Etowah Landing Care and Rehabilitation Center in Rome, GA

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Pros

• The staff are friendly, caring, and treat residents like family.
• The social workers and nurses go above and beyond in caring for residents.
• The facility is clean, well maintained, and the meals are balanced and flavorful.
• Therapy and activities are engaging, motivating, and well organized.
• Families are grateful for the staff’s help and for timely, clear communication.
• Etowah Landing is described by many as a five-star experience worth recommending.
• The care team is attentive and responsive, ensuring residents' needs are met promptly.
• Residents feel valued, supported, and safe under the staff’s guidance.
• Visitation and overall operations are organized with courtesy and respect.
• The staff works hard to keep residents comfortable and engaged throughout their stay.
• The social worker is praised for being helpful, dependable, and compassionate.
• Many reviewers note improvements in residents’ well-being thanks to the care provided.

Cons

• The entire building smells like bowel movement.
• The facility is old and requires extra cleaning and sanitation to be presentable.
• The neglect was unbelievable and led to a bedsore that sent the patient into septic shock.
• Staff ignored calls for help, and private sitters were told, "He’s dying anyway."
• There is an infestation of bugs in the facility.
• The ventilator unit is a disgrace with only one respiratory nurse for the entire floor.
• They were short-staffed and failed to respond promptly to patients’ needs.
• They killed him; neglect led to the patient’s death.
• They refused to allow hospice care or access to the hospice team, denying basic decency.

Review

Etowah Landing Care and Rehabilitation Center in Rome, GA is best suited for families seeking a rehab-forward skilled nursing experience with a strong emphasis on therapy, patient engagement, and a personable, family-like culture. The community shines for residents who benefit from organized physical and occupational therapy, regular social work involvement, and structured activity programs that keep people mentally and socially connected. It also appeals to families with VA connections, thanks to transport coordination for outside appointments and a social-work team that can help navigate benefits and care planning. This is a setting where the recovery-focused track and the human touch from staff are valued more than pristine showroom aesthetics. For families prioritizing a modern, immaculate facility or constant top-tier nursing oversight around the clock, Etowah Landing may not meet those explicit expectations.

Those who may want to consider alternatives include families with high-stakes needs for flawless infection control, spotless cleanliness, and zero tolerance for any deterioration in care. Several reviews raise concerns about cleanliness issues, odors, and even pest problems on some days, alongside stories of delayed responses and gaps in monitoring, factors that escalate quickly in ventilator-dependent or hospice scenarios. For residents with complex medical vulnerabilities who require consistently rigorous supervision 24/7, or for those who have experienced or fear repeated lapses in essential care, other facilities that demonstrate more uniform staffing and process discipline could be safer bets. Additionally, families far from the campus should weigh whether the level of hands-on advocacy required to protect a loved one’s daily needs is realistically sustainable.

The core strengths here are real and tangible: a dedicated therapy team and nursing staff that many families describe as competent, compassionate, and responsive; a social worker who appears to be a reliable touchstone for families, coordinating care and pushing for timely help; and an atmosphere where residents seem to be treated with respect and encouragement. The rehab program often shows measurable progress, with residents regaining mobility and finding motivation through engaging activities and consistent routines. Meals and daily life rhythm receive frequent praise, and several testimonials highlight the ability to get to medical appointments or hospitalizations organized smoothly. When care plans are well communicated and therapists and nurses coordinate, Etowah Landing can deliver meaningful improvements and a sense of being cared for, an offset to the facility’s older, less-polished physical environment.

Yet the same reviews that praise the care plan and the therapy teams also reveal significant, hard-to-ignore downsides. Understaffing appears repeatedly as a factor that erodes timely responses and individualized attention, with residents sometimes left waiting for assistance or for necessary interventions. Odors, unsanitary conditions in some rooms, and reports of soiled linens surface in multiple accounts, creating a jarring contrast with the positive stories about dedicated staff. There are heart-wrenching anecdotes of neglect or delayed medical attention on ventilator or hospice units, and allegations that crucial equipment or pain control was not addressed promptly. This mixture of outcomes makes ongoing watchfulness essential: families must insist on clear daily updates, visible rounds by nursing leadership, and concrete, measurable care goals that are revisited regularly.

To navigate these realities, prospective families should enter with a concrete checklist and a plan for proactive oversight. Demand a current, written care plan that specifies wound care schedules, bowel and bladder management, respiratory support, and medication administration; request a daily progress note and a two-way communication pathway with the primary nurses and therapists. Tour the facility at different times to assess cleanliness, traffic flow, and staff responsiveness; ask to meet the director of nursing, therapy leads, and the social worker who will be involved with the loved one. Verify that housekeeping and maintenance are consistent and that pest control has a documented remediation plan. If hospice or ventilator needs are anticipated, require a detailed respiratory and palliative-care protocol, escalation procedures, and guaranteed access to the family’s preferred medical team. Finally, consider a formal trial period or staged transition with explicit milestones and a fallback plan if expectations aren’t met.

The verdict is that Etowah Landing can be a strong choice for families who want rehabilitative momentum, clinical attention, and a personal touch that makes residents feel seen and valued, the kind of environment where staff routinely go the extra mile when roles align and leadership is present. The facility’s real-world strengths, the therapy culture, the social-work backbone, and the sense of community, can translate into meaningful gains for many residents. However, the balance is fragile: when staffing gaps widen, cleanliness lapses occur, or the system fails to consistently translate policy into bedside care, the gaps become pronounced and risk outweighs the gains. For families weighing Etowah Landing, the question is whether the expected rehab-focused benefits and the “team-and-family” feel justify the ongoing commitment to vigilant oversight and the potential for variable day-to-day reliability. If such advocacy and a willingness to actively monitor care are feasible, Etowah Landing offers a credible path to meaningful recovery and everyday comfort. If not, exploring alternatives with a more uniform staffing model and stricter cleanliness standards may be prudent.

This part of Rome, Georgia offers a variety of amenities and services that cater to seniors looking to settle in a convenient and welcoming community. With numerous places of worship, such as South Broad United Methodist Church and St James Ame Zion Church, seniors can find spiritual support and connection. Access to healthcare is also readily available with nearby physicians like Floyd Primary Care and Southeast Dermatology Specialists Rome, as well as pharmacies like Rome Community Pharmacy and Walgreens. The area boasts beautiful parks like Banty Jones Park and Ridge Ferry Park for recreational activities, while popular restaurants like Harvest Moon Cafe and John Henry's Grill offer delicious dining options. Additionally, transportation services from Salem Nationalease make getting around the city easy for seniors looking to explore everything Rome has to offer.

Places of Worship

• South Broad United Methodist Church (0.3 miles)
• Fishes & Loaves Ministry (0.5 miles)
• Rome Action Ministries (1 miles)
• Fifth Avenue Baptist Church (1.4 miles)
• St James Ame Zion Church (1.8 miles)
• Christ Temple Holiness Church (2.3 miles)
• The Warehouse: West Rome Baptist Church (2.3 miles)

Physicians

• Wetherington Plastic Surgery Center (0.9 miles)
• Floyd Primary Care (0.9 miles)
• Northwest Georgia Medical Clinic (1.1 miles)
• Southeast Dermatology Specialists Rome (1.1 miles)
• Coosa Diagnostics (1.2 miles)
• The Physicians Spine & Rehabilitation Specialists (1.2 miles)
• Harbin Clinic Medical Oncology Rome (1.2 miles)

Parks

• Banty Jones Park (0.9 miles)
• Upper Avenue A Historic District (1.7 miles)
• Ridge Ferry Park (2 miles)

Restaurants

• The Shrimp Boat (0.9 miles)
• Harvest Moon Cafe (1 miles)
• John Henry's Grill (1.1 miles)
• Honeycream (1.1 miles)
• Jefferson's (1.1 miles)
• El Zarape Mexican Restaurant (1.2 miles)
• Captain D's (1.3 miles)

Pharmacies

• Rome Community Pharmacy (1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.2 miles)
• First Care Pharmacy (1.4 miles)
• Walgreens (1.4 miles)
• Avery Drugs (1.5 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.5 miles)
• Ward's Pharmacy (1.6 miles)

Cafes

• Panera Bread (1.3 miles)
• Swift & Finch Coffee (1.4 miles)
• Starbucks (1.6 miles)

Hospitals

• Harbin Clinic Orthopaedic Imaging (1.4 miles)
• Kindred Hospital Rome (1.4 miles)
• Specialty Hospital (1.4 miles)
• Floyd Medical Center Rehabilitation Services (1.4 miles)

Transportation

• Salem Nationalease (1.8 miles)