Hillcrest Care & Rehab Ctr

Pros

• There were a couple traveling nurses and CNAs who provided good care.
• The PT/OT was good when it occurred during the week.
• Staff were wonderful, very attentive and kind.
• PT and OT were great.
• Ashley, the Director of Social Work, is amazing; Sandra is amazing as well; Cassandra, RN goes above and beyond; Matthew, RN is great.
• Mary (from Kenya) was outstanding, always super pleasant and knowledgeable.
• Hillcrest Health and Rehab provides excellent care with a compassionate and professional staff.
• Care personnel were friendly and helpful.
• The therapy is good; OT care is very good and the staff check on patients frequently; medications are given on time.
• The room was clean and comfortable.

Cons

• The reviewers describe the staff as rude and lacking empathy, including the director.
• Repositioning was infrequent, leading to a bleeding pressure sore despite requests.
• They were told a care plan would be printed and posted in the room, but it never appeared and copies cost money.
• A CNA or nurse allegedly yelled at the patient for weakness and caused him pain.
• The patient was not consistently provided a urinal, sometimes peed in a cup, and one urinal was found in the trash.
• A med aide handed out medications without confirming ingestion, requiring a nurse to verify later.
• Fluids for dehydration were mishandled; IV placement was outsourced and not started the next day.
• The leadership was defensive and unresponsive to concerns, with the director seen as part of the problem.
• The facility is described as prioritizing money over care, with little or no condolence when death occurred.
• Meals and feeding support were poor, with missed or cold meals and family members frequently needing to assist.

Review

In October 2025, families shared a wide range of experiences at Hillcrest Health and Rehab, revealing a facility with stark contrasts between moments of compassionate, capable care and stretches of neglect, miscommunication, and what many perceived as a chilly, defensive leadership culture. Several reviews describe skilled rehab as a glimmer of hope during a difficult cancer journey, with PT/OT therapists delivering solid work when they happened to be on site and some nurses and CNAs offering genuine kindness. Yet those positive notes are often overshadowed by repeated accounts of poor safety practices, insufficient positioning and feeding support, and difficult interactions with administration and some staff.

A pervasive theme across multiple accounts is inconsistent staffing and care quality, especially during evenings and weekends. Families praised the presence and attentiveness of a few traveling nurses and CNAs, but lamented that those individuals could not be there consistently. When the regular staff were present, therapy sections sometimes went well - patients receiving PT/OT were described as thorough and helpful - but otherwise the care offered for routine, day-to-day needs frequently fell short. Repositioning, a basic comfort and safety measure for someone who spends most of the day in bed, was cited as repeatedly delayed or neglected, leading to serious consequences. In one case, a pressure sore developed after a prolonged period of limited movement, despite repeated requests from family members for more frequent repositioning. The situation was compounded by a policy of placing a brief on the patient's bed and then leaving them in bed for long stretches.

Nutritional and hydration concerns recur throughout the reviews, painting a troubling picture of management of basic needs. Loved ones reportedly lost weight due to insufficient nutrition and dehydration, with family members forced to bring in liquid supplements because the facility did not provide them. There were specific, jarring anecdotes about dehydration and IV care: nurses admitted lack of expertise with IVs, called in an outside company to start fluids, and then apparently forgot to begin the fluids altogether the next day. Food, when delivered, was not consistently assisted with or consumed by the patient; one family member described having to step in to help their loved one eat. In addition, several accounts highlighted practical neglect around basic bathroom needs and dignity: urinals were sometimes unavailable or misused (one was found hanging on a trash can), and there were reports of patients urinating in cups because no urinal or assistance was provided promptly. A call button near the patient's bed was not always accessible, leaving the patient waiting in distress.

Communication and transparency with families were other major fault lines. Several reviews mentioned care plans not being printed or accessible: a promised printed care plan never materialized, and when family members asked for a copy, they were told there would be a fee. The broader leadership dynamic was described as defensive and unreceptive to concerns, with critics calling for investigations and even implying that the administration prioritized financial concerns over patient safety and family involvement. There were accounts of confrontations or uncomfortable interactions when families raised questions, including a reported incident where a CNA or nurse yelled at a patient who lacked strength after toileting. The emotional toll was clear, with patients crying after distressing episodes and families feeling unwelcome or undervalued as partners in care.

Safety, dignity, and the quality of daily care varied not only by staff but also by the facility's approach to accountability. One long, painful review detailed that a patient arrived without a proper welcome or a care plan, experienced no meaningful meals for long periods, and ultimately died after what the writer described as a cascade of missed opportunities for appropriate care. The reviewer alleged a concerted effort by administrative leadership to downplay concerns, noting that this person's family had enlisted a social worker, a doctor, a nurse, and a lawyer to advocate for the patient. Multiple reviews repeated concerns about a lack of empathy and genuine concern for patients, especially when family input was offered or when concerns were pointed out in real time.

Despite these negative themes, not all feedback was uniformly grim. A number of reviewers highlighted kind, capable staff who stood out for their generosity and professionalism. Ashley, the Director of Social Work, and Cassandra, a registered nurse, were singled out for going above and beyond, as were Mary (described as knowledgeable, pleasant, and kind) and Matthew (also praised for his helpful approach). Several reviews reported that PT and OT therapies were excellent and that therapy staff were easy to work with, effectively supporting both the patient and the family. Some families appreciated the overall cleanliness of the facility, the competence of the therapy teams, and the willingness of certain staff members to explain procedures and progress. A few remarks even suggested that some caregivers were deeply appreciated and that, on balance, the facility could be a decent option when the right staff are on site and when families are actively involved.

When it came to overall impressions, many reviews acknowledged that Hillcrest had previously delivered strong care but that the current experience could feel very different. Some families described a shift from what had been an excellent facility several years ago to a place where leadership and internal communication no longer aligned with the needs and voices of patients and their loved ones. The sentiment ranged from cautious endorsement to outright warning against recommending the facility, with several reviewers urging others to consider caretaking options carefully and to push for visible, consistent improvements in care planning, staffing reliability, and patient safety protocols. A few reviews also underscored that while some staff members were exemplary, systemic issues - especially at the administrative level - diminished overall trust in the facility's ability to deliver high-quality care consistently.

In sum, the stories paint a complex portrait of Hillcrest Health and Rehab. There are clear successes in therapy, staff kindness from certain individuals, and a commitment to patient-centered activities from some team members. Yet these positives are interwoven with serious concerns about safety lapses, inadequate daily care, dehydration and nutrition management, missing or miscommunicated care plans, and a leadership culture that some families felt was unresponsive or defensive. For anyone considering this facility, these narratives underscore the importance of clear, proactive communication with the staff, a robust visitation and advocacy plan to monitor daily care, and a frank discussion with administration about expectations, safety protocols, and accountability to ensure that both medical and supportive needs are consistently met. The experiences shared here suggest that Hillcrest has the potential to provide good care, but realizing that potential depends on meaningful improvements at the leadership level and unwavering attention to the fundamental aspects of patient safety, dignity, and family involvement.

This part of Bellevue, Nebraska offers a variety of amenities that cater to senior living. With a range of restaurants nearby such as Umami, Luigi's Italian Restaurant, and Golden Corral, seniors can enjoy convenient dining options. Additionally, there are pharmacies including Walgreens and CVS Pharmacy within close proximity for easy access to medications. For medical care, there are physicians like Eye Specialists/ Bellevue Optical and Midwest Dermatology available in the area. Places of worship such as Church Of The Holy Spirit offer spiritual support, while parks like American Heroes Park and Lake Manawa State Park provide opportunities for outdoor recreation. Overall, this neighborhood provides a mix of services and facilities that can contribute to a comfortable and fulfilling retirement lifestyle.

Restaurants

• Umami (0.3 miles)
• Dairy Twist (0.6 miles)
• Luigi's Italian Restaurant (1.2 miles)
• Sickies Garage Burgers & Brews (1.4 miles)
• Sonic Drive-In (1.5 miles)
• The Special Restaurant (1.6 miles)
• Golden Corral (1.6 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (0.4 miles)
• Offutt Satellite Pharmacy (1.6 miles)
• Summit Plaza (2.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.8 miles)
• Walgreens (4.3 miles)
• Walgreens (5.1 miles)

Physicians

• Eye Specialists/ Bellevue Optical (0.6 miles)
• Abortion & Contraception Clinic of Nebraska (0.6 miles)
• Mark D Frey MD (1.2 miles)
• Midwest Dermatology (2.2 miles)
• Radiology (2.3 miles)
• Optometry (2.4 miles)
• Alegent Health Clinic (2.4 miles)

Places of Worship

• Church Of The Holy Spirit (0.6 miles)
• Lifespring Church Sbc (3.7 miles)
• New Hope Community Church (6.3 miles)

Parks

• American Heroes Park (1.7 miles)
• Looking Glass Park (2.9 miles)
• Clear Water Falls Park (4.1 miles)
• Brown Park (4.2 miles)
• Falconwood Park (5.2 miles)
• Lake Manawa State Park (5.4 miles)
• Halleck Park (6.2 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (7.1 miles)
• Archetype Coffee (7.2 miles)

Hospitals

• Va Medical Center (7.6 miles)