to your family.
References & Resources
Medicare Care Compare
Official Medicare quality ratings, inspections & staffing data
Google Maps
Photos, directions & neighborhood info
Google Reviews
80 reviews from families & visitors
Official Website
Visit sanstonehealth.com
Medicare data downloads
Original nursing home datasets
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