Golden LivingCenter - La Crescent

Pros

• The staff are very professional.
• The atmosphere is very friendly.
• The facility is an excellent place to bring a loved one.
• The staff were amazing, kind, and caring.
• The food was good and the staff were kind.
• The management team is easy to work with and very accommodating.

Cons

• The facility was understaffed, rude, and dangerous.
• They would not administer a prescribed muscle-spasm medication due to cost, attempting a weekend substitution, while the on-call doctor was unavailable.
• A staff member yelled at the patient to stop using the call button and needing the bathroom, seemingly preferring she wet the bed.
• The unit reportedly had only one nurse and two aides for thirty patients, indicating severe understaffing.
• A nurse initially agreed to help pack for discharge but later refused, forcing the patient to pack herself and wheel out, while staff complained about insurance coverage.
• The reviewer described the facility as abhorrent and unsuitable for those needing care.
• The facility lacked essential equipment (e.g., walker), had a hard mattress that caused back pain, and low chairs that made it hard to get up, contributing to knee pain.
• The stay was unnecessarily prolonged, with discharge delayed by a week, and communication hindered by rooms lacking phones that forced coordination through the front desk.

Review

La Crescent Health Services presents a complex picture to families and patients, with experiences that range from warm, reassuring care to occasions of frustration and frustration. On one hand, several accounts describe a very welcoming, friendly atmosphere where the staff feel professional and attentive, and where families are encouraged to engage with the process - sometimes even being told to schedule a visit to see the facility for themselves. In these moments, loved ones are described as being treated with kindness, and the facility is viewed as a solid option for temporary rehabilitation or end-of-life care when that support is needed.

Yet, a substantial thread runs through other perspectives: concerns about understaffing, communication gaps, and safety. One reviewer labeled the operation as understaffed, rude, and dangerous, painting a picture of insufficient personnel to safely manage a sizable patient load. Specific anecdotes amplify these concerns: a patient in need of muscle-spasm medication faced delays and substitutions driven by cost, with the weekend period compounding the difficulty when the on-call physician was not readily available. The implication across these stories is that essential medical decisions and timely pain management could be jeopardized when the medical staff are stretched thin or unavailable during critical windows.

Medication management emerges as a particularly troubling theme in several accounts. A hospital-to-rehabilitation transition should be seamless, but in these narratives it became a point of friction. The inability to obtain a prescribed muscle-relaxant because of price concerns highlights the friction between clinical needs and cost considerations, especially over weekends when pharmacy access and physician coverage may be more limited. The stress of managing pain while waiting for the appropriate medication is framed as affecting not just comfort but sleep and overall well-being, particularly for patients with complex conditions such as diabetes and bladder or stomach issues who rely on consistent care and mobility support.

Staff communication and responsiveness also come under scrutiny. In at least one account, a nurse reportedly directed a patient to stop using the call button, with troubling implications for safety and dignity. The same review notes the patient's limited ability to move due to a broken ankle, underscoring the risk when a patient cannot advocate for themselves and must rely on attentive, respectful staff. The ratio of staff to patients - a single nurse and two aides for about thirty residents in another review - further fuels concerns about whether routine tasks, safety checks, and timely assistance can be reliably delivered.

Discharge logistics and patient autonomy are another source of strain. A family recounts that despite a nurse initially agreeing to assist with packing, the staff member later refused to help, forcing the patient to manage the discharge process independently and wheel themselves to the front door. The anecdote also touches on insurance coverage as a factor in discharge timing, suggesting that administrative or financial constraints can interfere with safe and appropriate departures from care.

Within this mosaic of experiences, there are notable positive threads. Some reviewers praise the facility's atmosphere and the professionalism of the staff, noting that the environment can be very supportive for families and loved ones. There are explicit appreciations for staff knowledge, caring attitudes, and management teams described as easy to work with and accommodating. In one heartening contrast, a family reports that their grandmother was well cared for in her final months, and another account highlights that, despite the institution's aging infrastructure, the staff remained compassionate and responsive, with food described as good and the overall care as meaningful.

The physical plant and infrastructure emerge as a separate area of mixed sentiment. Several reviewers describe La Crescent as an older, somewhat outdated facility with a building that shows its age. The absence of private rooms in some instances, and concerns about room setups that may not optimize comfort or mobility, are balanced by assertions that the staff's expertise and the management team's responsiveness can offset some limitations. A recurring note is that practical enhancements - such as better equipment for mobility, more comfortable mattresses, and improved communication systems within rooms - could significantly impact daily comfort and recovery.

Taken together, the collection of experiences paints La Crescent Health Services as a place with real strengths and real challenges. Positive encounters emphasize a compassionate, competent staff and a management culture that can be accommodating and responsive. Negative experiences underscore systemic pressures such as staffing levels, resource limitations, and the friction that can arise when medical needs intersect with administrative and financial realities. For families evaluating care for a loved one, the facility often comes down to timing, specific staff assignments, and the individual patient's needs and condition at the moment of care. It is clear that some patients experience attentive, warm care that supports recovery and dignity, while others encounter acute strains that highlight opportunities for improvement in staffing, medication management, discharge planning, and equipment readiness.

This part of La Crescent, Minnesota, offers a peaceful and convenient environment for senior living. With several hospitals and pharmacies within a short distance, residents have easy access to medical care and prescriptions. There are also a variety of restaurants offering diverse dining options, as well as cafes for socializing or enjoying a relaxing cup of coffee. The proximity to parks allows for outdoor activities and leisurely walks in nature. Additionally, there are transportation services nearby for added convenience. Places of worship are also easily accessible for spiritual needs. Overall, this neighborhood provides a well-rounded community with amenities that cater to the needs and interests of seniors.

Hospitals

• La Crescent Health Care Center (0 miles)
• Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center Pharmacy (3.6 miles)
• Franciscan Skemp Healthcare (3.8 miles)
• Mayo Clinic Store (3.9 miles)
• Gundersen Morgue (4 miles)
• Gundersen Health System - Labor & Delivery (4 miles)
• Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center (4 miles)

Pharmacies

• Good Neighbor Pharmacy (0.4 miles)
• Sterling Drug #29 (0.4 miles)
• Sterling La Crescent (0.4 miles)
• Quillins Quality (3.3 miles)
• Quillin's Central Office (3.3 miles)
• Gundersen Pharmacy Cass Street (3.4 miles)
• Gundersen Pharmacy La Crosse East Building (4 miles)

Restaurants

• Schmitty's TimeOut Tavern (0.7 miles)
• Robins Nest (2.7 miles)
• Huck Finn's On the Water (2.7 miles)
• Pettibone Boat Club (2.9 miles)
• The Waterfront Restaurant and Tavern (3 miles)
• 4 Sisters Wine Bar and Tapas (3 miles)
• Uno Venti Pizzeria (3.1 miles)

Parks

• Rotary Park (1.2 miles)
• Veterans Freedom Park (3 miles)
• Riverside Park (3 miles)
• Copeland Park (3.1 miles)
• Houska Park (3.3 miles)
• Weigent Park (4.2 miles)
• Hixon Forest Park (5.1 miles)

Cafes

• Pearl Ice Cream Parlor (3.1 miles)
• Grounded Specialty Coffee (3.2 miles)
• Moka (3.6 miles)
• Moka (3.8 miles)
• Greengrass Cafe (4.3 miles)

Transportation

• Amtrak (3.3 miles)

Physicians

• Breidenbach Wellness Center (3.4 miles)
• Neighborhood Family Clinics (3.4 miles)
• St Clare Health Mission (3.8 miles)
• La Crosse-Mayo Family Medicine Residency (3.9 miles)
• Erik A Gundersen (3.9 miles)
• Gundersen Lutheran Ped's (4 miles)
• Mayo Clinic Health System - Cardiology (4 miles)

Places of Worship

• English Lutheran Church Elca (4.1 miles)
• Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church (4.8 miles)
• St Peter's Hokah (4.9 miles)
• Mary Mother of the Church (5 miles)