Mercy Residential & Rehab Ctr

Pros

• Mercy Rehab staff have provided compassionate and supportive care for more than twenty years.
• The relief on his face when he returned to Mercy was priceless.
• The Mercy staff and North Shore Hospice provided wonderful care in the weeks around his passing.
• Margaret is an Angel.
• Employees are friendly and informative.
• The place is clean and the decor is pleasing to the eye.
• Mercy staff answer and respond to all phone calls.

Cons

• The facility is described as disrespectful and unsanitary, a nightmare for families to consider.
• The third-shift workers are accused of not doing their jobs.
• Patients are alleged to be over- and under-medicated, with bedsores as a risk.
• A resident's clothes went missing and were not returned unless the resident reclaimed them.
• A resident contracted a bowel movement infection due to lack of proper care and staffing shortages.
• There are too many patients and not enough staff, leading to inadequate care.
• The state reportedly fined the facility for neglect and poor conditions, yet problems persist.
• Some reviewers called Mercy Rehab the worst place ever and warned others to avoid it.

Review

Over the span of decades, Mercy Rehab and its affiliated North Shore Hospice have been a source of deep gratitude for some families and a place of grave concern for others. On one hand, there are heartfelt tributes to compassionate, steady care that carried a friend named Donald through years of cerebral palsy and a recent hospice transition. These memories speak to a staff culture of long-term dedication: years of compassionate, supportive attention, and relief on a loved one's face when returning to Mercy after hospitalization and hospice care. One visitor even singled out a staff member named Margaret as "an Angel," reflecting the personal impact that caring individuals can have, and underscoring the sense that Mercy has offered meaningful, life-affirming moments for some residents and their families.

But alongside those tributes run sharp warnings and troubling accounts. Several reviewers issue stern cautions about Mercy Rehab, painting a picture of disrespect, unsanitary conditions, and systemic neglect. A post dated March 14, 2025 issues a strong red flag: do not bring your loved one here. The author alleges widespread third-shift neglect, with staff not performing expected duties, and accuses the facility of billing under Medicaid in ways that produce bedsores and other harms - describing the place as a "NIGHTMARE." The tone is unequivocally negative, emphasizing a fear that vulnerable residents are left without adequate care and attention.

Other accounts reinforce the sense of uneven quality. One reviewer recounts a hospitalization rehabilitation experience in which a husband was sent to Mercy for rehab but received what felt like insufficient therapy; belongings frequently disappeared, including clothing, and a bowel-movement infection followed, resulting in an emergency return to the hospital. That narrative stresses systemic problems: overcrowding, insufficient staffing to meet patient needs, and inconsistent care, despite acknowledging that some nurses and staff do show care and kindness. The reviewer urges prospective families to visit and investigate before placing a loved one in Mercy, highlighting the variability in day-to-day care.

Within these strongly negative threads, there are counterpoints that describe more positive experiences. A different vantage point notes a hospital-turned-recovery story where a patient enjoyed a pleasant environment, with clean facilities, friendly and informative staff, responsive call handling, and an atmosphere described as aesthetically pleasing - decor and food aroma contributing to an uplifting visit. Another commenter shares a general sense of respect and kindness toward residents and staff and even describes a favorable resident-to-staff ratio in what they viewed as a smaller facility with engaged management. Such accounts suggest that, for at least some patients and families, Mercy can be a place of supportive, attentive care where communication is clear and the environment feels well-maintained.

Yet the most pointed criticisms remain persistent. A strong admonition echoes: if you love someone, be mindful and maybe seek alternatives. A caller who claimed to have contacted the state over neglect and substandard food described the leadership as in need of dismissal, insisting that the same unacceptable conditions persist despite prior enforcement actions. The message is clear: for some families, Mercy has failed to meet basic expectations around safety, nutrition, and dignity, reinforcing the importance of due diligence and advocacy when evaluating care options.

There are also deeply personal testimonials that illustrate the heartbreak of perceived neglect. One reviewer described a father who waited up to an hour for food, experienced clothing being taken or mishandled, and never having his clothing returned unless he personally reclaimed it - a difficult burden for someone who cannot walk. The writer emphasizes that while some aspects of care may be acceptable, the overall experience left them dismayed about the facility's respect for residents' basic needs, including timely meals and the safeguarding of personal belongings.

Taken together, the reviews reveal a complex, mixed portrait of Mercy Rehab and North Shore Hospice. For every instance of compassionate staff, meaningful recovery, and a feeling of safety, there are stories of neglect, inadequate therapy, hygiene and sanitation concerns, missing clothing, and inconsistent responses to resident needs. The spectrum of experiences - ranging from life-affirming care to alarming neglect - appears to hinge on individual shifts, specific staff members, and perhaps the facility's capacity at different times. For families facing a decision about care, these narratives underscore the importance of thorough, firsthand assessment: visit the facility, talk to multiple members of the care team, verify current state inspections and enforcement actions, and carefully weigh the mix of positive care experiences against documented concerns before making a choice for a loved one.

This area of Milwaukee, Wisconsin offers a convenient and diverse range of amenities suitable for senior living. With multiple pharmacies, hospitals, and physicians within close proximity, residents can easily access healthcare services. The nearby parks provide opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation. In addition, there are various restaurants and cafes to enjoy dining out or meeting friends for coffee. The transportation options make it easy to get around the city, while the presence of places of worship offers spiritual support and community engagement. Overall, this neighborhood provides a well-rounded living environment with convenient access to essential services for seniors looking to settle in the area.

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.7 miles)
• Walgreens (1.8 miles)
• Walgreens (1.9 miles)
• Walgreens (2 miles)
• Walgreens (2.2 miles)
• Target Pharmacy (2.5 miles)
• Walgreens (2.6 miles)

Hospitals

• Aurora St Luke's Medical Center (1.5 miles)
• Aurora Sinai Medical Center (2.4 miles)
• Aurora Psychiatric Hospital (3.9 miles)
• Froedtert Pavilion (4.2 miles)
• Wheaton Franciscan - St. Joseph Campus (4.5 miles)
• Surgicenter - Children's Wisconsin (5 miles)

Parks

• Paliafito Park (1.9 miles)
• West Allis West Milwaukee Recr (2.6 miles)
• Henry Maier Festival Park (2.8 miles)
• Humboldt Park (2.8 miles)
• Red Arrow Park (2.9 miles)
• Lakeshore State Park (3.2 miles)
• South Shore Park (3.7 miles)

Restaurants

• Ash (1.9 miles)
• Fluid (2 miles)
• Taco Bell (2 miles)
• McDonald's (2.1 miles)
• Purple Door Ice Cream (2.2 miles)
• Barnacle Bud's (2.2 miles)
• Boone and Crockett (2.3 miles)

Transportation

• Milwaukee Intermodal Station (2.2 miles)
• Concourse C (4.9 miles)
• Security Checkpoint (5 miles)

Cafes

• Colectivo Coffee (2.3 miles)
• Starbucks (2.5 miles)
• Hawthorne Coffee Roasters (3.6 miles)
• Starbucks (3.8 miles)
• Starbucks (4 miles)
• Colectivo Lakefront (4.3 miles)
• Starbucks (4.8 miles)

Physicians

• Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Center (3.7 miles)
• Layton Avenue Dermatolgy Clinic (3.7 miles)
• Maplewood Center (4 miles)
• Froedtert Clinical Cancer Center (4.2 miles)
• Froedtert Hospital (4.3 miles)

Places of Worship

• Honey Creek Church (3.8 miles)