Fairlane Gardens Nursing and Rehab

Pros

• The staff here is amazing.
• Sherry from admissions is wonderful and always welcoming.
• Fairlane Gardens goes the extra mile for their patients.
• There is an abundance of friendly caregivers.
• The admissions process is smooth from start to finish.
• Fairlane Gardens provides daily and seasonal activities for residents.
• The care is compassionate and competent.
• The facility welcomes loved ones quickly and efficiently.

Cons

• The facility refused to wash his friend's laundry.
• The nurses cannot maintain a urostomy bag or other basic patient needs.
• The place is absolutely horrible.
• The grandfather was left sitting in a soiled diaper for a long time.
• He was not helped when calling for assistance.
• They did not follow his diet because he aspirated when eating.
• He was discharged with scraped knees and a swollen ankle without any notice.
• The mother received horrible care, and the five-star reviews are fake.
• She was spoken to horribly by staff and denied prescription pain medication after major surgery.
• The grandmother was mistreated, left in fecal matter for two hours, and threatened with police when leaving.
• The facility mistreats residents, and the nurse giving medications is nasty and barely able to walk.
• Meal times are a disaster and staff-to-patient ratios are skewed; supervisors are seen as dishonest.

Review

The feedback about Fairlane Gardens in Reading is a tapestry of intensely negative experiences interwoven with a few surprisingly positive notes. Taken together, the accounts paint a picture of a facility where some families feel their loved ones were not cared for, their basic needs were neglected, and concerns about cleanliness, safety, and staff responsiveness were not adequately addressed. The most piercing themes revolve around basic hygiene, timely assistance, and the quality of medical and personal care.

A recurring thread centers on neglect and poor care, especially in situations involving incontinence, wounds, and medication. Several reviewers describe loved ones left sitting in soiled conditions for extended periods, with caregivers slow to respond to call bells. One family reported repeated falls and the perception that nurses did not assist when needed, while another described a patient who aspirated during meals and was not promptly supported or fed in a timely manner. There are also stark accusations that a resident was discharged with ongoing injuries or swelling that were not properly communicated to family members. These narratives emphasize not only the fear for the patient's immediate safety but also frustration at what is perceived as a lack of accountability and communication from staff.

Pain management and medication practices appear to be particular flashpoints. A reviewer claimed a post-surgical patient was denied prescription pain medications and instead given only Tylenol, with delays in basic necessities - such as access to a bedpan or meals - while staff allegedly waited for permission or "for the ready" times. The broader message is that some families felt their loved ones were treated as an afterthought rather than as patients with urgent, legitimate needs, especially after major procedures. In some accounts, the relationship between the medical staff and families deteriorated to the point where recordings of mistreatment or threats were mentioned, underscoring a deep mistrust of how care was being administered.

Cleanliness and the physical environment are highlighted as alarmingly poor in multiple anecdotes. Reviewers describe rooms that were never cleaned, floors and curtains that appeared dirty or stained, and even bedding and pillows left without basic coverings. A particularly distressing claim described a room that was not cleaned for weeks, with a patient left in fecal matter and bedding left unchanged, which allegedly prompted confrontations and threats when families attempted to address the issue. Hygiene concerns extend to common areas as well, with reports of strong odors, flies, and a general sense that sanitation standards did not meet expectations. Some accounts also mention a lack of basic amenities, such as soap dispensers and refrigerators for snacks, allegedly justified by safety concerns rather than resident needs.

The most emotionally charged reviews go beyond isolated incidents and portray systemic issues within the facility. Several families accuse staff of being uncaring or treated as if their concerns were inconvenient, including accounts of incorrect or dismissive responses to questions and a perception that administrative leadership was resistant to making meaningful changes. The sentiment spans from impatience and frustration with the pace of care to outright condemnation of the facility as a place that should be shut down. There are even warnings that the nursing staff and administration did not just fail to meet expectations, but actively mistreated residents, with some reviewers stating they would never recommend bringing loved ones here.

Amid the negative voices, there are a handful of positive notes that describe quite different experiences. A number of reviewers praise Fairlane Gardens for respite care or long-term care that apparently went smoothly. They commend courteous, responsive staff, a clean room, consistent caregivers, and well-organized admissions processes. Some highlight the presence of a broad array of services - podiatry, dental visits, and other specialists brought in to support overall health - and report that activities and social engagement helped their loved ones feel included and cared for. A few reviewers specifically name Sherry from admissions as exceptionally helpful and uplifting, and several testimonials note that, when things went well, families felt cared for and reassured.

In the end, the collection presents Fairlane Gardens as a facility with a sharply divided reputation. The overwhelming majority of the strongly negative accounts emphasize serious concerns about dirtiness, slow or inadequate responses to alarms and needs, and questions about medication and pain management. These stories frequently include emotional appeals to friends and families to seek alternatives and to scrutinize care closely before choosing this venue. Yet there are also positive testimonies that credit attentive staff, consistent caregivers, and meaningful programming with providing the kind of supportive environment that families hope for when they entrust a loved one to a nursing facility. The contrast underscores the importance of firsthand visits, multiple perspectives, and careful consideration when evaluating care options.

This area of Reading, Pennsylvania offers a variety of amenities and services that may be beneficial for seniors looking to relocate. With several physician offices in close proximity, including PriorityCare and Southern Berks Family Medicine, medical care is readily accessible. There are also pharmacies nearby such as Rite Aid and CVS Pharmacy for medication needs. Additionally, there are restaurants like Exeter Family Restaurant and Chick-Fil-A for dining options, as well as places of worship such as St Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church for spiritual support. For recreation, parks like Egelman Park and Eleventh and Pike Playground provide opportunities for outdoor activities. Transportation options are also available with Enterprise Rent-A-Car within reach. In the event of emergencies, hospitals like The Reading Hospital are conveniently located within a few miles. Overall, this area offers a convenient and diverse range of services for seniors considering senior living in Reading.

Physicians

• PriorityCare (0.1 miles)
• Berks Oral Surgery (0.1 miles)
• Southern Berks Family Medicine (0.2 miles)
• Reading Pediatrics (0.3 miles)
• Hearing Aid Associates (1.2 miles)
• Quickcare Exeter (1.4 miles)
• Allergy & Asthma Medical Center PC (1.9 miles)

Restaurants

• Exeter Family Restaurant (0.3 miles)
• Chick-Fil-A (0.4 miles)
• Liberty Taproom (2.2 miles)
• Bertie's Inn (3.9 miles)
• Trooper Thorn's Irish Beef House (3.9 miles)
• Victor Emmanuel II (4 miles)
• Cheer's American Bistro (4.3 miles)

Pharmacies

• Rite Aid (0.5 miles)
• Rite Aid (2.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.7 miles)
• Birdsboro Pharmacy (3.7 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.4 miles)
• Berks Discount Pharmacy (4.5 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (5.1 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church (1.7 miles)
• Bethany Lutheran Church (5.3 miles)
• Immanuel United Church of Christ (5.7 miles)
• Holy Guardian Angels Roman Catholic Church (6.5 miles)

Parks

• Egelman Park (3.4 miles)
• Eleventh and Pike Playground (4.9 miles)
• Reading Public Museum Arboretum (5.6 miles)
• Museum Park (6 miles)

Transportation

• Enterprise Rent-A-Car (4.2 miles)

Hospitals

• Haven Behavioral Hospital (4.5 miles)
• Reading Hospital Sleep Center (5.2 miles)
• Reading Nursing Center Loc. 4 (5.3 miles)
• Central Monitoring Room (5.4 miles)
• TRHMC C-Building 3rd Floor (5.5 miles)
• The Reading Hospital (5.5 miles)
• Beginnings Maternity Center (5.5 miles)

Cafes

• Pike Cafe (5 miles)
• Dosie Dough (6.5 miles)