Rockingham County Nursing Home

Pros

• The staff at Rochester County Rehab & Nursing Center are described as wonderful, caring, and compassionate.
• Ernest P. Barka Assisted Living Facility is described as fantastic and highly recommended.
• Rockingham is consistently described as very good for care, with staff who are caring and treat residents well.
• The Rockingham care team is described as genuinely committed and caring about residents in both rehabilitation and long-term care.
• Families report that staff treat residents like family and prioritize their happiness and well-being.
• The care at these facilities is top-notch, with administration taking a humane, attentive approach to elderly care.
• Families appreciate being able to directly speak with caregivers and having questions addressed promptly.
• Polly referred to Rockingham as "home," with staff becoming like family.
• The facilities are described as home-like environments where residents feel safe, supported, and dignified.
• Overall, reviewers say they would recommend these facilities to others.

Cons

• The reviewer described the facility as the most inconsiderate and discriminating they had ever known.
• The facility allegedly refused to take the patient due to past psychiatric history and requested medical charts dating back to 2000.
• The reviewer claimed that half of the building has been shut down since 2020 because of staffing issues.
• The reviewer stated they would never recommend the facility and criticized it for discriminating against mental health.

Review

Across these accounts, a clear pattern emerges: many families and residents speak with genuine warmth about the people who work in these facilities and the care their loved ones receive, while a smaller number express frustration over administrative hurdles, staffing gaps, and perceived discrimination. The threads run through several centers, with Rochester County Rehab & Nursing Center (RCRNC) and Rockingham facilities featured prominently, along with a few individual endorsements of other homes. Taken together, the messages paint a nuanced portrait of senior care that centers on compassion, dignity, and ongoing challenges.

At Rochester County Rehab & Nursing Center, several reviewers describe a deeply positive experience. One family member highlights a five-year residency for a loved one living with MS, noting that the facility provided the best care she had seen since the illness began. The staff is portrayed as wonderful, caring, and compassionate, with Hospice care described as excellent and a comfort for both the patient and the family. The reviewer emphasizes that they visit often and are always met with good care for their loved one and for themselves, with staff even ensuring a comfortable seating area for visitors. This account characterizes RCRNC as a place of warmth, accessibility, and attentiveness to both residents and families.

However, there is also a harsh, opposing experience linked to the same or a similar facility in which a reviewer accuses the staff of inconsideration and discrimination. The reviewer claims a two-month delay in finding a permanent placement for a father with dementia, and alleges the facility refused to admit him because of a past psychiatric history that dated back many years. They describe the situation as unprofessional and discriminatory against mental health history, and they criticize the facility for using outdated rationales and for a perceived lack of staffing. The reviewer also contends that the building's operations are hampered by staffing shortages since 2020, noting that only a portion of the building remains fully functional while insurance continues to pay for an under-resourced operation. This perspective contrasts sharply with the other glowingly positive reports about the same or nearby facilities, underscoring how experiences can vary widely depending on who is interacting with the institution and in what capacity.

Amid these stronger opinions, other voices offer a balanced, affectionate view of life at the same organizations or similar ones. One reviewer warmly proclaims their affection for the place, declaring, "Oh, I love it here." They praise the staff across Nursing and Guest services, calling everyone nice and helpful. They enjoy the social and culinary offerings, noting that the food is good and that they even photograph meals and daily activities to share with friends. This portrait emphasizes a sense of community and personal connection, with the resident or patient describing self-reported engagement with daily life, occasional preferences, and the ability to maintain privacy and respect for others in shared spaces.

Beyond Rochester County, Ernest P. Barka Assisted Living Facility receives high praise from another reviewer, who simply states that the facility is fantastic and worth a strong recommendation. That sentiment is echoed in another comment praising three years of care for a mother, with consistent impressions of attentive, high-quality service. The overarching message is that, when a facility meets expectations for dignity, responsiveness, and compassionate care, families feel compelled to advocate and recommend it to others in similar circumstances.

The Rockingham facilities - encompassing both rehabilitation and ongoing long-term care - are described with similarly strong affirmation. A reviewer notes that both of their parents have stayed in the rehab center, with therapy options described as excellent and staff as genuinely devoted to the residents. The ability to reach out by phone and receive timely, direct communication about a loved one's care is highlighted as a major plus. The rehab environment is praised for its recent renovations, while the long-term side is acknowledged as older but still driven by excellent care. Although there is some critique of the food, described as "2 stars" due to a contracted provider, this same review emphasizes that care and staff dedication remain the core strengths and that families can supplement meals with home-cooked or special items as needed. The reviewer even suggests they would award six stars if possible, underscoring a strong overall satisfaction with the care experience.

A final, deeply personal thread comes from a family recounting the care their mother received at Rockingham. They describe a loving, warm, and supportive environment in which their mother felt safe and where staff became like family to her. The narrative honors the staff for maintaining dignity and respect through the progression of Alzheimer's disease and the difficult last days, and the family expresses enduring gratitude for the care and companionship she found there. The sentiment is that the facility provided not just medical support but a compassionate home where their loved one could spend meaningful time surrounded by people who cared.

Taken together, these narratives reflect a broad spectrum of experiences within senior care. The most consistently affirmed strengths are compassionate, attentive staff, clear doors of communication with families, and a strong sense of dignity and home-like warmth for residents, especially during vulnerable periods such as hospice. At the same time, several reviews raise concerns about discrimination, particularly related to mental health history, and about staffing constraints that can affect the breadth of services and the day-to-day operation of a building. Food quality emerges as a more variable factor, with some residents enjoying meals while others wish for improvement or more consistent accountability to dietary standards. Overall, the messages converge on a fundamental truth: successful care hinges on the people who show up every day - with empathy, competence, and a willingness to treat each resident as family.

Pharmacies

• Walmart Pharmacy (1.3 miles)
• Walgreens (1.7 miles)
• Hannaford Food and Drug (5.8 miles)
• Hannaford Pharmacy (5.8 miles)
• Walgreens (5.9 miles)
• Rite Aid (5.9 miles)
• Walgreens (6 miles)

Restaurants

• Burger King (1.3 miles)
• Orient Pearl (2.2 miles)
• Memories Ice Cream (4.6 miles)
• Tuckaway Tavern and Butchery (5.9 miles)
• Thirsty Moose Taphouse (6.1 miles)
• McDonald's (6.4 miles)
• Chipotle Mexican Grill (6.6 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Joseph's Church (3.1 miles)
• St George's Episcopal Church (10.6 miles)

Physicians

• Rockingham Vna & Hospice (4.5 miles)
• Exeter Hospital (4.5 miles)
• Sleep Institute of New England (4.7 miles)
• Klunk John MD - Elliot Primary Care-Raymond (5.9 miles)
• Exeter Pediatric Associates (6.2 miles)
• Core Gen Surgery And V (6.3 miles)
• Core Cardiology (6.3 miles)

Cafes

• Me & Ollie's (5.8 miles)
• Starbucks (6.7 miles)
• Horseshoe Cafe (7.3 miles)
• Honey Dew Donuts (9.9 miles)
• The Works Café (10.5 miles)
• The Juice Box (11.3 miles)
• Aroma Joe's (11.9 miles)

Hospitals

• Exeter Hospital (11.8 miles)
• Anna Jaques Hospital Billing (12.8 miles)
• Portsmouth Regional Hospital (13.2 miles)

Transportation

• C&J Bus Lines (12 miles)
• Portsmouth International Airport at Pease (PSM) (12.6 miles)
• Pease Planesense Air Force Hangar (12.8 miles)
• Port City Air (12.9 miles)
• C & J Bus Lines (13 miles)

Parks

• Amesbury Town Park (12.3 miles)