Shook Home

Pros

• Faith is the nicest person here, the CNA.
• The nurses and caregivers have been wonderful, with Rayna in particular taking the time to ensure he is comfortable and feels at home.
• The staff and facility are excellent.
• The nursing home has good overall cleanliness and staff appear to treat residents well.
• There are activities for residents.
• The dining room service is good.
• The facility is modern, clean, comfortable, warm and friendly.

Cons

• The staff are not friendly and leave visitors outside unless buzzed in, and they don't speak to them otherwise.
• Workers' compensation was denied with an unclear justification that ties the injury to moving the patient and staffing shortages.
• Case workers do not return calls or ensure proper transition planning.
• The call bell is ineffective and unreliable.
• The environment is described as scary and lacking accountability.
• Medicare rates the facility at 2 stars.
• A vendor was canceled from a long-standing event and treated as a placeholder, despite the budget not being cut.

Review

The collection of comments paints a broad, at-times conflicting portrait of local care facilities and community venues, where devotion to service sits alongside frustrations with administration, staffing, and logistical realities. One thread speaks of a longtime partnership with a community-focused venue that became entangled in budgeting decisions and scheduling quirks, leaving a staunch supporter feeling sidelined despite years of collaboration. In that story, the organizer describes a performance cancellation by a local administrator, despite assurances from Transitions corporate that the budget hadn't been cut and that the day had simply been cleared for someone else's use. The underlying frustration isn't just about the missed engagement; it's about a sense of being treated as a placeholder after years of support through pandemics, quarantines, and the kinds of operational hiccups that charity and community programs often weather together.

The same set of experiences includes a sobering note about work-related injury and a dispute over workers' compensation. The writer recalls fracturing a shoulder while moving a heavy patient and contends that the injury was connected to staffing realities - insufficient help on the floor and the need to move patients after care. The response from the system, including questions about the cause and method of the injury, is framed as a disheartening hurdle. Interwoven with this are harsh personal impressions of the environment: a sense that staff can be unwelcoming or dismissive at entry, doors that don't always open smoothly, and a call system that fails to feel reliable or responsive. Taken together, these details contribute to an impression of a place where accountability feels elusive and communication can fall short, even as some staff members - such as a CNA named Faith - are singled out for warmth.

Against these sharper notes, other voices in the same set of critiques adopt a warmer, more celebratory tone. One speaker declares it to be "the greatest place" and a personal favorite to work at, praising the staff for being wonderful, friendly, and kind. The sentiment isn't isolated either; another reviewer gushes, "What a great place! I have been going there for more than 12 years," underscoring a deep sense of loyalty and appreciation for the overall treatment and community atmosphere. These affirmations illustrate a crucial truth: the same facility or program can be a source of pride and comfort for some individuals and a source of disappointment for others, depending on roles, experiences, and specific interactions.

A separate vignette delves into inpatient rehab for a friend recovering from a leg amputation. The narrative contrasts two facilities: an initial stay at Laurel Lakes that was deemed "totally unacceptable," with a subsequent experience at a different setting described as more home-like and supportive. The friend's transition is characterized by a private room, attentive nursing and caregiving, and particular staff members - Rayna is named as someone who went above and beyond to ensure comfort and a sense of home. The reviewer's tone shifts from disappointment in one facility to cautious optimism about another, highlighting how individual caregivers and daily routines can dramatically shape the perception of an entire care environment.

Beyond individual stories, several comments repeatedly celebrate perceived strengths: cleanliness and modern amenities, patient-centered care, and an environment that is "modern, clean, comfortable, warm and friendly." Reviewers mention meaningful activities for residents, good dining room service, and an overall impression that staff treat residents with dignity and kindness. The consistency of these positives across multiple voices helps anchor a view of these places as capable of delivering quality, compassionate care when circumstances align. Yet even amidst praise, practical concerns surface - most notably the need for more transportation options for residents and, in at least one account, the admission that more help is needed to keep up with demand. These gaps remind readers that even well-regarded facilities can struggle under the weight of staffing pressures and logistical complexities.

Taken together, the reviews compose a spectrum that captures both the generosity and the strain of caring for others. There is gratitude for staff members who show up with empathy, for programs that maintain activity and engagement, and for environments that feel safe and welcoming. At the same time, there are cautions about episodes of miscommunication, perceived inequities in treatment or scheduling, and the tangible impact of staffing shortages on everyday operations. The overarching message is nuanced: when leadership, budgeting, and staffing align with the needs of residents and participants, these facilities can feel like trusted, almost familial spaces. When they don't, even a long history of positive engagement can be overshadowed by moments of frustration and disappointment.

In the end, the narratives reveal a community grappling with the realities of running meaningful services in a resource-constrained world. The stories that sing with praise - long-standing relationships, caring staff, clean and welcoming environments - exist in close quarters with accounts of canceled events, complicated bureaucracies, and the anxiety that comes from inadequate support systems. The overall sense is that these places have tremendous potential to be sources of comfort, dignity, and connection, but that realization requires transparent communication, consistent staffing, and a willingness to address logistical and administrative hurdles with the same care that is shown to residents and guests in everyday interactions.

This part of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania offers a variety of amenities and services that would cater well to seniors looking for a comfortable and convenient living environment. With theaters, pharmacies, cafes, restaurants, places of worship, physicians, transportation options, hospitals, and parks all within close proximity, residents in this area have easy access to essential services and recreational activities. The presence of Summit Health and the Chambersburg Hospital ensures quality healthcare facilities are readily available. The proximity to Memorial Park Skate Park and Falling Springs Trout Nursery also provides opportunities for outdoor recreation. Overall, this neighborhood provides a well-rounded living experience for seniors seeking a vibrant community with easy access to daily necessities and healthcare services.

Theaters

• The Downtown Chambersburg (0.1 miles)

Pharmacies

• Chambers' Apothecary (0.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (0.2 miles)
• Rite Aid (0.3 miles)
• Walgreens (0.9 miles)
• Park Avenue Pharmacy (1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.4 miles)
• GIANT Pharmacy (1.5 miles)

Cafes

• Denim Coffee (0.2 miles)
• Starbucks (1.6 miles)
• Panera Bread (1.7 miles)
• Kristtany Tea and Brewology Coffee Shop (4.1 miles)

Restaurants

• Main Street Deli (0.2 miles)
• Brussel's Cafe (0.2 miles)
• Bistro 71 (0.2 miles)
• Ice Cream Station (0.3 miles)
• Las Palmeras Restauran (0.3 miles)
• Pat & Carlas (0.6 miles)
• Copper Kettle (1 miles)

Places of Worship

• King Street Church (0.2 miles)
• Zion Reformed Church (0.2 miles)
• Unity (3.8 miles)
• Southern Baptist Convention (4 miles)
• Marion Mennonite Church (4.5 miles)

Physicians

• Keystone Behavioral Health (0.3 miles)
• Franklin Family Practice (0.5 miles)
• Betsy Rosenthal DPM (0.7 miles)
• Richards Orthopaedic Center & Sports Medicine (0.8 miles)
• Rosemary A Johnston DO (0.8 miles)
• Balhara Internal Medicine Assoc (1.1 miles)
• Valley Urological Associates (1.1 miles)

Transportation

• U-Haul (0.7 miles)
• Pennsylvania & Southern Railway (3.9 miles)

Hospitals

• Summit Health (0.7 miles)
• Chambersburg Hospital (0.7 miles)
• Cancer Treatment Center (0.8 miles)
• Chambersburg Hospital (1.6 miles)
• Laurel Lakes (1.6 miles)

Parks

• Memorial Park Skate Park (1.5 miles)
• Falling Springs Trout Nursery (1.7 miles)