Holden Nursing Home Inc

Pros

• The care at Holden Rehab is described as outstanding and attentive.
• Sherika is praised as a blessing and an exceptional caregiver.
• The nurses are described as fantastic and the staff as caring and responsive.
• The rehabilitation services helped patients regain strength to go home.
• The facility is bright, clean, and welcoming with a pleasant environment.
• The hospice suite is spotless, spacious, quiet, and comfortable.
• Most of the staff are amazing, including doctors and nurses.
• Families appreciate the compassionate care that makes residents feel cared for and happy.
• Holden Rehab is highly recommended by families who used the facility.
• The social activities schedule is impressive, with engaging events and opportunities like manicures.

Cons

• They called Holden Rehab the worst place to send a family member.
• They described negligence and lack of cleaning by staff, leading to multiple UTIs and hospitalizations.
• They alleged a $300 suction machine was stolen from a room and staff threatened or ignored requests to return it.
• They reported patients were left unattended for hours, with no response to call lights, while staff slept or texted.
• They noted some RN/CNA staff showed little to no compassion and did not attend to basic needs.
• They claimed management dismissed concerns and failed to take corrective action.
• They asserted their family member died after health issues tied to the facility's care problems.

Review

Holden Rehabilitation & Skilled Nursing Center sits at the center of a broad spectrum of experiences shared by patients and their families. Across the notes and narratives, there are many glowing tributes to care, compassion, and effective rehabilitation, but there are also serious warnings about neglect and safety concerns. Taken together, the accounts paint a picture of a facility that can be a lifeline for some and a source of grave distress for others, depending on who is providing care on a given day and how concerns are managed by leadership.

Several stories celebrate the quality and warmth of the care team, especially during rehabilitation. After breaking a leg and undergoing surgery, one patient spent about 35 days at Holden Rehab and describes receiving "care you could not find anywhere else." A primary aide named Sherika is repeatedly singled out for remarkable help, with the patient crediting her for getting as far as they did and declaring, "I don't know how I would have gotten as far as I did" without Sherika. The broader nursing and CNA staff are described as attentive and supportive, with mentions that "EVERYONE" cared deeply, and that the nursing team was "fantastic." A separate note thanks Sue and her rehabilitation team for getting the patient strong enough to return home, even if they were honest about ongoing challenges like hopping. Across multiple page-long expressions of gratitude, the thread is clear: dedicated staff and focused therapy can make a meaningful difference, and the environment is described as clean, bright, and welcoming.

Beyond the rehab successes, other accounts emphasize the facility's physical environment and the quality of care in different wings of Holden. One reviewer calls Holden "beautiful" right after touring other facilities, noting that it feels bright, clean, and pleasantly odor-free. The hospice suite is singled out as an especially positive example of the space: "spotless, big, quiet, with windows, a TV, a stand up closet, and a big bathroom," which offered an immediately welcoming setting for end-of-life or palliative care. The same reviewer recalls that most staff were amazing, that the food looked decent, and that the doctors and NPs were wonderful. While they appreciated most of the staff, they also acknowledge that a couple of RN/CNA staff members lacked compassion, though they credit management with addressing these concerns. The underlying message remains: when run well, Holden can feel like a calm, clean, and supportive place for both short-term rehab and hospice care, with an emphasis on social activities and everyday comfort that helps residents feel cared for.

Amid the praise, a more alarming voice enters the narrative with a stark warning: "THE WORST place to send your family member!" This reviewer describes a pattern of negligence, UTIs linked to staff cleaning practices, repeated ER visits, and a patient death that occurred after a long sequence of hospital transfers. The account includes serious allegations of theft - "two days before she was to return from the hospital to Holden Rehab someone from the facility entered her room without permission and stole a $300 suction machine" - and suggests a broader environment where requests were ignored, orders were not implemented, and staff were inattentive for extended periods. The reviewer narrates a sequence of unaddressed needs, long delays, and a sense of being dismissed by leadership - "the unit supervisor and the facility director" were cited as unhelpful, while "we found the suction machine" was later framed as a deceptive conclusion. The tone is a stark counterpoint to the earlier praise, underscoring a fundamental warning to prospective families: advocacy and vigilant oversight may be essential here.

Within the same collection, another family describes ongoing concerns about current care. This reviewer says their mother is currently in Holden Rehab and reports problems like being told to hurry up when she needed the restroom because staff were too busy, lost brand-new pajamas sent for laundry, and a medication issue brushed off by staff. They express ongoing frustration and a deep desire to move their mother out, ending with a clear sense that their needs and concerns have not been adequately addressed. This account, while not as sensational as the previous one, reinforces the idea that experiences at Holden can vary dramatically day by day and unit by unit, and that communication and responsiveness remain critical for families who rely on the facility for daily support.

Several other entries provide a more personal and consistently positive impression. One patient describes being at Holden Rehab since late June and expresses gratitude to specific individuals - nurse Josephine, who was consistently kind and available, and therapists including Sue Barakian, Joyce, Deb, and Elong. They note the presence of Vinnie, a CNT, and Don, who were all "most helpful," and they look forward to continuing services through visiting nurses. Another post offers a long-running endorsement: Holden Rehab is a place that people choose repeatedly for loved ones, including a mother who lived there for six years across multiple generations of family members. The writer calls Holden "the service of very dedicated professionals," highlights the nurses as caring and available, and notes a robust and socially engaging environment. The sentiment is that Holden can be a trusted place with attentive staff, strong rehabilitation progress, and a welcoming social atmosphere.

Stories about family experiences with extended care also highlight the social and emotional benefits of Holden. One grandmother's experience after a fall was framed as unexpectedly positive: the facility remained clean, the grandmother had a private room, and staff were quick to assist with restroom needs. The social schedule was described as impressive, with ongoing activities throughout the day and perks like weekly manicures, which helped the elder residents stay socially engaged and connected. In this portrait, Holden Rehab is not only a place for physical rehabilitation but also a community where residents build friendships and participate in meaningful routines.

Taken as a whole, the collection presents Holden Rehabilitation & Skilled Nursing Center as a place of dual realities. For many, it is a source of excellent care, compassionate nurses and aides, effective physical therapy, and a bright, well-kept environment that supports recovery and quality of life. For others, it is a setting where care can fall short - where responses to call lights, medication issues, cleanliness concerns, and even abuses like theft have left families feeling betrayed and anxious about their loved ones' safety. The disparity suggests that outcomes at Holden depend heavily on individual staff interactions and the particular unit a patient occupies, as well as how families advocate for and monitor care.

If you or a loved one is considering Holden Rehab, these experiences offer important guidance: you will likely encounter dedicated professionals who genuinely care about rehab progress and daily comfort, but you should remain an active participant in care, ask questions, and observe closely. Some families report extraordinary acts of kindness and competence from nurses, aides, and therapists, along with clean surroundings and a supportive atmosphere for recovery. Others urge prospective clients to beware of gaps in attention, to insist on consistent care, to ensure timely responses to needs, and to push for effective oversight should problems arise. The reality at Holden, as reflected in these narratives, is that the facility holds the potential for excellent rehabilitation and compassionate care, while also presenting serious risks that require vigilance, advocacy, and open communication between families and the care team.

This part of Holden, Massachusetts, offers a variety of amenities for seniors looking to settle in the area. With several physicians and pharmacies within a short distance, accessing healthcare services is convenient. There are also a number of restaurants and cafes nearby, providing options for dining out or grabbing a quick bite to eat. Places of worship are easily accessible for those seeking spiritual fulfillment. Additionally, there are parks where one can enjoy nature and outdoor activities. For more serious medical needs, there are hospitals within a few miles' radius. Public transportation at the Webster Square Station provides easy access to neighboring areas. Overall, this part of Holden offers a well-rounded community with essential services and recreational opportunities for seniors looking to make this their home.

Physicians

• Dr Baker (0.2 miles)
• West Boylston Family Medicine (2.8 miles)
• HB Eye Care Center (2.8 miles)
• Mass Lung & Allergy (3.6 miles)
• Lake View Court (3.7 miles)
• Saint Vincent Medical Group (3.7 miles)
• Fallon Clinic (4.5 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.4 miles)
• Walgreens (3.4 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (3.7 miles)
• Walgreens (5.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (5.4 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (5.4 miles)

Restaurants

• O'Connor's Restaurant & Bar (3.5 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (4.7 miles)
• McDonald's (4.9 miles)
• Chipotle Mexican Grill (5.1 miles)
• Wendy's (5.4 miles)
• The Boynton (5.8 miles)
• Nancy Chang (6 miles)

Places of Worship

• Our Lady of The Rosary Rectory & Main Number (3.9 miles)
• St Spyridon Cathedral Special Events Committee (5.9 miles)
• St Andrew the Apostle Mission (6.7 miles)

Cafes

• Panera Bread (4.6 miles)
• Bean Counter (5.2 miles)
• Fuel America (5.6 miles)
• NU Cafe (6 miles)
• Starbucks (6.3 miles)
• Fuel America (6.5 miles)
• In House Coffee (6.6 miles)

Parks

• Elm Park (5.7 miles)
• Green Hill Park (5.8 miles)
• Beaver Brook Park (6.2 miles)

Hospitals

• UMass Interventional Radiology (6 miles)
• Nahtm (6.1 miles)
• Worcester Recovery Center And Hospital (6.4 miles)
• St Vincent Hospital (6.4 miles)
• Saint Vincent Hospital (6.4 miles)
• U Mass Hospital (6.8 miles)
• UMass ACC (6.8 miles)

Transportation

• Webster Square Station (7.2 miles)