Crest Haven Care Centre in Creston, IA

Pros

• He is getting great care.
• He is like the Energizer bunny.
• Some staff treated mom respectfully.
• The kitchen manager and the activity manager did a good job.

Cons

• The family felt there were multiple problems and they had to be there every day.
• They moved the dad several times without contacting the POA, and his room was empty when they arrived.
• His belongings kept going missing despite labeling to prevent it.
• They were not ready to provide peri care; there were hours with no one to change him, even though checks were supposed to happen every 2 hours.
• He was found on the floor naked and covered in dry BM, with both morning and afternoon shifts aware but no one helped beyond washing two fingers and walking away.
• A family member had to perform a full bed bath on the floor and handle the hardest part of transferring him to bed.
• The reviewer would not recommend the facility; in their experience it’s the last place they’d choose among nursing homes.
• The admissions director was rude and uncommunicative about discharge, with misstatements about safety and what could be done.
• The director and administration treated them badly; they would not return or recommend the facility, feeling it deserved less than a star.

Review

Crest Haven Care Centre in Creston, IA is best viewed as a community for families who can stay actively involved and press for steady, respectful care for a resident who is relatively independent but needs daily assistance. The strongest signal from the positive experience is that a highly active 95-year-old can receive attentive daily support and maintain a sense of vitality when care is consistently present. The setting appears to favor ongoing staff-resident relationships and a smaller, home-like atmosphere where routine and personal interactions matter. This is not a facility that will run itself; it demands vigilant oversight, quick escalation of concerns, and a readiness to intervene to safeguard a loved one’s dignity and safety.

By contrast, the negatives paint a troubling counterpoint that cannot be ignored. Multiple reviews describe disorganization and poor communication at critical moments, including transfers of a resident without notifying the appropriate family member or power of attorney, and belongings going missing. The most jarring account details a caregiver being found on the floor with a resident, naked and covered in stool, with little timely help despite staff awareness. That combination of neglect indicators and incomplete checks, care planned but not delivered, and shifts that fail to respond, points to a systemic gap in supervision and accountability that any prospective resident family must weigh heavily.

The reported pros, dedicated kitchen and activity staff, and occasional respectful treatment from some personnel, do not erase the fundamental safety and communication flaws. Positive echoes about certain team members suggest that when care is managed by capable individuals, comfort and quality of life can improve. However, the gap between those isolated positive interactions and the broader pattern of inconsistent response times, missed transfers, and insufficient family communication means the positives are unreliable levers for overall safety and trust. In short, favorable day-to-day moments are possible, but they are not a dependable substitute for consistent oversight.

What this translates to for decision-making is clarity about risk tolerance and the level of hands-on involvement a family is prepared to provide. Crest Haven can be workable for residents who thrive with visible advocacy, families ready to verify daily notes, confirm that care plans are followed, and intervene when shifts fail to meet basic standards. But for seniors with higher medical needs, or families unable to monitor care closely, the pattern described in multiple reviews suggests a heightened risk of harm, overlooked issues, and stressful discharge decisions rather than a smooth, predictable experience.

Prospective residents should insist on concrete assurances before choosing Crest Haven. Inquire about staffing ratios during different shifts, response times to call bells, and the facility’s process for urgent transfers or changes in rooms, including timely family notification for POA. Request to review recent incident logs, quality improvement plans, and staff training focused on dignity, privacy, and falls or incontinence care. Speak with the administrator and frontline caregivers, and if possible, contact current or recent families to hear what steps were taken when problems arose. Clear expectations and accountability are non-negotiable here.

Ultimately, Crest Haven will likely satisfy families who are prepared to remain actively engaged, insist on structured communication, and tolerate some variability as long as safety protocols are visibly enforced. For others, especially those needing reliable, consistently exceptional care with minimal administrative friction or for residents at higher medical risk, the safer move is to explore options with more transparent governance, tighter staffing controls, and proven track records in preventing the kinds of lapses described. A well-directed search will prioritize not just atmosphere or amenities, but demonstrable consistency in care, communication, and accountability.