Greenwood Manor Convalescent

Pros

• The staff are helpful, outgoing, and very good to residents.
• The facility is well kept, bright, and well maintained.
• They provide medication management and rehabilitation services on site.
• The activities program includes happy hour, a card club, and arts and crafts.
• The meals are flavorful, with a varying menu and options available if something isn't liked.
• The nursing staff and CNAs are excellent and attentive.
• Group activities and entertainment are fun and accessible for residents in wheelchairs, with religious services available.
• Staff members are responsive and consistently willing to help when problems arise.

Cons

• The physical facility is a little old and dated.
• It isn't as nice as the place she was at before.
• It's fairly expensive.
• The actual facility is a bit dreary with few windows and exposed pipes.
• It was an old nursing home redone with dark oppressive colors.
• All the makings for a depressing nursing home are present.
• The management is too stern.
• The food was terrible.
• The rooms could use better decorations.

Review

Briarwood Health Care Center comes across in these accounts as a facility that blends practical, hands-on care with a social, activity-rich environment. It handles medication administration and rehabilitation, and its physical plant is described as older but well maintained, bright, and with painted walls. The overall impression is one of functional, dependable care rather than flashy luxury, with rooms that feel more like traditional institutional spaces. Yet across the reviews, the people who work there are consistently praised for their warmth and approachability, especially with family members who are navigating the resident's daily life.

One reviewer focuses on the experience of a sister living there. The center's ability to coordinate essential services - medication management and rehabilitation - is highlighted as a clear strength. The sister's social life seems vibrant: there are structured activities like a happy hour, a card club, and arts and crafts. The writer notes that the staff are not only helpful but outgoing and communicative, frequently talking with her sister to keep her engaged. When it comes to meals, the food is described as institutionally prepared but with flavor and menu variety; if something isn't appealing on a given day, there are alternatives such as swapping a hamburger for a salad. Overall, this reviewer portrays Briarwood as a place where staff consistently demonstrate warmth and attentiveness.

A second review centers on a mother-in-law who is in a skilled nursing setting at Briarwood. This account remarks that the staff are generally very good, and while the physical facility feels old and dated, it functions adequately and supports the resident's happiness. The family moved her for proximity, and a private room became available, making the move worthwhile. There is a sense that the care team excels in personal interactions - staff are described as excellent and proactive, with the added note that they take residents out for meals, which contributes to a more social and less isolated experience. Food quality is described more positively here by the person writing, and although the reviewer did not eat there themselves, they report that the mother-in-law seems fairly happy with it. The care trajectory has shifted from rehab to more of a nursing-home focus, and cost is flagged as fairly expensive.

Another perspective adds a more somber, human-centric view of the facility's atmosphere. This reviewer calls Briarwood "a bit dreary" and describes the building as an old nursing home that was redone with dark, oppressive colors, with few windows and exposed pipes. Despite this, there's a strong affection in the narrative - the place feels almost endearing, like a beloved, stubborn dog. The reviewer criticizes management as too stern, but notes that the mother's immediate nurses and CNAs are excellent. Activities are described as fun, and the reviewer admits to finding the food terrible, yet still loving the place. This entry captures a tension between a bleak physical environment and a warm, caring day-to-day reality delivered by frontline staff.

A fourth review returns to a more practical, day-to-day positive appraisal of the staff and the resident experience. Here, staff are described as consistently good, with problems met by prompt, reliable help. The room is considered acceptable, if not lavish, and meals are described as very good. The facility provides a group room where wheelchair-accessible entertainment and activities are brought in, along with regular religious services. The reviewer offers a concrete suggestion to enhance the residence by improving room decorations. The pet policy is noted - live pets are not allowed to reside with residents, but visiting pets are permitted if brought in by someone.

Taken together, the reviews paint a facility with enduring strengths in staff engagement and social programming, alongside notable variability in appearance, taste in food, and perceived value. The presence of structured social activities - happy hour, card clubs, arts and crafts - and opportunities for residents to attend religious services or participate in group activities suggest Briarwood places a premium on social well-being and routine. The care teams, particularly nurses and CNAs, receive consistent praise for approachability and responsiveness, even when the physical environment feels dated or stark.

Several recurring themes emerge that will matter to families evaluating Briarwood. The building's age and aesthetic receive mixed reactions: some feel it's functional and well-kept, while others find it dreary or less attractive than other facilities. Food quality appears inconsistent across experiences, with some residents enjoying well-regarded meals while others describe it as terrible. Private rooms are a notable plus for those seeking more privacy, and the option to move closer to family can be a decisive factor. Cost is also a factor, described as fairly expensive in at least one account, which can influence decisions about continuing care and placement.

For families considering Briarwood, it may be helpful to assess not only the general reputation but also the specifics of the unit you'll be in, the current menu options and meal customization possibilities, and how social activities are actually implemented on a day-to-day basis. Inquire about proximity to family needs, the availability of private rooms, and the facility's approach to meals, outings, and religious services. Understanding the policies around pets - live-in versus visiting - can also help set expectations. Overall, Briarwood appears to deliver solid, personable care with engaged staff and meaningful activities, tempered by an older facility aesthetic and variability in food quality and overall ambiance.

Physicians

• Jensen Eyecare Center (0.3 miles)
• Uihc Department of Ophthalmology (0.4 miles)
• Kunal Yadav MD (0.4 miles)
• Iowa Lion's Eye Bank (0.4 miles)
• Eye Institue (0.4 miles)
• University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center (0.4 miles)
• Jane A. Bailey, MD (0.4 miles)

Restaurants

• Culver's (0.3 miles)
• McDonald's (0.4 miles)
• Arby's (0.5 miles)
• Stella (0.5 miles)
• Panda Express (0.7 miles)
• The Club Car (0.7 miles)
• Big Grove Brewery and Taproom (0.8 miles)

Hospitals

• Uihc-Department of Otolaryngology (0.4 miles)
• Uihc-Ambulatory Surgical Center (0.4 miles)
• 4JPEast (0.5 miles)
• PICU University Of Iowa Childrens Hospital (0.5 miles)
• University of Iowa Children's Hospital (0.5 miles)
• University Of Iowa Hospital Neurosurgery Department (0.5 miles)
• U I Healthcare (0.5 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (0.4 miles)
• Starbucks (0.8 miles)
• Sidekick Coffee And Books (0.8 miles)
• Starbucks (1.1 miles)
• Java House (1.5 miles)
• Panera Bread (1.6 miles)
• Java House (2.3 miles)

Parks

• Riverfront Crossings Park (0.6 miles)
• Lower City Park (1.4 miles)
• Mormon Handcart Park (1.8 miles)
• Weatherby Park (1.8 miles)
• Thornberry Off Leash Dog Park (2 miles)
• Creekside Park (2 miles)
• Terry Trueblood Recreation Area (2.1 miles)

Pharmacies

• Iowa Essential Oils (0.7 miles)
• Hartig Drug (1.5 miles)
• Towncrest Pharmacy (1.5 miles)
• Walgreens (1.6 miles)
• Walgreens (2.3 miles)
• Hy-Vee Pharmacy (2.4 miles)
• Nucara Pharmacy (2.4 miles)

Transportation

• Iowa City Municipal Airport (0.9 miles)

Theaters

• FilmScene at The Chauncey (1 miles)
• Sycamore Cinema Iowa City, Ia (2 miles)

Places of Worship

• First United Methodist Church (1 miles)
• Christ the King Lutheran Church-Elca (1.5 miles)