Strunk Retirement Home

Pros

• The staff are great and caring.
• The food is excellent.
• There is excellent communication with families about residents' health and changes in condition.
• The social services and facility management are excellent.
• Management provides weekly email updates to families about COVID.
• The staffing is excellent and the facility is very clean.
• The staff are kind and treat families well.
• The caregivers are praised for taking great care of residents.
• There have been no complaints after one year.

Cons

• Care plans were blatantly disregarded.
• Desserts were inappropriately served to diabetics.
• Residents were in severe distress.
• An elderly gentleman's appearance rapidly declined after arrival, suggesting neglect.
• He waited a whole week for a bath despite requests, indicating neglect.
• The observer felt mortified by what goes on behind the scenes.

Review

The collection of reflections presents a facility that can feel like a paradox: moments of genuine compassion and pride in the care offered mingle with stark, distressing accounts of neglect and systemic gaps. Several reviewers describe care that appears attentive and deeply human, while others report care plans being ignored, dietary missteps that could harm residents with diabetes, and residents experiencing significant distress. The juxtaposition is instructive, painting a picture of a place that can evoke gratitude and fear in quick succession, depending on the day, the staff on duty, or the individual resident's needs.

One of the most harrowing scenes shared is a glimpse into a decline in care that is hard to reconcile with the ideals of a supportive living environment. The reviewer notes care plans were "blatantly disregarded," and describes a pattern of keeping diabetics from receiving appropriate desserts while others were treated to items that could compromise their health. The account expands to a broader image of residents in severe distress, suggesting a routine that may fall short of the dignity and comfort all residents deserve. The language is stark, and the emotional weight of seeing someone in distress - paired with a perceived disregard for established care guidelines - leaves a lasting impression of a facility where not every day meets the standards one would hope for when entrusting a loved one to care.

Within that same narrative, a poignant moment stands out - a dignified elderly gentleman who seemed to deteriorate rapidly after arrival. He waited by his door, hoping his caregiver would notice him, and pleaded with the writer to persuade staff to bathe him. The response he received was a week-long postponement, culminating in an unwashed appearance that included unwashed hair, dirty clothes, and a beard growth that testified to his neglect in that moment. When he was finally wheeled toward the shower, his eyes filled with tears as he whispered a grateful "Thank you" to the observer. This scene underscores the humanity at stake in daily care and the profound impact that timely, compassionate attention can have on a resident's dignity and sense of safety.

The emotional impact of witnessing such moments is compounded by a sense of powerlessness described by the reviewer. The writer explains that they did not have the legal authority to remove their mother, and the mother herself was not strong enough to be moved. This admission is a sobering reminder of the practical realities families face when the line between guardianship, medical decisions, and ongoing care becomes blurred. The reviewer's closing warning - if there is any way to avoid exposing a loved one to these conditions, it should be pursued - speaks to a fear that care quality can be inconsistent, and that sometimes the burden of advocacy falls almost entirely on family members who are already stretched thin.

In striking contrast to these difficult accounts are numerous positive testimonials that emphasize reliability, communication, and warmth. Phrases such as "Everything fantastic!! Great caring staff. Days, night, weekends" convey a sense of around-the-clock dedication and a capability to maintain high standards across all shifts. Specific praise for the circulation of information is notable: reviewers highlight strong contact with families about health, condition changes, and responsive handling of telephone inquiries. The facility's transparency during the COVID era is also commended, with reviewers pointing to weekly updates from management to families and caregivers, a practice that helped many feel informed and connected during a time of heightened uncertainty.

Further reinforcing the positive perspective are observations of cleanliness, staffing, and the quality of daily life within the home. Statements like "Excellent staffing, very clean" and "My mother lives here. Her staff is very kind and treat family well" reflect a consistently favorable impression of the home's day-to-day environment and the demeanor of the staff toward residents and their families. The gratitude extends beyond the individual resident's comfort, with others expressing appreciation for staff who treat families with respect and consideration as part of the care network.

The most emphatic notes of praise come from specific acknowledgments of successful care for loved ones, such as "Great job taking care of my dad. Thank you so much." These statements underscore the sense that, for some families, the facility provides reliable, compassionate, and effective care that helps them feel confident in their loved one's day-to-day wellbeing. Taken together, these testimonials sketch a facility capable of upholding high standards and delivering moments of genuine relief and gratitude to families who rely on its services.

Viewed in a broader light, the collection reveals a care environment that can deliver exceptional experiences while simultaneously exposing vulnerabilities that can have severe consequences for residents. The range of stories - some deeply troubling, others deeply affirming - invites a thoughtful reflection on what families should seek and demand when evaluating care options. It points to the importance of consistent adherence to care plans, appropriate dietary management for diabetics, timely attention to residents' basic needs, and unwavering respect for each person's dignity. It also highlights the necessity for robust advocacy, transparent communication, and strong management practices that can sustain both everyday reliability and the kind of extraordinary care that turns fear into trust.

In the end, the narratives converge on a common truth: elder care is a complex, emotionally charged field where vigilance, advocacy, and choice matter just as much as kindness and competence. The reviewers' experiences - both the painful and the hopeful - serve as a powerful reminder to prospective families to weigh every dimension of care, from the consistency of staff attentiveness and medical oversight to the intangible but crucial elements of respect, dignity, and compassionate human connection. The hope threaded through these accounts is that facilities will listen, learn, and continually strive to meet the highest standards so that more days resemble the praise than the complaint, and more residents can live with the security and warmth their families seek.

Places of Worship

• Cowboy Country Church (3.9 miles)
• Mount Calvary Lutheran Church (4 miles)
• Trinity Baptist Church (4.5 miles)
• Wamego Family Worship Center (4.5 miles)
• La Cledes Baptist Church (4.9 miles)
• Episcopal Diocese of Kansas (5 miles)
• Light House Baptist Church (5.3 miles)

Physicians

• Cotton O'Neil Wamego (4.4 miles)
• Vision Source Optical Perspectives (4.6 miles)
• Wamego Family Health Care (4.9 miles)
• Wamego Family Physicians (4.9 miles)
• Community Healthcare System (9.5 miles)
• Blue River Family Medicine (11.9 miles)
• K STAT Urgent Care (13.7 miles)

Restaurants

• McDonald's (4.6 miles)
• Kreem Kup Drive In (4.7 miles)
• Sonic Drive-In (4.7 miles)
• Friendly Cooker (5.1 miles)
• Toto S Tacoz (5.1 miles)
• Lincoln Street Station (5.2 miles)
• Barleycorn's Downtown Bar & Deli (5.2 miles)

Hospitals

• Wamego Health Center & Wamego Family Clinic (4.9 miles)
• Wamego City Hospital (4.9 miles)
• St Mary's Health Center (15.3 miles)
• Manhattan Surgical Hospital (15.6 miles)
• Via Christi Health (15.6 miles)
• Mercy Community Health Foundation (15.6 miles)
• Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan (15.6 miles)

Parks

• Yellow Brick Road (5.1 miles)
• Wamego City Park (5.1 miles)
• Mount Mitchell Heritage Prairie Park (9.2 miles)
• Pottawatomie Lake Number 1 Westmoreland (9.3 miles)
• Rocky Ford State Fishing Area (11.4 miles)
• Tuttle Creek State Park (13.8 miles)
• Coffman Commons (15 miles)

Pharmacies

• Wamego Drug Store (5.1 miles)
• The West Pharm (9.4 miles)
• Hayen Apothecary (13.7 miles)
• Paul's Pharmacy (13.7 miles)
• St Marys Pharmacy (14.7 miles)
• Ojeda (16.3 miles)

Cafes

• Paramour Coffee (5.2 miles)
• South Forty Cafe (9.1 miles)
• Sale Barn Cafe (11.9 miles)
• Radina's Bakehouse (14.4 miles)
• Brothers Coffee (15.1 miles)
• Arrow Coffee Co. (15.2 miles)
• Radina's Coffee House & Bakery (16.3 miles)

Transportation

• U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer (5.3 miles)
• Hertz Rent A Car (13.9 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Dine-In Manhattan 13 (14.3 miles)