Rafael Convalescent Hospital in San Rafael, CA

Pros

• Ana is amazing, kind, and dedicated to helping families.
• Marin Post Acute is super clean and the rooms are very nice.
• The staff are attentive and always kind.
• Visiting doctors, especially Dr. Brindley, are amazing.
• The nurses, CNAs, and front desk staff are all helpful and kind.
• Stephan the activity coordinator is cheerful and remembers the long-term patients' names.
• The physical and rehab services are top-notch.
• The remodel is beautiful, and the therapy gym is impressive.
• The staff are wonderful, caring, and communicative; residents feel like family.
• The discharge planner is awesome and provides help and resources.

Cons

• The reviewer describes Marin Post Acute as horrible and recommends staying away.
• They report waiting about 1.5 hours for assistance when ringing for help.
• They claim the facility smells of urine and that patients are neglected.
• They allege a roach infestation and say the administrator offers only lip service.
• They describe rude, unhelpful staff and poor responsiveness to family concerns.
• They state the facility has multiple violations and should be shut down by the state.
• They say communication with patients is extremely difficult and calls are not answered.
• They recount leaving a patient in soiled diapers and inadequate physical therapy care.

Review

This San Rafael community is best suited for families prioritizing a robust rehabilitation program delivered by a capable therapy team, with a clean, well-maintained environment and a social-services workflow that actively supports transitions. Reviewers consistently praise the rehab-focused offerings: multiple therapists who plan and adapt treatment, six days a week of therapy, and a facility that feels orderly and fresh after remodels. The social-work side stands out as well, with the Social Services Director frequently singled out for helping families navigate doctor visits, transportation, and discharge planning. For short-term post-acute needs, where mobility recovery and a hopeful path back home are the aim, this facility has real strengths that can translate into meaningful progress.

That said, this community is not a universal fit. Alternatives may be worth pursuing for families seeking unwavering leadership presence, predictable daily quality control, and a consistently responsive staff. A number of reviews flag inconsistent accessibility to administrators and direct answers to questions, as well as dramatic turnover in key roles. Long-term care expectations - regular, reliable communication, safe, cheerful daily care, and a stable care team - appear more variable here. For residents who require steady daily oversight and minimal ambiguity about who is coordinating their care, it is prudent to explore other options in the Marin/San Rafael area.

The strongest positives - top-tier rehab, careful cleanliness, and a compassionate front-line staff - do not exist in a vacuum. The therapy team is repeatedly praised for crafting plans with a clear "plan of action" and then adjusting as conditions change, a continuity that can yield tangible gains in strength, balance, and independence. Cleanliness and a welcoming environment further reinforce a recovery-friendly atmosphere, and stories of positive interactions with social workers, discharge planners, and even ancillary staff suggest a family-like culture in many shifts. These pros help offset the sense of risk that can accompany a stay in a facility where daily reliability and consistent leadership are questioned. For families prioritizing mobility recovery and social engagement, the positives can justify a closer, more evaluative look.

The principal drawbacks are real and substantial for decision-makers who value dependable operations. Several reviews allege long waits for assistance after ringing bells, inconsistent phone access, and difficulty reaching the right people when questions arise. Administrative turnover and sporadic director visibility contribute to a perception of instability, especially when families must juggle hospital-to-facility transitions and ongoing care planning. Troubling anecdotes - medication dosing concerns, reports of neglect in some units, persistent odors, and even incidents of residents in distress needing quicker intervention - underscore serious safety and quality fears. While other families recount exceptional experiences, the outlier claims cannot be dismissed, because they reveal a pattern that potential residents must weigh against the favorable rehab narrative.

To decide with clarity, prospective residents should conduct focused due diligence that goes beyond surface impressions. Ask for the current administrator's schedule and a direct contact path; observe therapy sessions and care rounds at several times of day; request recent state inspection reports and any deficiency histories; and probe staffing levels across shifts, especially on weekends. Speak with the discharge planner about how transitions are managed, and with the social services team about ongoing communication with families. If possible, corroborate stories by visiting unannounced, listening to how staff answer questions, and noting response times in real time. Above all, verify an explicit plan for safety, medication management, and falls prevention, plus a clear escalation path for concerns.

In the final calculus, this community offers undeniable rehabilitation strengths and a compassionate, often attentive staff that can make a meaningful difference in recovery. Those who can tolerate variability in leadership, occasional communication gaps, and inconsistent day-to-day reliability may find a good fit, especially if rehab outcomes and a respectful, home-like environment are top priorities. However, families prioritizing consistent oversight, rapid problem resolution, and ironclad safety culture should compare other options in the area. The decision should hinge on a hard acceptance of potential risk versus the likelihood of real mobility gains - and a plan to demand - and document - excellent, ongoing communication and accountability from day one.

Parks

• Lagoon Park (0.6 miles)
• China Camp State Park (1.4 miles)
• Sun Valley Park (1.9 miles)
• Victor Jones Park (2.2 miles)
• Peacock Gap Park (2.7 miles)
• Peri Park (4 miles)
• Bon Air Landing Park (4.1 miles)

Physicians

• Eye Institute of Marin (1 miles)
• Rita A. Vileisis, MD (1 miles)
• Dr. Helen Paek, provider of Eyexam Of CA (1.3 miles)
• Kaiser Permanente (1.3 miles)
• One Medical (1.4 miles)
• Edwin Munich, MD (1.4 miles)
• San Francisco Audiology (1.4 miles)

Places of Worship

• Valley Baptist Church (1 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (1.1 miles)
• Rite Aid (1.2 miles)
• Walgreens (1.4 miles)
• Walgreens (2.1 miles)
• Rite Aid (2.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.9 miles)
• Walgreens (2.9 miles)

Theaters

• Century Theaters (1.3 miles)
• Century Larkspur (3.8 miles)

Restaurants

• BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse (1.3 miles)
• Sol Food Puerto Rican Cuisine (2.1 miles)
• Pond Farm Brewing Company (2.2 miles)
• Miracle Mile Cafe (2.4 miles)
• Insalata's Restaurant (3 miles)
• Picante (3.1 miles)
• Wild Fox Mesquite Fired Kitchen (3.4 miles)

Cafes

• Red Whale Coffee (1.4 miles)
• Starbucks (2.4 miles)
• M.H.Bread and Butter (3.2 miles)
• Rustic Bakery (3.9 miles)
• Fairfax Coffee Roastery (3.9 miles)
• Split Rock Tap & Wheel (3.9 miles)
• Equator Coffees & Teas (4.9 miles)

Hospitals

• Tamalpais Shambhala Meditation Group (2.2 miles)
• Marin General Hospital (3.9 miles)
• Caremeridian (4.1 miles)
• Novato Community Hospital (7 miles)
• Chaplain's Office: Novato Community Hospital: Sutter Health Affiliate (7 miles)

Transportation

• Smart Train Station Hamilton (3.7 miles)