LaCroix Family Residences

Pros

• Covenant Living Skilled Care Center is described as an excellent place by a reviewer.
• The OT and PT are praised for doing very good work.
• The food is good and residents are gaining weight.
• Nursing staff are kind and the social worker is helpful.
• The facility has a positive feel and a consistently energetic environment.
• A concierge helps with medical transport and related needs.
• The receptionist is friendly.
• The therapy department is regarded as great by multiple reviewers.

Cons

• People should not send their loved ones here.
• The staff seem tired and burnt out, and are rude and uncaring.
• The facility is grossly understaffed and appears to care more about profits than patient care.
• There is complete neglect of patients and a lack of communication with families.
• Call buttons are ignored and residents wait for help for long periods.
• Patients are left in soiled conditions and unattended.
• Discharge is disorganized and families receive little guidance.
• The social worker is blunt and uncaring.

Review

A large set of firsthand accounts from families and former patients paints Covenant Living Skilled Care Center and its Transitional Care Unit in a stark, dual light. On one hand, there are repeated praises for therapy teams, good food, and moments of genuine care. On the other hand, a heavy and loud chorus of criticism runs through many reviews: chronic understaffing, slow or missing responses to call bells, blunt or dismissive communication from some staff, and disorganized processes that leave families feeling unheard and patients underserved. The contrast is so sharp that readers frequently feel they are looking at two very different facilities sharing a common name.

Several reviews center on a harrowing set of bedside experiences that left families deeply distressed. One parent described bruising on their loved one and alleged that nurses minimized or dismissed concerns, with pills found scattered on floors or left on tables. In another troubling case, a broad misdiagnosis about a wart-like lesion on a finger is described, with the staff allegedly telling the family not to treat a painful condition that clearly needed attention. Compounding these concerns were situations where patients pressed call buttons for help and waited far longer than acceptable - sometimes as long as an hour and a half - before any assistance arrived. There were also alarming reports of a patient's blood sugar plummeting after insulin administration, with the family noting that multiple calls to the nurse went unanswered as the patient became unresponsive by the time they reached the ER. These narratives emphasize not only potential medical missteps but also a systemic feel of neglect and fear for loved ones.

The cadence of such complaints frequently centers on breakdowns in basic communication and safety procedures. Families recount a call button system that fails or becomes unreliable, and the staff's internal communication about patient needs often appears fragmented. An incident described as a back brace being reassembled incorrectly, leaving the patient inadequately supported, underscores fears that even routine rehabilitative care could be mishandled. Discharge planning emerges as another sore point - without clear guidance, home care arrangements, catheter removal, or follow-up therapies, families feel left to chase down answers themselves. In one memorable set of observations, a nurse and aide discussion devolved into finger-pointing, with the nurse questioning an aide's memory about whether a patient had requested medication, suggesting a broader culture where accountability and clear handoffs were lacking.

Blunt or bluntly delivered bedside interactions also surface repeatedly. Several reviews point to a social worker named Carrie as blunt or unempathetic, with one reviewer labeling her "a nightmare to work with." The broader tone about staff demeanor ranges from "cold and unattentive" to "the staff are kind" in other accounts, underscoring a volatile mix of personal experiences. Dining room staff are described as unresponsive or uncaring by some family members, while other reviews note a generally positive energy in the environment and courteous receptionists or concierges who help with logistics. This split - where some encounters feel warm and professional while others feel transactional or indifferent - appears across multiple locations and time periods, suggesting variability in day-to-day staff performance.

Amid the negative feedback, there are clearly documented pockets of competence and care. A subset of reviewers describes excellent outcomes in physical therapy and occupational therapy, with steady improvement and even weight gain after rehab. The therapy department, especially in the TCU (transitional care unit) context, is repeatedly identified as capable and committed, with long-standing staff contributing to consistent care. Positive notes also mention good nutrition and generally satisfying meals for a picky eater, along with helpful logistical support from a ?consierge' and a friendly receptionist. In these accounts, the facility's strengths lie in its rehabilitative services and the practical support that helps families coordinate care.

The overall picture, then, is not one of a single, uniformly negative or uniformly excellent facility, but a facility that has produced both notably good outcomes and stark, alarming failures in care and communication. Several reviews suggest systemic concerns - understaffing, profit pressures, and prioritization of census growth over individualized patient care - while others insist that certain teams and services deliver high-quality, compassionate care. Some families express gratitude for measurable improvements and thorough therapy, while others warn prospective residents and their families to proceed with extreme caution, verify all communications, and demand consistent, transparent updates.

For anyone considering Covenant Living Skilled Care Center or evaluating its Transitional Care Unit, these reviews advocate a careful, multiperspective approach. Read across the full spectrum of experiences, ask pointed questions about staffing ratios, call-light response times, and the specifics of discharge planning, and seek direct input from current staff in the front-line roles and from residents or family members who have recent experience. If you do proceed, insist on a clear, written plan for daily care, nutrition, medication management, and home-care follow-up - plus a reliable way to escalate concerns quickly. In the face of contrasting experiences, the safest path is to advocate actively for your loved one and to demand timely, consistent communication from the team.

This part of Minneapolis, Minnesota offers a variety of amenities and services that would cater well to seniors looking for a comfortable and convenient living environment. With multiple places of worship nearby, such as Elim Church Center and Westminster Presbyterian Church, residents have easy access to spiritual support and community engagement. Additionally, the proximity of several pharmacies like Walgreens and Park Nicollet Clinic ensures easy access to healthcare needs. The area also boasts several parks for recreation and relaxation, including Twin Lake Beach Park and Loring Park. For social outings or dining options, there are plenty of cafes and restaurants within a short distance, such as Caribou Coffee and Big Louie's Bar & Grill. Furthermore, with hospitals like Regency Hospital and Unity Hospital in the vicinity, residents can feel secure knowing that medical care is easily accessible. Overall, this part of Minneapolis provides a well-rounded environment for senior living with a mix of essential services and recreational opportunities.

Places of Worship

• Elim Church Center (0.3 miles)
• Westminster Presbyterian Church (4.9 miles)
• Fridley United Methodist Church (5.3 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.4 miles)
• Walgreens (2.4 miles)
• Walgreens (2.5 miles)
• Park Nicollet Clinic (2.6 miles)
• HyVee Pharmacy (2.7 miles)
• Walgreens (2.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3 miles)

Parks

• Twin Lake Beach Park (0.8 miles)
• North Loop Dog Park (3.9 miles)
• Boom Island Park (4 miles)
• Loring Park (4.9 miles)
• Mill Ruins Park (5 miles)
• Gateway Dog Park - Off-Leash Play Area (5.1 miles)
• French Regional Park (5.1 miles)

Cafes

• Caribou Coffee (0.9 miles)
• Dunn Brothers Coffee (4.9 miles)
• Spyhouse Coffee (5.3 miles)
• Starbucks (5.4 miles)
• Angel Food Bakery & Coffee Bar (6.2 miles)

Restaurants

• Big Louie's Bar & Grill (1.8 miles)
• Pub 42 (2.3 miles)
• Tony Jaro's River Garden (3.1 miles)
• Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge (3.3 miles)
• Culver's (3.4 miles)
• Pryes Brewing Company (3.7 miles)
• Jimmy's Bar & Lounge (3.7 miles)

Physicians

• Northwest Family Physicians PA (2.2 miles)
• Fairview Fridley Clinic (4.9 miles)
• Eyeklinic of Edinburgh (5.5 miles)
• Eye Care Center (5.6 miles)
• Partners In Pediatrics (6 miles)
• Fairview Clinics (6 miles)
• Whittier Clinic (6.1 miles)

Hospitals

• Regency Hospital (2.7 miles)
• Hennepin County Medical Center (5.3 miles)
• Csc Gi Lab (5.3 miles)
• Unity Hospital (6.3 miles)