Harbourwood Health & Rehab Center in Clearwater, FL

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Pros

• HarbourWood is described as a nice place with a pleasant smell and a welcoming atmosphere.
• The staff are wonderful and loving and motivate residents to get better.
• The facility is clean and spacious, with smiling, friendly staff and timely responses.
• The food is hot, flavorful, and varied, and the therapy department is friendly and encouraging.
• Terri in admissions is lovely and goes above and beyond for families.
• Terri and the staff are consistently praised for compassion and professionalism.
• HarbourWood is highly recommended for its nice staff, good food, and activities for residents.
• The facility is described as one of the best options for elderly care in Pinellas County.
• The staff are amazing, caring, and treat residents like family.
• Visitors report peace of mind and confidence in the care provided.
• The facility is clean, welcoming, and well-maintained.
• The community is recognized for its compassion and quality care.

Cons

• The care was described as atrocious, with failures to provide 24-hour supervision, hygiene, and basic daily needs.
• The facility was in disrepair and understaffed, with food often served cold or undercooked.
• The staff were described as rude, unprofessional, and unresponsive, with call bells ignored and updates not provided.
• Serious safety and hygiene concerns were reported, including hygiene lapses and even theft of residents’ belongings.
• Families alleged negligence and incompetence, including missed doctor appointments and delayed emergency care.
• Privacy and security issues were raised, including HIPAA violations and inappropriate handling of resident information.
• Some reviewers accused management of fabricating positive reviews and not addressing staffing concerns.

Review

Harbourwood Health & Rehab Center in Clearwater is best suited for families that prize a warm, person-first culture combined with a solid rehabilitation track record. The community consistently appeals to families seeking a post-acute setting where therapists are engaged, admissions staff are responsive, and the environment feels approachable and home-like. It works well for residents who need a ramped-up rehab plan, physical therapy and gait training, along with daily assistance, to regain independence, and for those who value a facility that presents as clean, spacious, and comfortable from the moment of arrival. The Clearwater location matters here: it makes regular family visits feasible and gives families a clear sense of the surrounding community. In short, Harbourwood tends to attract families looking for recover-focused care with a personal touch, where the door is open to involvement and communication.

That clarity, however, should be weighed against a group of red flags raised by some families. Those who require absolute, consistent 24/7 nursing oversight with zero tolerance for any lapse may want to consider alternatives. A recurring theme in several reviews is under-staffing and delays in response to call lights, along with reports of hygiene lapses and gaps in routine medical oversight. There are also accounts, some quite detailed, of missed doctor appointments, delayed transportation to visits, and concerns about the handling of emergencies. While these experiences are not universal, they underscore a risk that staffing fluctuations can create real, tangible gaps in care. Families should be prepared to verify daily routines, insist on clear care plans, and see that rapid, reliable communication lines are established with the nursing team.

Taken together, Harbourwood’s strongest positives tilt the balance toward a care model that works when the staff – particularly the therapy team and admissions leadership – are aligned and present. The therapy department is repeatedly described as capable, encouraging, and patient-focused; this translates into meaningful progress for residents who need rehabilitation to regain strength and independence. The admissions team, especially Terri, is praised for guiding families through complex transitions, coordinating plans, and offering compassionate, practical support. The facility’s cleanliness and welcoming atmosphere provide a sense of security for families during a stressful transition, and several residents or family members recount experiences of hot, flavorful meals and comfortable, navigable rooms. The overall environment, staff warmth, visible care, and organized programming, creates genuine peace of mind for many families.

Yet the concern set cannot be dismissed. Across multiple anecdotes, there are serious accusations about inconsistent care quality, including allegations of insensitive or unresponsive staff, unaddressed hygiene needs, and even dire consequences linked to alleged delays in medical attention. Some reviews describe incidents of items going missing, privacy concerns, and other operational missteps, all of which fuel caution. The severity of a few narratives, including claims tied to delays in emergency responses and missed medical oversight, sharpen the decision-making lens: this is a facility where culture and leadership matter enormously on a day-to-day basis. Prospective families should not minimize these concerns; instead, they should schedule thorough in-person evaluations, request current survey results, and probe nursing leadership about staffing patterns, call-back times, and escalation processes.

The key to turning Harbourwood’s strengths into a reliable outcome lies in proactive engagement. Families that commit to an active partnership with the facility can largely offset the potential downsides. Leverage Terri’s accessibility and hands-on approach to secure a clear, written care plan with defined goals, daily call-light protocols, and routine family updates. Demand transparent staffing schedules, ask for regular reviews of medication administration and wound care, and insist on timely involvement of the attending physician and nurse management whenever concerns arise. The rehab-centric model shines when there is consistent attendance by therapists and a well-coordinated interdisciplinary team, and that coherence appears to be achievable given steady leadership and clear expectations. The hurricane-evacuation readiness some residents experienced also signals resilience, an important attribute when families weigh risk against reward.

Bottom line: Harbourwood is a compelling option for families seeking a facility with a genuinely caring culture, strong rehab capabilities, and admissions leadership that can facilitate a smooth transition. It is less suitable for households that cannot tolerate visible gaps in staffing, inconsistent call-light response, or frequent negative experiences around oversight and communication. For families willing to invest time in due diligence, visiting multiple times, meeting with the DON and therapy leaders, reviewing recent state surveys, and establishing explicit care-routine expectations, Harbourwood can deliver meaningful recovery and a sense of security for loved ones. If assurance and unwavering consistency are non-negotiable, exploring close alternatives while using Harbourwood as a benchmark may be the prudent path.

Restaurants

• McDonald's (0.2 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (0.7 miles)
• McDonald's (2.9 miles)
• Bar Fly (3 miles)
• Duff's Buffet (3.6 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (3.9 miles)
• P.F. Chang's China Bistro (4.1 miles)

Parks

• McMullen Booth Tennis Center Clearwater FL (0.9 miles)
• Kapok Park (1.3 miles)
• Dog Run (1.4 miles)
• Cooper Bayou Park (2.6 miles)
• Eagle Lake Park (3.2 miles)
• Largo Central Park (4.8 miles)
• Sand Key Park (6.6 miles)

Physicians

• Clearwater Pediatric Care (1.3 miles)
• Premier Miller (3 miles)
• Bay Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery (4.3 miles)
• Academic Alliance in Dermatology (4.5 miles)
• Florida Department of Health, Pinellas County Health Department, Clearwater Center (4.6 miles)
• Pinellas County Environmental Health (4.9 miles)
• Virginia Street Dermatology (5.2 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (1.5 miles)
• Walgreens (1.9 miles)
• Walgreens (3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.2 miles)
• Winn-Dixie (3.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.9 miles)
• Walgreens (4.3 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (4 miles)
• Starbucks (4.7 miles)
• Belleair Coffee Company (6.4 miles)

Transportation

• St Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) (4 miles)

Hospitals

• Morton Plant Hospital (5 miles)
• Morgan Heart Hospital (5 miles)
• Mease Countryside Hospital (5.6 miles)
• Mease Countryside Hospital-Medical Arts Building (5.7 miles)

Theaters

• Regal Largo Mall (5.9 miles)
• AMC Woodlands Square 20 (6.6 miles)