Gentiva Health in Southfield, MI

Pros

• Gentiva Hospice is an amazing team to turn to for support during times of need.
• Shelly McGarvey is compassionate and truly cares about her patients.
• Gentiva Hospice offers attentive, compassionate, trustworthy, knowledgeable, and caring care that provides peace of mind.
• JoAnn (Cena) is highly skilled, prompt, and demonstrates outstanding integrity.
• The staff provide timely, quality care with a personal touch and always do the right thing for patients and families.
• Hannah Roth is dependable, highly knowledgeable, and communicates thoughtfully and clearly, prioritizing patients’ and families’ needs.
• Shelly MCGarvey is attentive to community and resident needs and goes above and beyond for those they support.
• Kindred Hospice is described as one of the most professional and caring organizations, with a compassionate, knowledgeable, and dedicated team.

Cons

• They would give negative stars and advise others to stay away from Gentiva, citing no communication and staff who rarely show up.
• They described Gentiva Hospice as lacking communication and reliability during times of need.
• They stated no hospice staff showed up at the facility to care for their mother, leaving the family without support at the end of life.
• They said the nurses were rude and inconsiderate, undermining the quality of care.
• They were appalled by a nurse practitioner’s remark about prognosis and by being told certain duties weren’t part of the job, calling the care terrible.
• They labeled the company deplorable and warned others not to do business with them.

Review

Gentiva Hospice in Southfield, MI is best suited for families that prize intimate, highly coordinated end-of-life care led by a small cadre of extraordinarily capable clinicians. This community shines when families want a partner who can navigate admissions smoothly, facilitate thoughtful care conferences, and provide educational resources that help everyone understand what to expect. The strongest value comes from dedicated professionals who demonstrate genuine compassion, clear communication, and a proactive approach to aligning care with a patient’s goals. When the right clinicians are in charge, especially those who consistently show up and empower families, the experience feels personal, forthcoming, and deeply supportive during a difficult time.

Those evaluating Gentiva should consider alternatives if staffing consistency and predictable daily rhythms are non-negotiable. Several reviews flag variability in who shows up and how information is conveyed, which can leave families uncertain about who is truly in charge of care at any moment. For families that require a uniformly steady team and find it unacceptable when a patient encounters multiple caregivers with shifting messages, a different provider with a stronger track record of consistent staffing may reduce anxiety and confusion. In the broader local market, other agencies are praised for highly dependable presence and seamless continuity; for some families, those characteristics will outweigh Gentiva’s strengths.

On the positive side, the pros pile up in meaningful ways. The standout clinicians, names repeatedly cited in reviews, create real comfort during end-of-life planning and care. Shelly McGarvey consistently guides families through admission and ongoing decision-making with compassion and reliability, becoming a trusted touchpoint. Hannah Roth earns praise for her knowledge and calm, patient communication, reinforcing a sense of partnership rather than transactional care. The team’s strength isn’t only technical; it’s about thoughtful coordination: care conferences that involve all stakeholders, timely delivery of supplies and equipment, and educational resources that illuminate what families can expect next. When care is anchored by such professionals, the experience becomes more manageable and less isolating for loved ones.

Yet the cons cited in reviews cannot be dismissed. The most serious concerns center on inconsistent staffing and communication gaps: multiple guests appearing at a patient’s bedside without a clear plan or a single accountable clinician can create confusion and frustration at a deeply emotional moment. A few accounts recount negative behavior or tone from individual staff members, ranging from a nurse practitioner’s callous remark about a patient’s prognosis to complaints about rudeness or dismissal from on-call nurses. Perhaps most distressing to families is a perception that no one from hospice was present during a loved one’s final moments, despite expectations of compassionate presence. These experiences underscore a real risk: when accountability and clear lines of communication break down, even excellent clinical care can feel impersonal or incomplete.

The question then becomes how to translate these pros and cons into a practical decision. Families can optimize Gentiva’s strengths by requesting a dedicated primary nurse and a consistent care team, whenever possible, so that care plans and goals remain coherent across visits. Before committing, insist on a formal care conference that includes the physician, nurse, social worker, and family members, ensuring everyone shares a single understanding of goals, expectations, and a contingency plan for staffing changes. Proactively confirm on-call responsiveness and establish a preferred point of contact to minimize miscommunication during evenings or weekends. If a family values educational materials and resources that illuminate hospice decisions, Gentiva’s repertoire of information can be an important asset that reduces uncertainty and fear.

In the end, Gentiva Hospice presents a sound choice for families seeking empathetic, knowledgeable guidance and strong clinical leadership during a difficult journey. The best-fit households are those willing to engage actively with the team, seeking out Shelly, Hannah, or other trusted clinicians, demanding clear communication, and insisting on continuity where possible. If the priority is a consistently predictable schedule, a single, clearly identified care lead, and a consistently present bedside team, it is prudent to compare alternatives and push for explicit staffing arrangements before finalizing. For many families, the combination of compassionate staff, care conferences, and practical resources will make Gentiva a source of real relief; for others, a provider with a more uniform staffing model may better align with their expectations for end-of-life care.

This part of Southfield, Michigan offers a convenient and vibrant community with various amenities nearby. With multiple Starbucks cafes, fast food restaurants like McDonald's and Wendy's, as well as pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens, residents have easy access to essentials. For medical care, there are several physicians' offices within a few miles, including Providence Medical Center and the Michigan Institute For Neurological Disorders. In case of emergencies, Botsford Hospital is just a short drive away. Additionally, residents can enjoy entertainment at Riviera Cinema or explore nature at parks like Flanders Park and Woodland Hills Nature Park. Overall, this area provides a mix of convenience, healthcare options, leisure activities, and places of worship like St Hugo of the Hills Church for those considering senior living in Southfield.

Cafes

• Starbucks (0.3 miles)
• Starbucks (1.5 miles)
• Starbucks (1.8 miles)
• Starbucks (4 miles)
• Tim Hortons (4.8 miles)
• Starbucks (5.8 miles)
• Starbucks Reserve (6 miles)

Restaurants

• McDonald's (0.8 miles)
• Wendy's (1.3 miles)
• Taco Bell (1.5 miles)
• McDonald's (1.7 miles)
• Duo Restaurant & Lounge (2.4 miles)
• 2 Rose's Family Restaurant (3.7 miles)
• McDonald's (3.9 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (1.4 miles)
• Walgreens (1.9 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.8 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.2 miles)
• Walgreens (4.5 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.6 miles)
• Walgreens (5.2 miles)

Physicians

• Providence Medical Center (2.6 miles)
• Michigan Institute For Neurological Disorders (4.3 miles)
• Millenium Diagnostic Center (4.4 miles)
• Beverly Hills Orthopedists (4.9 miles)
• Asthma & Allergic Disease Center (5.3 miles)
• Beaumont Midwest Internal Medicine Associates (5.4 miles)
• Beaumont Medical Center - West Bloomfield (5.6 miles)

Hospitals

• Botsford Hospital (3.1 miles)
• Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital (7.4 miles)

Theaters

• Riviera Cinema (3.3 miles)
• Emagine Royal Oak (7.4 miles)
• Phoenix Theatres Laurel Park Place (8 miles)

Parks

• Flanders Park (4.8 miles)
• Woodland Hills Nature Park (5.1 miles)
• Shain Park (5.8 miles)
• Starr Jaycee Park (7.1 miles)
• Harding Park (8.1 miles)
• Clawson Park (8.1 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Hugo of the Hills Church (8.1 miles)