St. Johnland Nursing Ctr in Kings Park, NY

Pros

• The staff at St. Johnland's Kipp Pavilion are bright, warm, and welcoming.
• Katalin went above and beyond, often checking in and even sharing her personal number.
• The Kipp nursing staff and aides are exceptional, kind, and attentive to residents' needs.
• Briana, the social worker, is a shining star who cared for residents like family.
• Victoria, the Assistant Director of Nursing, provides consistent support and compassionate care.
• The rehab and therapy teams, including PT and OT, are excellent.
• The facility is described as well-run, clean, and staffed by friendly, helpful people, with many recommending it for a loved one.
• John Mackay (social director) and Maria Lizzo (notary) are noted as very helpful with paperwork.
• Families report their loved ones recovered well and stayed engaged thanks to the staff.

Cons

• The administration is heartless, manipulative, and mean.
• They evicted a father for dementia-related behavior and depression after the loss of his wife.
• They blindsided families and lied to them at care team meetings.
• The staff were chronically understaffed, unhelpful, and some nurses and aides were abusive or negligent.
• Aides violated HIPAA by discussing other patients' health problems.
• Residents were left in diapers, not helped to the bathroom, and not moved enough, accelerating decline.
• The food was often disgusting, of poor quality, or served cold.
• The facility was dirty and poorly maintained, with mold and strong odors.
• The unit appeared to prioritize profit and billing over actual patient care.
• Some staff and administrators treated residents with contempt, neglect, or dehumanization.

Review

St. Johnland Nursing Center in Kings Park is best suited for families confronting memory-care and rehabilitation needs who can commit to active oversight and advocacy. The facility can offer a bright, spacious environment, particularly in the Kipp Pavilion for Alzheimer's and dementia care, where residents have large rooms, multiple secure outdoor spaces, and ample room to maneuver. When the unit runs smoothly, families report highly competent nursing attention, dedicated aides, and engaged social work support that can make a real difference in a resident's day-to-day comfort and progress. In short, it can be a strong fit for memory-impaired residents and rehab patients whose families are prepared to partner closely with the care team.

Those weighing alternatives should note several red flags that appear repeatedly in conversations about St. Johnland. Families facing ongoing concerns about administration and accountability will want to explore other options. Evictions, inconsistent communication, and allegations of neglect have been described by multiple reviewers, at times accompanied by claims of deception or inadequate post-acute care. Families with prior experiences of abuse or substandard care at other facilities may find the inconsistency here unacceptable. For anyone unable or unwilling to stay highly involved in daily care, this community becomes a riskier bet.

The facility's strongest positives - the pros - can sometimes offset its most serious drawbacks, but only when the unit and staff are functioning at their best. The Kipp Pavilion is repeatedly praised for warmth, patient-centric nursing, and a robust sense of community among residents, families, and caregivers. Reviews highlight standout professionals who deliver compassionate, attentive care: nurses who become reliable anchors, aides who form real connections, and social workers who guide families through transitions with genuine dedication. Rehab and short-term therapy in the right hands yields tangible gains, and several families credit the staff's personal attention with helping their loved ones regain mobility and dignity. These elements demonstrate what the center can be when well led and adequately staffed.

Yet the cons are not trivial and often dominate when care experiences deteriorate. A recurrent pattern involves understaffing leading to long response times, limited one-on-one attention, and friction between families and management over care decisions. Reports of neglect - ranging from missed medications or hydration issues to inappropriate supervision in some units - underscore serious safety concerns. The aesthetic appeal and even the presence of competent individuals on certain shifts do not erase episodes of friction, miscommunication, or perceived indifference from leadership. Food quality and cleanliness surface as ongoing complaints in many reviews, and in the most troubling cases, families recount rapid declines or hospitalizations following admissions, which cannot be dismissed as isolated incidents.

Practical decision-making guidance centers on verifiable, on-site evidence and clear expectations. Prospective residents should insist on a current, transparent tour of the Kipp Pavilion and a candid conversation with the unit's leadership about staffing levels, nurse-to-resident ratios, and response times. Request to meet the social worker and patient-care coordinators who routinely interact with families, and ask for recent incident logs, care plans, and progress notes for comparable residents. Verify that dietary plans align with preferences and medical needs, and look for consistent therapist scheduling that includes weekend coverage if those services are critical. Above all, assess how the facility handles complaints: speed, transparency, and concrete follow-through are the true tests of reliability.

The bottom line is that St. Johnland can be a very good match for a memory-care resident and rehab patient when staffing is adequate, administration is accountable, and families stay deeply involved. It is not a safe choice for everyone; the most compelling reason to proceed is the potential for excellent, relationship-based care in the Kipp unit and a governance culture that prioritizes resident welfare. For families unable to secure consistent, attentive oversight, or who cannot tolerate recurrent concerns about neglect or mismanagement, alternatives should be pursued without hesitation. In choosing this community, clear expectations, rigorous oversight, and a willing to intervene promptly will determine whether the experience is a stabilizing, life-affirming option or a difficult, distressing chapter.

Parks

• Sunken Meadow State Park (1.5 miles)
• The Dog Park (3.2 miles)
• Avalon Park & Preserve (4.8 miles)
• West Meadow Beach (5.7 miles)
• Brentwood State Park (8.3 miles)
• The College Woods Park (8.8 miles)

Pharmacies

• Kings Park Pharmacy (1.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.8 miles)
• Walgreens (4.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (5.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (5.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (5.1 miles)
• Walgreens (5.2 miles)

Hospitals

• St Catherine of Siena Medical Center (2.5 miles)
• Main Lobby (6.5 miles)
• Northwell Health-GoHealth Urgent Care (8.1 miles)

Restaurants

• Burger King (3.8 miles)
• Garden Grill (4.2 miles)
• McDonald's (5.2 miles)
• Richie's Pizza of Commack (5.3 miles)
• Taco Bell (5.5 miles)
• Green Tea Restaurant (6 miles)
• Taco Bell (6.2 miles)

Physicians

• Dr Groth Pain Management (3.9 miles)
• Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology (4.1 miles)
• Northwell Health Imaging at Smithtown (4.4 miles)
• Dr Denis O'Brien, MD (4.6 miles)
• Branch Pediatrics (4.7 miles)
• ProHEALTH East End Eye (4.8 miles)
• Endocrine Associates of Long Island (5.3 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (4.4 miles)
• Crazy Beans (5 miles)
• Starbucks (5.6 miles)
• Student Activities Center (6.1 miles)
• Starbucks (6.6 miles)
• Nesconset Bagel Cafe (6.8 miles)
• Starbucks (7.2 miles)

Theaters

• AMC DINE-IN Huntington Square 12 (5.9 miles)
• AMC Stony Brook 17 (6.2 miles)
• Regal Ronkonkoma (9.1 miles)

Transportation

• Greenlawn LIRR Station (6.8 miles)