MyLivingChoice

Palmer Healthcare Center

250 Shearer Street

2.1(7 ratings)

Palmer Healthcare Center — photo 11 / 5

Quick Facts

Total units
61
Medicare rating
4 of 5

CMS Care Compare

Ownership
For profit, Corporation
Certified beds
61
Ownership
Family-owned nursing home, not corporate chain
Therapy services
On-site PT, OT, and speech-language pathology

What Families Think

Reviews for Palmer Healthcare Center are largely negative, with families reporting neglect, medication errors, and poor communication, alongside a couple of reports praising staff kindness and recent facility improvements. The community offers short-term rehab and long-term nursing care with in-house therapy services, but multiple reviewers raise serious concerns about staffing and oversight.

The Good

  • In-house physical, occupational, and speech therapy
  • Family-owned with decades of operation
  • Round-the-clock visiting hours for families
  • One reviewer praised respectful, attentive care for their father
  • Recent cosmetic improvements noted by a reviewer

The Bad

  • Multiple reports of neglect and inconsistent staffing
  • One report of a medication error and near-miss with wrong meds
  • One report of missing or stolen resident belongings
  • One report of poor family communication and unanswered calls
  • One report of mold odor and outdated bathroom conditions

AI-generated from reviews and community data.

About Palmer Healthcare Center

Palmer Healthcare Center is a nursing home offering both short-term rehabilitation and long-term care in Palmer, Massachusetts. Operating for over five decades, the facility combines family-owned warmth with professional healthcare expertise, providing round-the-clock support and round-the-clock visiting hours.

The center's smaller scale allows for personalized care tailored to each resident's unique needs. Short-term care serves individuals recovering from surgery, illness, or injury, with comprehensive rehabilitation services designed to help patients regain independence and return home. Long-term care services provide a home-like environment with 24/7 support and customized care plans balancing assistance with independence.

Palmer Healthcare Center offers an in-house rehabilitation center with licensed physical therapists who help residents maintain or improve mobility and strength, whether recovering from surgery or managing chronic conditions. Skilled occupational therapists work with individuals to improve their ability to perform daily tasks such as dressing, eating, and personal hygiene, promoting self-sufficiency and confidence.

The facility also provides speech-language pathology services with personalized treatment plans to improve speech, language, and cognitive-communication skills, as well as specialized interventions for swallowing disorders to ensure safe and comfortable eating for residents.

Staff maintain a favorable staff-to-resident ratio to ensure prompt and personalized care. The center prioritizes well-maintained grounds and cleanliness, creating a comfortable living space for all residents.

Types of Care

Skilled Nursing / Long Term Care

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Reviews

2.1overall · 7 ratings combined

2.1★ on Google (7)

Anthony Wallace

Jun 2024

via Google

I find it hard to believe that there aren’t more bad reviews on this facility. You really have to look on the DPH website to see the fines charged and formal complaints made…so please do that before you place your loved one here. My mother was there for 2 years before we were able to transition her back home and I shutter to think of the care, or lack there of, that she would have received if we weren’t constantly advocating for her. I’ve been in several nursing homes and worked in them as well…this is the worst. No accountability, constant staffing issues, staff always on their phones, nurses FaceTiming while distributing MEDS. My mother nearly got the wrong meds when we were there, I don’t know how many times she actually got the wrong meds when we weren’t there. The place is old, yes, but being old doesn’t mean it has to be dirty! Don’t let them tell you they are building a new facility…they’ve been “building” it for years. They also claim improvements to the current facility on their taxes (public information) yet they don’t actually do improvements. They (Administration) only care about money, probably so they can continue to pay into lobbyist groups (also public information). Do your research on this place and Administration, owners, and former partners. We wish we did but now that we have my mom back home and we don’t have to fear retaliation, it is now time make others aware . We aren’t alone. I’m hoping others share their experiences.

Andrea Fish

Mar 2024

via Google

While my father was there, the care and respect that was given to my dad was top notch. Yes the facility is a little outdated, but i know the residence there are cared for and safe. Only thing i dislike is that there should be a max of 2 people per room. Some rooms had more.

Gail Little

Oct 2023

via Google

Horrible nursing home!!!!!!!! Mother mother who is a diabetic has dementia and didn't eat her food. I receive a telephone call from the nurse name Kim that she had to be taken to Baystate. M C. for hyperglycemia. Her blood sugar was 21 which could have sent her into a diabetic coma.

Jeffrey Leab

Jul 2020

via Google

I'm grateful that this place is Covid - 19 free..but there neglect of My mother . I.E. before Covid outbreak . They never took my Mom outside & barley get her to exercise. No one there keeps a Eye on wandering Residents. My mother not only lost clothing that we purchased for her during special occasion and has belonging stolen . This is a place you have to visit once a weeks due to lack of communication With her Family. Now the new phone systems . wont get you 2 a live person . its going on 3 weeks since I've left a message. And no call backs .. I had to look up the owner and speak direct to him about this.. Now the owner has refused to forward me the difference of my mother's Ssc. Check. As I Am legally Her P.O.A. the owner replied Sue me as I am a lawyer myself good luck.. Not to mention the bathrooms have the tubs covered w/plywood. And the strong oder of mold coming from the Bathrooms. IF YOU TRULY LOVE YOU PARENT STAY AWAY FROM THIS NURSING HOME.. MY HANDS ARE BOUND TO THIS SITUATION DUE 2 COVID AND MYSELF LIVING NOW 1500 MILES AWAY.. But I do have a attorney working on there lack of acknowledgment of myself as My mothers Power of Attorney Rights and her Only Blood relative known alive Her Son. This place deserves a Zero Star rating

Donna Say it like it is

Apr 2019

via Google

Palmer Healthcare has come a long way. There has a tun if cosmetic repair. I do have to say that the CNA’s need to be followed up on a lot more. Over all this place looks and smells better then before I am happy to say that this is the best D.O.N. They have ever had. Keep up the good work Maintenance

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Frequently Asked Questions

What types of care does Palmer Healthcare Center offer?

Palmer Healthcare Center offers Skilled Nursing / Long Term Care.

Where is Palmer Healthcare Center located?

Palmer Healthcare Center is located at 250 Shearer Street in Palmer, Massachusetts.

What do families say about Palmer Healthcare Center?

Reviews for Palmer Healthcare Center are largely negative, with families reporting neglect, medication errors, and poor communication, alongside a couple of reports praising staff kindness and recent facility improvements. The community offers short-term rehab and long-term nursing care with in-house therapy services, but multiple reviewers raise serious concerns about staffing and oversight.

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