Presbyterian Homes & Svc in New Hartford, NY

Pros

• The staff at Presbyterian Home Rehab were very kind and helpful.
• They helped her into rehab and answered the family's questions.
• The care provided is outstanding, and the family feels she is safe and well cared for.
• Everyone there is friendly and compassionate.
• He is well taken care of and thriving.
• The facility is highly regarded, and the staff interact with his dad daily.
• The staff is very helpful, and the meals are very good.
• She has been very happy with the care she has received.
• The facility is kept remarkably clean, and residents are treated with respect by the support staff.
• Preswick Glen has enhanced her quality of life in innumerable ways.

Cons

• The facility is described as atrocious and uncaring toward patients.
• Little physical therapy was provided, staff were rarely around, and a grandfather waited seven hours for help and could not use the restroom.
• The staff reportedly gave the family a hard time when they removed the grandfather from the facility.
• Families are warned not to send their loved ones there, with allegations that the facility sued them for care costs and pressured signatures.
• Sanitation issues are reported, including an overflowing garbage can, dirty clothes returned, and rooms smelling of urine.
• Communication is described as minimal, discharge explanations are lacking, and new medications were started without proper documentation.
• The administration is accused of shady admission practices, coercing signatures, and being the most expensive nursing home in the area.
• Higher-level staff are accused of bullying, lying, and covering up issues.

Review

Presbyterian Homes & Services in New Hartford is best suited for families seeking a community that delivers genuine warmth and daily attentiveness from frontline staff, with meaningful social and activity programming, and where the primary priority is everyday comfort and safety for a loved one who may require assisted living support or rehab services. The model works best for residents who value approachable, kind care and a home-like atmosphere, and whose expectations can accommodate some variability in outcomes across different units. Those who require relentlessly consistent rehab quality, highly transparent administration, and zero-tolerance for miscommunication should consider alternatives.

On the upside, several reviews highlight a strong nucleus of caring professionals. Families repeatedly praise the kindness and responsiveness of staff, whether in rehab, nursing, or the dining hall, with reported acts of compassion that help residents feel seen and secure. Rehab staff are specifically noted as helpful and dedicated in at least some cases, and meals receive praise for quality. The campus maintenance and cleanliness are described as generally solid in many accounts, and the social work and frontline support personnel are praised for their effort and accessibility. For residents whose needs skew toward supportive daily living and engagement, versus high-stakes medical management, these strengths can translate into a livable, reassuring environment.

Yet serious concerns recur with enough frequency to demand a cautious approach. A subset of families reports neglectful or inattentive care in critical moments, with allegations ranging from missed toileting assistance and inadequate bathing to prolonged wait times for help and inconsistent supervision. Financial and administrative friction also surfaces pathologically: lawsuits over costs, aggressive admission paperwork dynamics, opaque billing, and disputes over misapplied charges are cited. Privacy breaches and unauthorized disclosures in care planning meetings appear in at least one account, signaling governance gaps. Additional practical discomforts, like wiring or laundry issues, occasional foul odors, and inconsistent housekeeping in certain wings, undercut the sense of uniform quality across the campus.

These contrasting experiences need to be weighed when considering whether the pros offset the cons. The positive threads, caring staff, responsive front-line teams, decent meals, and an active social environment, can offset occasional lapses if the facility’s leadership prioritizes person-centered care and robust communication. Families should push for clear, written care plans, direct lines of communication with charge nurses and social workers, and explicit expectations around PT frequency, bathing schedules, medication management, and discharge planning. Tours focused on the rehab unit, current staffing levels, and infection control practices can help separate consistently reliable areas from those that have earned poorer reputations in past reviews.

Given the mixed signals, certain families may prefer alternatives, especially if rehab reliability, transparent governance, and dispute resolution are non-negotiable. For those with strong concerns about process integrity, or who have had or fear similar negative patterns, billing disputes, privacy lapses, or under-staffed shifts, other providers in the region may offer more predictable performance and better governance. When possible, compare the experience of the rehab team at Presbyterian Homes with peers who consistently receive high marks for therapy outcomes and discharge coordination. For independent living with social vitality, nearby options may also present a brighter fit, though those choices differ in level of medical support.

In sum, Presbyterian Homes & Services presents a practical option for families prioritizing everyday kindness, a robust activity calendar, and accessible staff, with the caveat that care quality and administrative reliability can vary notably by unit. It is not a one-size-fits-all solution: for some residents and families, the strong personal connections and decent daily routines justify choosing this community, provided there is vigilant oversight, a clear care plan, and proactive engagement with leadership. For others, especially those whose decision hinges on consistently excellent rehab therapy, flawless privacy, and seamless billing processes, exploring alternatives sooner rather than later is prudent. The right choice hinges on aligning expectations with the specific unit’s track record, and demanding transparent, documented assurances before admission.

This part of New Hartford, New York offers a convenient location for senior living with a variety of healthcare providers nearby, including Adirondack Community Physicians and Mohawk Valley Retina. There are several pharmacies within a short driving distance, such as Omnicare of NY and CVS Specialty, making it easy to access prescription medications. Additionally, there are numerous dining options in the area, ranging from fast food chains like Wendy's and McDonald's to sit-down restaurants like Carmella's Cafe and The Red Samurai Hibachi Steakhouse & Asian Bistro. For entertainment, Marquee Cinemas - Orchard 14 is just a short drive away, along with various cafes like Utica Coffee Of Clinton and Starbucks for socializing. Places of worship such as St John The Evangelist and hospitals like Faxton-St Luke's Healthcare offer additional support and resources for seniors in the community.

Physicians

• Adirondack Community Physicians (0.2 miles)
• Mohawk Valley Retina (0.6 miles)
• Arthiritis Specialists (0.8 miles)
• Surgical Associates of Utica (0.8 miles)
• Helen M. Sarandrea P.T. (0.9 miles)
• OMNI Pain & Precision Medicine (1.4 miles)
• Lester Lisa M DDS - Lester Lisa M PC DDS (1.6 miles)

Pharmacies

• Omnicare of Ny (1.1 miles)
• CVS Speciality (1.7 miles)
• Hannaford Pharmacy (1.8 miles)
• Walgreens (2.8 miles)
• Health Mart Pharmacy (2.8 miles)
• Rite Aid (2.8 miles)
• Randall's Pharmacy (2.8 miles)

Restaurants

• Subway (1.3 miles)
• Dippin Donuts (1.4 miles)
• Wendy's (1.4 miles)
• McDonald's (1.4 miles)
• Carmella's Cafe (1.4 miles)
• The Red Samurai Hibachi Steakhouse & Asian Bistro (1.5 miles)
• Killabrew Saloon (1.7 miles)

Theaters

• Marquee Cinemas - Orchard 14 (2.1 miles)

Cafes

• Utica Coffee Of Clinton (2.4 miles)
• Starbucks (2.4 miles)
• Raspberries Cafe (2.5 miles)
• Panera Bread (2.6 miles)
• Daylight Donuts (2.8 miles)
• Debbie's Cafe (3.8 miles)
• Bagel Grove (4.5 miles)

Places of Worship

• St John The Evangelist (2.9 miles)
• Our Lady Of Lourdes Ch (3.9 miles)

Hospitals

• Faxton St Luke's Healthcare: St Luke's Campus (3.8 miles)
• St Lukes-Memorial Hospital Center - Faxton-St Lukes Healthcare (3.9 miles)
• St Elizabeth Medical Center (4 miles)
• St Elizabeth Medical Center (4.2 miles)
• Faxton-St Luke's Healthcare (4.4 miles)
• Faxton X-ray Department (4.5 miles)
• FAXTON-St LUKE'S HEALTHCARE - FAXTON CAMPUS (4.5 miles)