Riverside Health Care Center

Pros

• The Riverside staff are described as doing a wonderful job taking care of residents, leaving family members very happy.
• The PT and OT therapists are praised as great.
• The staff are noted for treating residents with respect and genuine care, contributing to a positive experience.
• Suzette Summers commends the building layout as approachable and the staff as patient, helpful, and amiable.

Cons

• A health care worker states the agency should be shut down immediately due to mistreatment and improper administration of care.
• A family member claims staff harass others and fail to properly supervise high fall risk patients.
• A mother was left in a hallway unattended for hours, with a call light on for 45 minutes before anyone responded.
• Staffing shortages are cited as the reason for inadequate patient care and lack of timely attention.
• The main line at the facility is repeatedly unanswered, causing frustration for callers.
• The dining service is criticized for poor quality and inconsistent meal availability, allegedly influenced by budget constraints.

Review

The experiences shared about Riverside Health and Rehabilitation and its related facilities paint a picture of a system that can deliver genuine, compassionate care on one hand, while on the other hand struggle with fundamental staffing, supervision, and resource gaps. Reviewers describe a complex mix of praise and concern that suggests both strengths and serious weaknesses across the network, with patient safety and comfort often hinging on which staff members are on duty and how much time they can devote to each person.

On the distinctly positive side, some family members express heartfelt gratitude for the care they've received. One reviewer notes with warmth that the Riverside staff are genuinely caring and that the facility has done wonderful work for their mother, who is happy in her care. This sentiment emphasizes the importance of personal connections, individualized attention, and a sense of trust that many families seek in a rehabilitation setting. For these families, the staff's everyday attention and demeanor translate into real comfort for patients during recovery.

Yet alongside those affirmations sits a chorus of concerns about how care is actually delivered in day-to-day operations. Several comments speak to harassment and a troubling atmosphere on some shifts, suggesting a work culture that may tolerate or overlook inappropriate behavior. The phrase "The employee's harass others!!!" conveys a strong impression that not all interactions at the facility are respectful or professional, which raises red flags for patient safety and a supportive environment. These complaints point to an environment where staff tensions and interpersonal dynamics could impact patient experience and well-being.

A particularly troubling firsthand account concerns a rehabilitation stay that lasted only seven hours. The patient - admitted for recovery after a serious illness and a stroke history - was placed at the far end of a hallway where staff rarely checked in. A call light remained unanswered for about 45 minutes, and the initial need was merely for blankets. The patient, described as a high fall risk, did not receive timely supervision, with no one visiting the room for several hours after the therapy sessions had ended and the CNAs left. The account also notes that the patient was later denied timely meals, with staff suggesting the patient should wheel herself for meals or wait for someone to respond to the call button. While the therapists (PT and OT) were praised as excellent, the overall living conditions and level of daily oversight fell far short of the patient's safety and care needs. The reviewer acknowledges staffing shortages as a possibility but frames the experience as unacceptable, especially for someone who requires close monitoring and timely assistance.

Despite these serious criticisms, there are also positive notes about the therapists themselves and the care they provide once engaged. The therapy staff are described as capable and helpful, with a recognition that their professional care can make a meaningful difference in recovery even when other aspects of the facility are lacking. This contrast - strong therapy services amid broader concerns about daily living conditions - highlights a divide between specialized rehabilitation work and the general care environment that supports patients outside of therapy sessions.

Administrative accessibility emerges as another recurring pain point. In one account from a colleague working in a doctor's office, the main line to the facility is frequently unanswered, with repeated attempts going unreturned. This difficulty in reaching the facility compounds the frustration of families and partners who need quick, reliable communication to coordinate care, schedule appointments, or address urgent questions. The issue underscores how important reliable administrative contact is to patient families, especially in settings that juggle high volumes of patients and complex care needs.

Within the spectrum of perspectives, a reviewer named Suzette Summers offers a broader, more mixed appraisal across multiple facilities. She notes favorable impressions of Hillside rehabilitation center, particularly praising the building's layout for accessibility and the patience, helpfulness, and amiable nature of the staff. Her remarks reflect the importance of thoughtful design and a courteous, patient-centered staff in shaping a positive experience for residents and their families. This viewpoint suggests that when the environment is well-structured and staff behavior is consistently courteous, the experience at these facilities can be markedly better.

However, Summers also articulates a broader concern: the overarching problem of staffing. She argues that Riverside's medical personnel are spread too thin, leaving caregivers with insufficient time to properly attend to all patients. In her view, this staffing constraint means that dying patients, in particular, may not receive the comfort and attention they need because there simply aren't enough hands on deck to cover every floor and patient. This critique points to systemic issues in resource allocation that can erode the quality of care across the board, regardless of individual staff members' dedication.

There is also a retrospective dimension to these reviews. One observer recalls visiting Riverside five years ago after open-heart surgery and notes that the quality of services has since declined in certain areas. They point to food quality as a notable area affected by budgetary constraints, reflecting how financial pressures can directly impact daily life in a facility and influence overall patient satisfaction. This longitudinal perspective suggests that changes in leadership, funding, and resource management can have lasting effects on the resident experience, particularly in non-clinical domains like meals and comfort.

Taken together, the collection of experiences presents a nuanced portrait of Riverside Health and Rehabilitation and its related centers. For some families, the care delivered by dedicated staff and skilled therapists provides real reassurance and positive outcomes for loved ones. For others, serious concerns about supervision, timely responses, staff conduct, and overall resource constraints paint a warning picture about patient safety and the quality of daily life in these facilities. The comments underscore the critical need for consistent staffing, clear lines of communication, respectful workplace culture, and ongoing investment in both the physical environment and the human elements of care that together determine the true quality of rehabilitation and long-term care.

This part of Missoula, Montana offers a convenient and vibrant community for senior living. With several parks nearby such as Jacob's Island Bark Park, Greenough Park, and Kiwanis Park, residents can enjoy the outdoors and stay active. There are also various healthcare options available including Costcare, Neurological Associates PC, and the International Heart Institute of Montana. Pharmacies like Albertsons Pharmacy and Broadway Pharmacy are easily accessible for medication needs. A variety of restaurants and cafes such as Five Guys Burgers & Fries, Finn & Porter, Black Coffee Roasting Company, and Market on Front provide plenty of dining options. Additionally, St Patrick Hospital and Providence Surgery Center are located within a short distance for medical emergencies or regular check-ups. Places of worship like St Francis Xavier Church offer spiritual support for those seeking a community to practice their faith. Overall, this area provides seniors with a diverse range of amenities in a welcoming neighborhood setting.

Parks

• Jacob's Island Bark Park (0.3 miles)
• Greenough Park (0.8 miles)
• Kiwanis Park (0.8 miles)
• Bess Reed Park (1 miles)
• Bonner Park (1.1 miles)
• Evelyn Borg Johnson Park (1.2 miles)
• McCormick Park (1.5 miles)

Physicians

• Costcare (0.4 miles)
• Garden City Professionals - Susan Swierc PhD (1 miles)
• Seyfert Sydney (1.3 miles)
• Neurological Associates PC (1.4 miles)
• Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging at Providence St. Patrick Hospital (1.5 miles)
• Western Montana Clinic at Broadway Building Location (1.5 miles)
• International Heart Institute of Montana (1.5 miles)

Pharmacies

• Albertsons Pharmacy (0.4 miles)
• Broadway Pharmacy (1.5 miles)
• Albertsons Pharmacy (2.7 miles)
• Missoula Pharmacy (3.2 miles)
• Shopko Missoula Pharmacy (3.2 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (3.3 miles)
• Albertsons Pharmacy (3.3 miles)

Restaurants

• Five Guys Burgers & Fries (0.6 miles)
• Finn & Porter (0.7 miles)
• The Camino (1.1 miles)
• Plonk (1.1 miles)
• Jimmy John's (1.1 miles)
• Taco Del Sol (1.1 miles)
• Charlie B's (1.1 miles)

Cafes

• Liquid Planet Grille (0.8 miles)
• Black Coffee Roasting Company (0.8 miles)
• Ducrey Chocolate Maker (0.9 miles)
• Market on Front (1 miles)
• Break Espresso (1.1 miles)
• Le Petit Outre Breads (1.2 miles)
• Florence Coffee Co. (1.4 miles)

Hospitals

• St Patrick Hospital- Admin Area (1.1 miles)
• Providence Surgery Center (1.4 miles)
• Cancer Center-St Patrick Hospital and Health Sciences Cen (1.5 miles)
• Joint Repair Clinic of Montana (3 miles)
• Village Health Care Center (3.5 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Francis Xavier Church (1.4 miles)
• Meadow View Church (2.8 miles)