Barboursville Veterans Home

Pros

• The staff are regarded as among the finest and most caring programs the reviewer has encountered.
• Barberville Veterans Home is described as clean and providing a standard of living beyond expectations with exceptional nursing care.
• The nursing team, led by Sabrina RN, runs nurse programs with high qualification and dedication.
• Becky is priceless, delivering care and standards that exceed health department expectations.
• The director, Mr. Lyons, maintains an open-door policy and treats every person with kindness.
• The social services team, including Brittany Chapman and Amanda, ensures residents receive timely appointments and excellent care, even after hours.
• The maintenance supervisor, Mr. Steve Head, leads a small, highly qualified crew that resolves issues immediately.
• The custodial team, including Miss Lisa, keeps the living environment clean and sanctuary-like for residents.

Cons

• The cafeteria food was awful.
• The smoking was terrible and smoke could be smelled throughout the building.
• The room had missing blinds and the neighbor's loud music made sleep impossible.
• Management talked to the noisy resident, but he ignored them.
• There were creepy men on the women's floor that made a resident feel uncomfortable.
• The quality of living has declined since the new management; it isn't as good as it used to be.
• The food quality has gone downhill; the salad bar was removed and meals are mostly processed, upsetting residents.
• The reviewer would not recommend this place to loved ones.
• The promise of a private toilet and shower in the room was false; the resident had to share a bathroom.

Review

For many veterans, this place has become more than a facility; it has become a lifeline and a home. The stories are threaded with gratitude for the people who work there, from the nursing team to the maintenance crew, and from administration to custodial staff. Across the board, reviewers describe staff who go well beyond what their titles would require, turning the home into a place of genuine care and daily miracles. Nursing staff like Sabrina, whose leadership as a registered nurse helps run the nursing programs, are repeatedly highlighted as the backbone of high-quality care. The culinary team, led by Becky, earns praise for the quality and consistency of the food, while social work and administrative staff - such as the director, Mr. Lyons, with his open-door policy, and the social workers like Ethan, Brittany, and Amanda - are celebrated for their dedication, going to great lengths to secure appointments and services for residents even outside regular hours or ordinary timelines. One veteran recalls a scene from a holiday when these staff members retrieved a service dog for a hospitalized veteran, an example of the kind of practical, compassionate action that makes the difference in difficult moments.

The facility's leadership is often described as a living embodiment of service. Mr. Lyons is repeatedly praised for treating every person with kindness and maintaining a culture where respect is universal, regardless of position. In the eyes of residents and their families, the director's approach - engaging with residents openly and showing genuine care - reflects a philosophy that prioritizes dignity and personal connection. The social services team, including Mr. Ethan and his colleagues Brittany and Amanda, is cited for coordinating care with remarkable initiative, sometimes even on their own time, to ensure veterans receive the benefits and services they deserve. Maintenance head Steve and his small, highly capable crew are lauded for rapid response and high-level workmanship that exceeds expectations; their "fix-it now" attitude is repeatedly described as essential to sustaining a safe and comfortable environment. The custodial team, led by Miss Lisa, is credited with maintaining a clean, sanctuary-like living space even with hundreds of residents, a remarkable achievement that residents say makes daily life feel orderly and secure.

Beyond professional excellence, the reviews convey a deep sense of family and belonging. The home is presented not merely as a place to live, but as a community where the family that founded it continues to guide its mission through boards and leadership that honor the original vision. The sense of gratitude is palpable, with residents speaking of the facility's impact on their health and happiness in almost spiritual terms. One veteran describes lying awake at night praying for all her fellow veterans, but also acknowledges that without this place, the numbers might be heartbreakingly different. The sentiment of care runs through every corner of the home, from the care plans and clinical oversight to the everyday acts of kindness shown by staff who treat residents like family.

However, the experiences differ sharply depending on the day and person, and not all voices are uniformly positive. A separate, strongly critical account recounts serious problems after a change in leadership. This reviewer describes being placed on the women's floor but facing multiple frustrations: missing blinds that allowed light to invade a room, a neighbor whose loud music made sleep nearly impossible, and pervasive cigarette smoke that seeped through the building. The reviewer also highlights a perception of misrepresentation around private bathroom amenities, noting that she was told she would have a private toilet and shower when in fact she had to share a bathroom with another resident. The food is described as inconsistent and in some cases unpalatable, and the overall atmosphere is labeled as louder and less peaceful than expected, likened to living next to a movie theater at night. For a woman with limited room options, moving rooms proved difficult, and management was perceived as unresponsive to requests for relocation, contributing to a sense of insecurity and discomfort.

In another vein, a later posting suggests a shift in quality after a new operator took over. The overall living experience for "these incredible men" is described as not being as good as it used to be, with a noticeable decline in food quality and the removal of a salad bar. The reviewer attributes this decline to a broader shift toward processed foods, expressing disappointment in how the home, which is meant to honor and care for heroes, has changed in ways that feel performative rather than nourishing. The message here is cautious: while the place was once held up as a model of veteran care, recent changes have led to concerns about whether current practices align with the original mission or the expectations of families entrusting their loved ones to the home.

Despite the varied experiences, several narratives celebrate the organization as a beacon of purpose. Multiple veterans describe it as "awesome," or more than a home, a place that feels like family. They point to the staff's devotion, the abundance of activities and off-campus opportunities, and the sense that the facility's mission is squarely focused on veterans. The sentiment is that the institution is more than a residence; it's a community where a veteran can feel seen, supported, and valued. Some residents celebrate practical comforts as well - rooms and utilities, cable access after a waiting period, and the opportunity to connect with other veterans through programs and events. The Receiving Department - referred to positively as a model of dedication and teamwork - receives special praise for its efficiency and for handling donations with care and warmth, including the generous act of dropping off large quantities of clothing.

In the end, the collection of voices paints a picture of a complex, living institution: a place that can be a life-saving home to many, supported by a remarkable team of professionals who often exceed the call of duty, and at the same time a setting with real drawbacks and areas in need of improvement. It is a facility built on a strong legacy of care, with a remarkable core of staff who demonstrate daily what it means to serve veterans with dignity and compassion. It is also a reminder that even environments founded on noble intentions can face challenges as leadership shifts and operational realities evolve. The stories together convey a deep respect for the role this home plays in veterans' lives, alongside a call for continuous attention to comfort, privacy, noise management, food quality, and transparent communication with residents - so that the promise of care remains as strong as the commitment that started it all.

Physicians

• Village Medical Center (0.2 miles)
• Stultz Sleep & Behavior Health (0.6 miles)
• Marshall Surgery Ent Dr Scott Gibbs (0.8 miles)
• Tri State Neuropsychological (0.8 miles)
• Barboursville Internal Medicine & Pediatrics (2.1 miles)
• Pro Eyes Optometry Associates (2.2 miles)
• Radiology (2.4 miles)

Restaurants

• Appalachia BBQ (0.3 miles)
• Tudor's Biscuit World (0.3 miles)
• Dog Haus (0.6 miles)
• O'Charley's Restaurant + Bar (0.7 miles)
• Christopher's Eats (0.9 miles)
• Oscar's Breakfast, Burgers & Brews (0.9 miles)
• Charley's Philly Steaks (1.7 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.4 miles)
• Kroger Pharmacy (0.5 miles)
• Pharmerica (1.1 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (2.7 miles)
• Valley Health Pharmacy (4.2 miles)
• Walmart Pharmacy (4.4 miles)
• Fruth Pharmacy (5 miles)

Transportation

• Enterprise Rent-A-Car (0.7 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (0.8 miles)

Places of Worship

• Pea Ridge Baptist Church (1.3 miles)
• Roach Baptist Church (3.9 miles)
• New Life Church (3.9 miles)
• New Baptist Church (5.8 miles)
• Norway Avenue Church Of Church (6.7 miles)
• Baptist Temple (6.7 miles)
• Huntington Mosque مسجد هنغتينغتون (6.8 miles)

Hospitals

• St Mary's Medical Center (5.9 miles)
• Cornerstone Hospital Of Huntington (5.9 miles)
• St Mary's Hospital Home Health Services (6 miles)
• Cabell Huntington Hospital (6.4 miles)
• Hoops Family Children's Hospital (7.2 miles)
• Cabell Huntington Hospital (7.2 miles)
• Cabell Huntington Surgery Center (7.3 miles)

Parks

• Ritter Park Amphitheater (7.6 miles)