La Plata Nursing Home in La Plata, MO

Pros

• The staff are welcoming and helpful.
• The staff go out of their way to assist both residents and their families.
• The breakfasts are wonderful.
• The lunches are delicious and all homemade.
• The facility offers an extensive monthly calendar of events, including bingo, karaoke, and movie nights with popcorn.
• There are plenty of activities for residents, including games.
• The facility has a large gazebo with a grill where families can spend time with residents.
• The outdoor area is wonderful, with a large yard and bird feeders.
• The care is great and personalized.
• They really care about the residents, with nursing care that is wonderful and food that is great.
• The staff are very helpful and caring to everyone.
• When entering, the place feels like home and the staff are very nice and wonderful.
• The staff are great and willing to help in any way they can.

Cons

• The mother was totally neglected during her stay.
• The charge nurse failed to hook up the Trilogy machine.
• She was put on the wrong diet, and staff did nothing when she gained 10 pounds in 3 days.
• This left her full of fluid and needing immediate hospital care.
• The reviewer believes the mother would have died if family members hadn't checked on her.
• The reviewer cautions others not to send their loved ones there.
• The nurses were very rude to the reviewer.
• The facility needs upgrades and more staff.

Review

La Plata Nursing Home is best suited for seniors who want a small-town, community-driven experience where everyday life centers on companionship, home-style meals, and accessible outdoor space. This facility shines for residents who are pursuing rehab with the aim of returning home, thanks to a program that routinely emphasizes routine, structured activity, and social engagement. Families report a clean, inviting atmosphere and a staff that makes the place feel less like a clinical setting and more like a welcoming home. The abundance of monthly activities, from bingo and karaoke to movie nights, paired with a large, usable outdoor area and a gazebo, creates a rhythm of life that reduces isolation and builds a sense of belonging.

Those who may want to consider alternatives are clear to note: La Plata may not be the right fit for loved ones who require constant high-acuity medical monitoring or very aggressive clinical oversight. Several reviews flag concerns about staffing levels and the consistency of care, including reports of rude interactions and a stark incident where care lapses allegedly contributed to a serious medical crisis. While the overall rating remains solid, these anecdotes cannot be dismissed. Families should plan to verify current nurse coverage, care protocols, and the facility's ability to manage complex conditions before committing, especially if a loved one needs near-continuous monitoring or highly specialized treatment.

The strongest positives - cleanliness, a home-like atmosphere, and genuinely caring staff - often offset the downsides in practical decision-making. Residents are described as happy and well cared-for, with particular praise for the welcoming tone of front-line staff and the willingness to support families. The kitchens produce homemade-style meals that residents and visitors alike praise, and the sheer variety of activities gives seniors something to look forward to daily. These elements matter a great deal for emotional well-being, helping to counteract the stress that can come with transition to any communal living setting.

However, the most serious red flag remains a disclosed incident where a rehab patient allegedly encountered neglect and medical mismanagement, leading to hospitalizations. Such an account, if accurate, signals a risk that cannot be dismissed. It underscores the necessity of due diligence on admission: request a candid walkthrough of nursing protocols, ask for recent staffing rosters and turnover rates, and probe how the facility supervises rehab services and diet management. It also makes sense to contact the administrator to discuss what safeguards are in place to prevent a repeat of that scenario, and to seek concrete assurances about patient monitoring, emergency responsiveness, and care coordination.

From a practical decision perspective, families should prioritize a two-track due diligence approach. First, verify the day-to-day reality: request a tour at a time when activities are in full swing, speak directly with current residents and families, and meet with the Director of Nursing to discuss staffing ratios, training, and what happens when a patient requires rapid escalation of care. Second, scrutinize the rehab program and transitional care capabilities: how are diets determined and adjusted, who oversees fluid balance and weight changes, and what is the process for reporting concerns? Inquire about recent upgrades or capital improvements, kitchen safety standards, and how the facility integrates family involvement into care planning.

Overall, La Plata Nursing Home presents a compelling option for seniors seeking a warm, activity-rich, and socially engaging environment with reliable dining and a high degree of resident-family interaction. Its strengths - the cleanliness, the homelike vibe, and the robust calendar of activities - offer real value for those prioritizing quality of life alongside basic care. Yet the potential for serious care lapses, as highlighted by one troubling review and corroborated by other less favorable remarks, makes it essential to pursue thorough vetting before choosing. When the fit is right, this community can deliver meaningful daily life and recovery-focused support; when the fit is not, the risks demand exploring alternatives with a clearer track record of clinical oversight and consistent staff performance.

Physicians

• Timberline Clinic (10.2 miles)
• Cleaver Dermatology (11.1 miles)
• Complete Family Medicine (11.9 miles)
• Corbett, Janet Dr-Truman State Univ Stdnt Health Ct (12.5 miles)
• Hearing Care Partners (12.7 miles)
• Ob/Gyn Specialty Group (13 miles)
• Northeast Pediatrics (13 miles)

Places of Worship

• Countryside Christian Church (10.9 miles)
• Thousand Hills Baptist Assoc (11.1 miles)
• First Church Of God (11.2 miles)
• Thousand Hills Baptist Association (11.6 miles)
• Timberridge Community Church (11.7 miles)
• Central Church of Christ (11.8 miles)
• Rehoboth Church (12.3 miles)

Transportation

• Enterprise Rent-A-Car (11.2 miles)
• Alamo (11.3 miles)
• U-Haul (11.6 miles)
• Shuttle Train Airport Taxi Transportation (12.2 miles)
• D & D Cab (12.6 miles)
• Cape Air (13 miles)
• U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer (18.8 miles)

Restaurants

• Diner 54 (11.2 miles)
• La Pachanga1 Mexican Restaurante (11.6 miles)
• La Pachanga (11.8 miles)
• King's Buffet (11.8 miles)
• Subway (12 miles)
• Hardee's (12 miles)
• McDonald's (12.1 miles)

Pharmacies

• Kirksville Pharmacy (11.9 miles)
• Hy-Vee Pharmacy (12.9 miles)
• Med Depot (13 miles)
• Pro Pharma (13.3 miles)
• Elliott Pharmacy (14.2 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (18.8 miles)
• Knox County Pharmacy (18.9 miles)

Cafes

• Caffiend Fix Coffee (12.9 miles)
• Jefferson Street Cafe (13 miles)
• Novelty Cafe (14.5 miles)
• Rosie's Northtown Cafe (14.7 miles)

Hospitals

• Northeast Regional Medical Center (13 miles)
• Community Health Systems (13 miles)
• Northeast Regional Medical Center (13 miles)
• Samaritan Hospital (19.1 miles)

Theaters

• Downtown Cinema 8 (13 miles)