Howe Avenue Nursing Home

Pros

• Schaffer Extended Care Center is described as a good place where staff treat family members well and do a commendable job despite understaffing.
• A relative's care is described as absolutely wonderful, with security guards greeting visitors with a smile and staff members like Lupe and Lindsay noted as exceptional.
• The therapeutic department is described as exceptional, with the physical and occupational therapists providing outstanding care.
• The nurses, doctors, aides, and CNAs on the third floor are praised for round-the-clock care.
• OT and PT therapy teams are very good, helpful, and encouraging.
• Most of the staff try hard to make a bad situation better.

Cons

• The security staff are incompetent.
• Schaffer Extended Care Center is a poorly kept nursing home with staff who neglect residents.
• Residents are left unattended for hours.
• A resident suffered a heel fracture and a heart attack while in their care.
• The facility discharged residents without warning, emptied rooms, and disposed of belongings.
• The staff lack etiquette and are unfriendly to residents.
• Eva Thomas is described as a poor, sorry excuse for a nursing director.
• Peter the social worker does not advocate for families and merely sits there.
• The physical therapy equipment and bedding are outdated.
• The food is terrible and the dietary staff often get it wrong.
• Some nurses on the third floor are rude and obnoxious.
• The facility feels dark and depressing.
• The reviewer would not recommend this facility.

Review

The range of experiences at Schaffer Extended Care Center is strikingly mixed, with some visitors praising the facility and others recounting deeply troubling problems. A few reviewers start with a comparative compliment, saying it's "definitely way better than Dumont" and that, despite its flaws, the staff can be commendable. Yet those positive notes sit alongside multiple accounts of serious failures in care, under-staffing, and frustrating interactions with security, front desk, and nursing staff. The overall impression is that the place can feel calm and supportive on good days, but often slides into chaos and frustration when floors are short-staffed or when basic needs aren't met promptly.

Understaffing emerges as the most persistent theme across the testimonies. Several reviewers describe a system strained to the breaking point, where workers are spread thin and residents' needs go unattended for long stretches. One person recollects a mother who woke up around 4 a.m. needing the bathroom and wasn't attended to until 6 a.m., illustrating a pattern of delayed responses. Another visitor notes that call bells go unanswered for long periods, and that staff on the third floor sometimes seem overwhelmed, making families feel uncertain about whether their loved ones will be assisted quickly. The sense of being understaffed is reinforced by repeated observations that staff members take lunch together and neglect the patients during meals or other critical times.

The role of security and the front desk is repeatedly criticized, painting a portrait of a facility where access and timely assistance can be hindered by rigid or inattentive security practices. One reviewer specifically calls the security staff incompetent, and several accounts describe a problematic front desk that is not consistently staffed. In one instance, the entrance lobby on a hot day was described as an uncomfortable, neglected space with no ventilation for visitors who were waiting to see loved ones. There is a sense that, in addition to clinical care concerns, the environment and administrative responsiveness contribute to a stressful experience for families trying to navigate visits and admissions.

Allegations of harm and discharges add a troubling dimension to the reviews. A mother is described as having suffered a heel fracture while in the center's care, attributed by the reviewer to attempts to compel walking. There are equally alarming claims that a heart attack occurred while the patient was under the facility's care, and allegations that a discharge was performed abruptly and that belongings were stolen and the room emptied without warning. These stories, whether viewed as isolated incidents or symptomatic of broader systemic issues, cast a shadow over perceptions of safety and trust in the staff's ability to protect residents.

The rehab and third-floor experiences are painted with a similar dichotomy. Some reviewers condemn the atmosphere as dark and depressing, and note that certain nurses and staff on the third floor are rude or seem indifferent when help is requested. The sense that the environment itself feels unwelcoming, coupled with assertions that urgent requests are answered slowly, feeds a narrative that the facility may struggle to maintain an inviting or reassuring setting for patients in rehab and recovery.

There is a concurrent thread of problematic management and interpersonal dynamics, with some staff members singled out for criticism. One review targets Eva Thomas as a poor nursing director, suggesting a culture of defensiveness and cover-ups among the leadership. A social worker named Peter is described as not advocating for families, instead simply sitting by; these characterizations contribute to a perception that the administrative layer does not reliably champion residents' needs or coordinate effective advocacy. On the other hand, some accounts acknowledge that, even in a strained facility, there are individuals who stand out for their professionalism and compassion, which highlights the variability among staff experiences.

Amid the negatives, there are unmistakable pockets of praise for particular staff members and teams. Several reviews highlight kindness and competence from the therapy teams, describing OT and PT as very good and consistently encouraging. A few specific caregivers also receive positive mentions: Lupe and Lindsay are credited with exceptional service in the care for a patient's discharge planning, and other residents appreciate the general courtesy and care from nurses, aides, and security personnel who maintain a friendly demeanor and do their best under tough conditions. These positive notes suggest that when staff are present and engaged, the quality of care can be meaningful and impactful.

Diet and food service add another layer of dissatisfaction for some residents. Complaints about institutional-quality food, repetitive menus, and dietary errors recur, with reviewers noting that meals are often the same items rebranded with different names. There are also concrete examples of dietary mishaps, such as being served chocolate despite an allergy, which underscores a broader concern that dietary coordination and menu oversight may not be reliable. The overall impression is that even when therapy and direct care show flashes of excellence, nutrition services lag behind, contributing to a sense of inconsistency in the day-to-day experience.

Taken together, these reviews present a facility that elicits strong, divided emotions. On one hand, there are glowing acknowledgments of individual staff members, effective therapy teams, and moments of attentive care that remind readers of the potential for high-quality support. On the other hand, pervasive concerns about understaffing, slow responses to urgent needs, security and front-desk shortcomings, questionable discharge practices, and subpar dietary management paint a stark picture of a center in need of systemic improvements. For families considering Schaffer Extended Care Center, the message is mixed: there are certainly capable, caring people on staff, but the experience can be unpredictable and distressing, with critical gaps that can affect safety, dignity, and overall well-being. The most actionable takeaway seems to be a call for stronger staffing, clearer accountability, and tighter coordination among security, administrative leadership, nursing, and therapy teams to ensure that residents receive timely, respectful, and consistent care.

This part of New Rochelle, New York, offers a variety of amenities and services that would be beneficial for senior living. With several hospitals and pharmacies located within close proximity, residents have easy access to healthcare services. Additionally, the presence of multiple transportation options, such as train stations nearby, provides convenient travel opportunities for seniors. The abundance of cafes and restaurants in the area offer opportunities for socialization and dining out. Nearby parks provide green spaces for leisurely walks or relaxation. The availability of theaters and places of worship cater to cultural and spiritual needs. Furthermore, the presence of reputable physicians and medical centers reinforces the quality healthcare options available in this neighborhood.

Hospitals

• Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital (0 miles)
• St Vincent's Hospital-Westchester (6.7 miles)
• St Barnabas Hospital (6.8 miles)
• Bronx VA Medical Center (7 miles)
• NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital (7.1 miles)
• Burke Rehabilitation Hospital (7.4 miles)
• White Plains Hospital (7.9 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.9 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.2 miles)
• Walgreens (2.6 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.7 miles)
• Value Drugs Eastchester (3.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.4 miles)

Transportation

• Pelham Station (1.1 miles)
• Metro North - Larchmont Train Station (2 miles)
• Metro North - Mt Vernon East Train Station (2.3 miles)
• Metro North - Bronxville Train Station (3.1 miles)
• Metro North - Harrison Train Station (5.8 miles)
• MTA Fordham Metro-North Station (6.5 miles)
• Metro North - Riverdale Station (6.6 miles)

Cafes

• Cafe Zeppieri (1.3 miles)
• Starbucks (4 miles)
• State Of The Art Coffee (4.9 miles)
• Starbucks (5.2 miles)
• Starbucks (5.4 miles)
• Starbucks (7.2 miles)
• Nespresso Boutique at Bloomingdale's, Westchester (7.9 miles)

Parks

• Memorial Park (2.2 miles)
• Manor Park (2.2 miles)
• Rye Town Park (6.3 miles)
• Uniontown Playground (6.6 miles)
• Riverdale Park (6.8 miles)
• Hart's Brook Park & Preserve (7.5 miles)
• Inwood Hill Park (7.5 miles)

Restaurants

• McDonald's (2.8 miles)
• Last Stop Bar & Grill (3.4 miles)
• Serafina (4.1 miles)
• Roosters Market (7.1 miles)
• Harvest on Hudson (7.8 miles)
• Hudson Social (8.4 miles)
• City Limits Diner (8.5 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Bay Plaza Cinema 13 (3.7 miles)
• Alamo Drafthouse Yonkers (5.2 miles)
• AMC Port Chester 14 (8.9 miles)

Places of Worship

• The Riverdale Minyan (6.7 miles)

Physicians

• HSS Westchester (7.5 miles)
• Dickstein Cancer Treatment Center (8 miles)
• Weill Cornell Psychiatry at NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester Division (8.2 miles)
• Westmed Medical Group (8.2 miles)
• Digestive Disease & Nutrition Center of Westchester (8.2 miles)
• WestMed (8.5 miles)
• North Shore Gastroenterology Associates PC (9 miles)