Briarwood Nursing Ctr in Little Rock, AR

Pros

• The nurses were very friendly.
• The staff is very friendly and cares about the patients.
• Briarwood is described as a beautiful and well-kept nursing home.
• The facility is clean and well kept.
• The center is described as the cleanest and most well-staffed facility the reviewer has encountered.
• The staff morale is amazing and they go above and beyond for residents and employees.
• Gabrielle Alexander is noted as the best worker there.
• The private rooms are clean and well maintained.

Cons

• The reviewer would give Briarwood zero stars.
• Communication is horrible, with families left in the dark and unanswered questions.
• The rehab liaison repeatedly failed to return scheduled calls.
• Personal belongings, clothing, medications, and a cane were lost or mishandled.
• There is neglect and mishandling of medications, putting patients at risk.
• A fall resulted in serious injury and death because staff did not secure the patient or respond promptly.
• Some nurses and staff were described as rude or unprofessional, with yelling at patients reported.
• Discharge dates were moved without consulting or notifying families.
• One reviewer warned others not to place a loved one in this facility.

Review

Briarwood Nursing Center in Little Rock is best suited for families that value a clean, orderly environment with private rooms and visible on-floor nursing presence, and that can commit to vigilant advocacy. The facility presents as well-kept and offers accessible day-to-day care, comfortable spaces, and meals that residents report appreciating. Those core operational strengths can support residents who are relatively stable, independent in basic activities, or early in rehabilitation, where immediate bedside attention matters more than systems-level consistency. Yet this upside requires a family or representative who can repeatedly press for clarity on care plans, because without sustained involvement the day-to-day care can drift into ambiguity and delay. In short, Briarwood rewards proactive families who treat oversight as part of the care plan.

Those considering alternatives should be explicit about the ability to manage ongoing communication and discharge logistics. Several reviews describe chronic gaps in updates from rehab coordinators and administrators, missed calls, and discharge dates moved without input. For families that rely on timely coordination after surgeries or on a predictable care trajectory, Briarwood's documented lapses in communication and planning represent a meaningful risk. Alternatives may be preferable for those who need transparent, reliable contact from the leadership team, clear timelines for therapy and discharge, and a consistently responsive point person who can align medical decisions with family wishes.

The facility's apparent strengths - cleanliness, private rooms, and routine amenities - do offer real value. Families repeatedly note well-kept common areas, comfortable private spaces, and engaging activities or good meal quality. On the floor, several caregivers and nurses are described as genuinely caring and attentive, and there are anecdotes where rehab and nursing staff delivered helpful, compassionate care. These positives matter when a resident can rely on steady bedside support. However, the strength of these day-to-day interactions is undermined if systemic miscommunication, slow responses, and disjointed discharge processes nullify the reliability of the care that is actually delivered.

The most troubling themes center on safety, responsiveness, and accountability. Reviewers recount situations where information was not relayed to families, medications were mishandled or lost, and important belongings disappeared. There are accounts of falls with insufficient preventive measures, delayed ambulances, and even decisions around medications and treatments that failed to reflect the patient's needs or family input. The combination of alleged neglect, inconsistent administrative follow-through, and reported staff disrespect in some instances creates a high-stress environment for families and raises questions about risk management and regulatory compliance. When these patterns appear, the guarantee of safe, timely care erodes under sustained scrutiny.

Offsetting these cons requires an unusually high level of family engagement and a laser focus on process improvement. If choosing Briarwood, demand a documented plan for every step of the patient's care: weekly care conferences, direct access to the rehab liaison, and a clearly articulated discharge timeline that respects the patient's readiness and family availability. Insist on concrete safeguards for medication administration, a reliable process for returning patient belongings, and a defined escalation path for unreturned calls. Ask for current staffing ratios, verify the availability of skilled nursing at night, and seek evidence of continuous quality improvement rather than isolated, department-level fixes. These are non-negotiables when the facility's history includes multiple accounts of communication failures and safety concerns.

Ultimately, Briarwood is a mixed proposition. It may work for families willing to stay deeply involved and who prize cleanliness, private rooms, and access to attentive floor care, but it is not a stable choice for those requiring consistently proactive administration, transparent communication, and rigorous safety oversight. For most families seeking a hands-off experience or a predictable trajectory after major surgery, exploring other Little Rock options with stronger family engagement, reliable discharge planning, and demonstrated accountability will likely yield a better balance of safety and peace of mind. In the end, informed, proactive decision-making - anchored in up-to-date conversations with administrators and direct care staff - will determine whether Briarwood meets those standards.

This part of Little Rock, Arkansas offers a convenient location with a variety of dining options such as Burger King, Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers, and Pei Wei Asian Kitchen within close proximity. There are also several pharmacies nearby including Walgreens and CVS Pharmacy for easy access to medications. For medical care, there are reputable physicians and hospitals in the area such as Arkansas Epilepsy Program and CHI St Vincent Infirmary. Additionally, there are cafes like Starbucks and Panera Bread for leisurely outings. The neighborhood also features parks like Allsopp Park for outdoor recreation. Places of worship such as Church At Rock Creek and Second Presbyterian Church provide spiritual support for residents seeking a community-centered lifestyle. Overall, this part of Little Rock offers a well-rounded environment with amenities that cater to the needs of seniors looking for a comfortable living arrangement.

Restaurants

• Burger King (0.3 miles)
• Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers (1.2 miles)
• McDonald's (1.3 miles)
• Big Orange (1.3 miles)
• Pei Wei Asian Kitchen (1.4 miles)
• Casa Manana (1.6 miles)
• Slim Chickens (1.6 miles)

Pharmacies

• Tabor, Jennifer M - Jennifer M Tabor (0.4 miles)
• Sca Pharmaceuticals (0.6 miles)
• Drug Emporium (0.9 miles)
• Walgreens (1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.3 miles)
• Cardinal Health (1.5 miles)
• Walgreens (1.6 miles)

Physicians

• Arkansas Epilepsy Program (0.8 miles)
• Arkansas Diagnostic Clinic (0.8 miles)
• Arkansas Internal Medicine (0.9 miles)
• Baptist Ortho (0.9 miles)
• Arkansas Cardiology (0.9 miles)
• Little Rock Gynecology and Obstetrics (1 miles)
• Doctor's Park (1 miles)

Hospitals

• Hickingbotham Outpatient Center (1 miles)
• CHI St Vincent Infirmary (1.4 miles)
• Arkansas Federation Of Families For Children's Mental Health (2.3 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (1.3 miles)
• Panera Bread (1.7 miles)
• Mylo Coffee Co. (2.3 miles)

Parks

• Hounds Lounge Pet Reso (2.5 miles)
• Allsopp Park (2.7 miles)

Places of Worship

• Church At Rock Creek (2.8 miles)
• Second Presbyterian Church (2.9 miles)