Overall sentiment across the reviews is mixed, with a clear split between reviewers who praise staff, personal attention, and the rehabilitation program, and reviewers who report serious problems with dining, cleanliness, pests, and some aspects of care. Several reviewers explicitly describe the staff as friendly, pleasant, helpful, and attentive, and multiple people highlight a smaller, more personal atmosphere and good relationships between visitors and residents. The facility's rehabilitation program is singled out as excellent, and activities such as bingo and other entertainment are at least present and acceptable to some residents. The location and a recommendation from some reviewers also contribute positive impressions.
At the same time, there are recurring and significant negative themes. Dining and food quality are a major area of concern: complaints include sour milk, running out of staples like jelly, generally poor or "disgusting" food, and specific reports of unhelpful kitchen staff. These issues appear more than once and were severe enough in some cases to require escalation to the Director of Nursing. Pest problems are among the most serious and specific complaints — roaches, stinky showers, and a general pest infestation are mentioned, along with long delays in extermination and remediation. When combined with reports that the facility sometimes "did not smell clean," these issues point to lapses in environmental services or inconsistent housekeeping.
Facility condition and accessibility also show mixed feedback. Some reviewers describe the facility as clean and well maintained, while others describe rooms as "terrible" or in need of updates. The building is noted as older, which may explain maintenance needs. Accessibility is a concrete concern for mobility-impaired residents: at least one reviewer called the layout wheelchair-unfriendly. There is also a social atmosphere complaint — a few reviewers describe a glum or depressed feeling among residents, suggesting that emotional climate and engagement may vary and could be improved.
Care quality and staff behavior are similarly polarized. Many reviews praise the CNAs and staff as attentive and kind, but there are also direct mentions of CNA problems and rude staff behavior, and at least one report of missing personal items. This inconsistency suggests variability in staff performance or possible staffing/management issues that are producing uneven experiences. Management responsiveness appears mixed: one review notes that the DON became involved after kitchen-related problems, indicating that serious complaints sometimes need escalation before resolution.
In summary, Lacombe Nursing Centre elicits both strong praise and serious concerns. Strengths include a generally caring and personable staff for many residents, an excellent rehab program, a smaller facility feel, and available activities. The most significant negatives to weigh are recurring dining problems, pest infestation and odor issues, inconsistent cleanliness and room conditions, occasional unhelpful or rude staff behavior, missing items, and accessibility/layout problems. Prospective residents and families should be aware of these mixed signals: some people have positive, recommended experiences, especially around rehab and personal attention, while others report substantial and tangible problems with food safety, pests, and facility upkeep that affect quality of life. If considering this facility, it would be prudent to ask management about current pest control measures, kitchen oversight, staffing consistency, room conditions and accessibility, and examples of how past complaints were resolved.
