Manahawkin Nursing & Rehab in Manahawkin, NJ

Pros

• They have great staff who truly care.
• It is a beautiful place with a peaceful working environment and wonderful staff.
• The workers are very helpful and kind.
• The admissions director Monaud is super helpful and goes above and beyond to assist.
• The CNAs are extremely nice, helpful, and consistently available; the nursing staff are wonderful.
• The facility is clean and the staff are professional and personable.
• The staff go above and beyond to assist with appointments and transportation.
• Manahawkin is a phenomenal place where staff strive to treat residents well.
• Residents feel comfort and satisfaction when their needs are addressed.

Cons

• The reviews depict the facility as dirty, dingy, and unkempt with mold on ceilings and urine odors.
• The care is described as horrible, with staff more focused on money than on patients' well-being.
• Families report neglect, unanswered calls, and unmet medical or personal care needs for their loved ones.
• HIPAA violations are alleged, with staff discussing patients' medical issues in common areas.
• The building is criticized as understaffed, poorly maintained, and led by ineffective management.
• Residents are said to be left without meals, medications, or basic daily care.
• The environment is described as depressing and unsafe, prompting calls for an investigation or condemnation.
• Some reviewers report unprofessional or abusive treatment, including rude or disrespectful staff.
• There are claims of abrupt discharges or relocations without proper planning or communication.
• Unsafe practices are alleged, such as bedsores not being rotated and questionable medication handling.
• Reviewers warn others not to send loved ones there, calling the place a nightmare and recommending against it.
• Allegations of corruption or bribery are made, suggesting money-driven motives undermine patient care.

Review

This community is best suited for families that need a practical, post-acute or long-term rehab option near Manahawkin and are prepared to stay heavily involved in oversight. It can work for residents who respond well to attentive frontline staff and a home-like, small-community feel, especially when family members are able to establish frequent touchpoints with admissions, nursing, and therapy teams. When ownership and leadership are aligned, there are glimpses of genuine warmth from caregivers, and some residents benefit from a relatively convenient location and a schedule of activities designed to engage them. In short, this is a choice for families willing to be proactive advocates and prepared for a pressurized environment where consistency varies.

Those who should seriously consider alternatives are families prioritizing rock-solid safety, pristine cleanliness, and zero-surprises in billing and care coordination. If a resident's needs hinge on reliable, round-the-clock staffing, transparent communication with families, predictable medication administration, and a consistently sanitary environment, this community may fall short. Several reviews paint a troubling picture of understaffing, delayed responses, and hygiene concerns, along with claims of disorganized or opaque billing practices. For anyone unable or unwilling to supervise care day-to-day or to pursue repeated follow-ups with administration, another option is advisable. The risk profile here is high enough that non-negotiables - cleanliness, safety, accountability - should drive the decision.

Pros and cons form a tense balance. On the positive side, there are recurring notes of caring staff, approachable administrators, and a sense of community when care is well-coordinated. Some families credit new or reorganized leadership with improved responsiveness, effective admissions support, and staff who genuinely seem to care about residents. The facility's location remains a practical plus for local families, and certain residents report engaging activities and personal attention from caregivers. However, these strengths rarely neutralize the dominant concerns raised in the broader feedback: persistent understaffing and inconsistent communication with families, reports of dirty or poorly maintained spaces, and troubling anecdotes about neglect, medication lapses, and uncomfortable environmental conditions. When the negatives cluster, they erode trust and undermine recovery or comfort.

A disciplined due diligence process is essential for anyone considering this community. Before deciding, request the most recent CMS and state survey reports, verify current ownership and management structure, and arrange an in-person tour with multiple staff members present. Probe every department - nursing, therapy, dietary, social services - and observe how information flows between shifts. Look for tangible details: clean, well-lit spaces; documented care plans; timely responses to call bells; and clear processes for family updates. Ask for concrete examples of how care plans are updated after changes in condition, and demand transparency on billing with written estimates and itemized statements. The right questions now can prevent entrenched disappointment later.

If choosing this facility, families should be prepared to monitor daily care closely and to escalate immediately if red flags appear. Track whether basic needs are met promptly: assistance with mobility, timely medication administration, help with meals, and routine hygiene. Verify that rooms and bathrooms are clean, linens are replaced, and waste is managed properly. Ensure that family communications are respected and that a designated point person is available for updates. Maintain a clear discharge or transfer plan, and know the procedure for filing complaints or requesting a third-party review if concerns persist. The emphasis should be on verifiable, measurable care, not only on kind words or a friendly lobby.

Overall, Manahawkin Nursing & Rehab presents a high-stakes choice rooted in variable staffing, mixed safety signals, and a wide range of resident experiences. The default posture is to treat this community as a last-resort option to be pursued only after exploring more consistently reliable alternatives. When a family can commit to aggressive oversight and rapid response to issues, it may work for some residents - yet the weight of negative narratives cannot be ignored. In practical terms, assemble a short list of two to three nearby facilities with strong staffing ratios, transparent operations, and consistently clean environments, then visit each with a structured checklist. The best path is deliberate comparison rather than assuming any single facility will fully meet every expectation.

Physicians

• Erickson Dreizen & Lee Eye Center - Robert E Lee III MD (0.2 miles)
• Family Medicine Center (0.2 miles)
• Ocean County Retina Ma (0.2 miles)
• Southern Ocean Foot (0.2 miles)
• J B Orthopedics PA (0.2 miles)
• Orthopaedic Institute Brielle Orthopaedics (0.2 miles)
• Rizzo Charles C MD (0.2 miles)

Hospitals

• Hackensack Meridian Health Southern Ocean Medical Center (0.3 miles)
• Southern Ocean County Hospital (0.3 miles)
• Southern Regional Hospital (0.3 miles)

Pharmacies

• Stafford Pharmacy (0.3 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (1.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.2 miles)
• Walgreens (3.5 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (7 miles)
• Forked River Pharmacy (8.6 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (9 miles)

Restaurants

• Stafford Diner (0.3 miles)
• McDonald's (1.2 miles)
• Element Restaurant & Bar (1.3 miles)
• Chipotle Mexican Grill (1.4 miles)
• Wendy's (1.8 miles)
• Applebee's (2.1 miles)
• The Mainland Kitchen & Pub (2.3 miles)

Cafes

• Johnny’s Offshore Cafe (2.4 miles)
• Sandbox Cafe Surf City (7.8 miles)
• The Local Market & Kitchen (7.8 miles)
• How You Brewin Internet Cafe (7.8 miles)
• Jersey Girl (9.5 miles)
• Blue Water Cafe (9.6 miles)

Parks

• John J. Guld Jr Recreation Area & Ball Field (7.6 miles)
• Sunset Park (8.1 miles)