David M Dorsett Health Care

Pros

• The staff have been incredible.
• Spearfish Canyon is highly recommended by others in the community.
• The staff are all very compassionate.
• Residents are treated like family.
• The facility is clean and well kept.
• The environment is welcoming.
• The staff are friendly and helpful.

Cons

• The reviewer called the care the worst ever.
• Bedding was never changed for two weeks, and the bed was only made three times.
• The bathroom was cleaned only three times in two weeks.
• A patient next to the reviewer's wife was left on the toilet for 35 minutes.
• Gloves used for another patient were left on the floor for two days.
• A partial toilet paper roll was left beside the toilet for four days.
• A physical therapy session allegedly involved walking up four flights of stairs, with the patient in a wheelchair for only about ten minutes.
• The wheelchair provided was dirty and wipes were requested.
• The reviewer claimed to have reported the facility to SD Health.
• The reviewer claimed a staff member was fighting and hitting a resident.

Review

Spearfish Canyon Health Care sits at the center of a surprisingly wide spectrum of experiences, ranging from heart-wrenching complaints to heartfelt endorsements. A single glance through the collected impressions reveals families who felt neglected and others who found comfort and compassion in the very same place. The contrasts are stark, and together they form a portrait of a facility that means different things to different people, depending on who is there, when they are there, and which unit or staff member is involved.

One of the most detailed and troubling accounts centers on a two-week stay that a family member describes as the worst care imaginable. In this account, a wife recovering from a major health event was left to endure a grim routine that included repeated trips to empty trash and long stretches in the hallway, minimal personal care, and a rehab schedule that consisted of just one hour of therapy over two weeks. Bedding and bathroom cleanliness were consistently neglected - bed linen was not changed, the bathroom was cleaned only a few times, and a shared bathroom situation led to a disturbing incident where a patient next to her was left on the toilet for an extended period. The reviewer also notes dirty gloves and debris left on the floor for days, a partial toilet paper roll that remained for days, and a wheelchair so dirty the family had to supply wipes. The experience was harrowing enough to prompt a health department complaint, and the writer laments that patients without such advocates might suffer even more. It's a portrait of distress and frustration, delivered with the sense that the care gaps described should never be tolerated.

Alongside this painful account there are fervent, repeated affirmations of care and compassion from other families. For many, Spearfish Canyon is a place where mothers, husbands, siblings, and friends have received attentive, courteous, and capable support. A recurring theme is that rehabilitation and memory care can be demanding, but the staff respond with genuine kindness and consistent effort. One reviewer notes that their mother has been through rehabilitation there multiple times, and the staff have consistently demonstrated warmth and competence, helping the family navigate moving from active rehab to a nursing-home phase with sensitivity and practical support. In these stories, the facility becomes a place of steadiness and reassurance at a difficult life transition.

Several reviews highlight long-term relationships with the staff that feel almost like family. A family member describes having their mom in the facility for years, with caregivers who go beyond the call of duty and a community that feels welcoming. Others recount positive experiences with siblings and spouses who required ongoing care, praising the nurses, CNAs, and aides for their compassion, humor, and steadiness in difficult moments. The sentiment runs strong: when the care is good, it is genuinely good, and the staff's daily acts of attentiveness - checking on comfort, coordinating with families, and maintaining a respectful, gracious environment - leave a lasting impression. The repeated endorsements emphasize gratitude for staff who treat patients with dignity and for a facility that can be a steadfast ally when home care is no longer feasible.

The emotional tone across reviews is not uniformly positive, however. Several entries express sharp disappointment with specific interactions or episodes. One account describes an initial encounter with a director of nursing that felt dismissive, followed by a disturbing scene in which a resident allegedly cried out and was involved in a confrontation with a staff member. The reviewer's conclusion was clear: this facility, at least in that moment, did not provide the level of care or compassion they expected and deserve. Another reviewer recalls an isolated incident where a staff member was accused of rude behavior toward a visitor, underscoring that even in a generally supportive environment, individual interactions can color the overall impression of a place. These voices remind readers that a single day or encounter can shape one's view just as strongly as months of consistent care.

Yet the broad chorus of praise cannot be ignored. Across many testimonials, families describe bright spots - cleanliness and a respectful atmosphere, compassionate caregivers who remember personal details, and administrators who are accessible and helpful. Visitors speak of a facility that, on balance, feels well managed: pleasant staff, an inviting environment, and a sense of community where families are included and kept informed. Some reviewers mention specific people by name, noting that individuals at the front desk or among the administration have been especially kind or supportive during trying times. For those seeking a place for long-term care, hospice support, or transition to more intensive nursing-home services, these positive observations provide a counterweight to the more troubling disclosures, suggesting that Spearfish Canyon can offer meaningful, quality care when the right staff and moments align.

Overall, the set of reviews presents a complex portrait of Spearfish Canyon Health Care. It is a facility capable of extraordinary warmth, practical competence, and steadfast support, as multiple families attest to their loved ones' comfort and dignity in life's most challenging moments. It is also a place where serious concerns have been raised about cleanliness, responsiveness, and the consistency of care, with heartbreaking stories of neglect and unsettling incidents that no family member wants to encounter. For families facing difficult decisions about care - especially for those with dementia, hospice needs, or significant rehab requirements - the message is clear: investigate thoroughly, visit multiple times if possible, speak to the staff directly, and listen to the experiences of current residents and families. The facility clearly hosts both people who feel profoundly cared for and those who have left with troubling memories, making it essential for anyone considering Spearfish Canyon to weigh personal priorities, unit-specific conditions, and the availability of advocates when planning next steps.

Restaurants

• Millstone Family Restaurant (0.1 miles)
• Leones' Creamery (0.4 miles)
• Antunez (0.4 miles)
• Spearfish Brewing (0.5 miles)
• Jade Palace (0.5 miles)
• Green Oven Bakery (0.5 miles)
• Common Grounds (0.5 miles)

Hospitals

• Spearfish Regional Surgery Center (0.3 miles)
• Spearfish hospital (0.5 miles)

Physicians

• Queen City Regional Medical Center (0.3 miles)
• Christi A. Childers, DO (0.4 miles)
• Black Hills Dermatology & Laser Surgery Centre (0.5 miles)
• Family Medical Center (0.5 miles)
• Spearfish Regional Medical Clinic (0.5 miles)
• Black Hills Dermatology Center (0.5 miles)
• Spearfish Eye Care Center (0.5 miles)

Pharmacies

• Monument Health Home+ Pharmacy (0.3 miles)
• Medicap Pharmacy (0.4 miles)
• Walgreens (0.5 miles)
• Safeway Number 583 (0.5 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (2.2 miles)
• White Drug (10.6 miles)
• Thrifty White Pharmacy (10.6 miles)

Places of Worship

• Foundation for Christian Discipleship Campus Ventu (0.4 miles)
• All Angels Episcopal Church (0.5 miles)
• United Methodist Church (1.5 miles)
• The Basin (2.1 miles)
• General Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists (2.1 miles)
• Spearfish Adventist Church (2.3 miles)
• North Point Christian Church (2.5 miles)

Parks

• Lions Memorial Park (0.4 miles)
• Salem Park (0.8 miles)
• Spearfish City Park (0.9 miles)
• Evans Park (1.3 miles)
• Heritage Park (2.8 miles)
• City Of Lead Dog Park (10.7 miles)

Cafes

• Blackbird Espresso (0.6 miles)
• Queen City Coffee (0.6 miles)
• Creekside Bean & V (1.4 miles)
• Mercantile (2.2 miles)
• Soul Food (2.2 miles)
• Starbucks (10.1 miles)
• Lee Street Station Cafe (10.2 miles)

Transportation

• Enterprise Rent-A-Car (0.8 miles)
• Canyon Cab Co. (1.8 miles)
• U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer (2.4 miles)
• Black Hills Transportation Services (2.9 miles)
• Black Hills Airport (SPF) (3.4 miles)
• Black Hills Airport-Clyde Ice Field (3.5 miles)
• Dakota Car Rental (3.5 miles)