1 / 5CMS Care Compare
Reviews of The Willows At Citation are mixed: some families praise a clean, welcoming facility with attentive staff and good food, while others describe serious concerns about rehab care, nutrition monitoring, billing, and one staff member's conduct. The community holds a 4.3 average from 35 Google reviews, but several detailed complaints point to inconsistent care quality.
AI-generated from reviews and community data.
The Willows At Citation is a senior living community in Lexington, Kentucky offering Skilled Nursing / Long Term Care. Amenities include Restaurant style Dining Room, Gathering / Activity Spaces and Social Activities. Families rate it 4.3 out of 5 across 35 reviews.
The Willows At Citation is a skilled nursing and long-term care facility in Lexington, Kentucky, with a licensed capacity of 54 residents.
Family experiences at The Willows are mixed. Some families report a clean, bright environment with staff who go above and beyond, noting good food and regular activities like Friday Happy Hour. However, other families describe significant concerns: delayed response times to resident requests, unresolved nutrition issues, and documented losses of personal items. One family noted frustration with a charge nurse described as rude and aggressive; another wrote that "she wouldn't see them again for hours" after requesting assistance. A family whose mother attended for rehabilitation reported her health declined during her stay, with nutrition concerns not addressed.
The facility holds a 4.3 out of 5 star rating based on 35 Google reviews. The range of experiences, from five-star praise to one-star complaints, suggests variable quality in care delivery and staff interactions.
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Help Me Choose4.3overall · 35 ratings combined
4.3★ on Google (35)
Diane Boyer
Jun 2025
I have nothing but positive things to say about The Willows! The facility is very clean, bright and inviting and the staff are accessible and go above and beyond everyday. I left each evening knowing my sister in law was in good hands 😊
Josh Gruneisen
Apr 2025
Beautiful facility who treat residents as family! Food is great and there is always something going on. Happy Hour on Fridays is fun!
Nota Securesire
Aug 2024
First the bad experience with the 2nd shift Charge nurse, she's been there ten years! Ms. Stacey is rude & aggressive. She's Hot Tempered, unpleasant & is Quick to throw insults to whomever. One evening I was getting a drink for my family member (resident) & the nursing station is about 25' feet away from where I was, Ms Stacey started asking me what time I was leaving, (nursing homes by law can NOT restrict visiting hours) I said as soon as my relative is settled in for the night, & I finished getting the drink & when & I turned around she was STARING a hole thru me & wouldn't turn away, so I asked her if she had said something to me. Which she replied when are you leaving? I repeated as soon as my relative is settled in. This bullying technique is TOTALLY UNCALLED for. (They were on oxygen & REPEATEDLY it would get out of place so they weren't receiving oxygen) & had a catheter in place & unable to walk or get up or reach ANYTHING that wasn't secured close by & at the time was disoriented from the recent move from hospital & had requested for me to be there. On TWO Separate occasions one day after the Next during Ms. Stacy's night shift my relative's oxygen level was checked by the First shift nurse & was found to be 70, & next day 76. They are by law REQUIRED to check on EVERY resident Every TWO hours. Had this been done this EXTREMELY LOW oxygen level would NOT have happened! For the Most part they do NOT even check residents during the day time every two hours. My relative said the first two or three nights he did NOT see one person. When Ms. Stacey is working on the wing where you are NONE Of the nurse aids ect smile or are friendly when she's on duty. However when she's NOT there those SAME employees smile & are friendly when she doesn't work with them. Ms. Stacey asked me to step outside of the room & as I was waiting I heard her say "I don't know if she has short term memory loss" referring to me. Another instance I was asking an aide if they had a label so I could place it on a jar of ointment for my relative & later Ms. Stacey stopped me in the hall & accused me of stopping & looking at her cart. Btw the cart was near the room where her & the aide were in (I stood about 3-4' back from the cart waiting for someone to come out of the room to ask for a label) after she accused me of stopping & looking at her cart I said no I didn't, she said it again, I repeated no I didn't, she stated that THREE Times & I repeated No I didn't & then told her she was a Liar & she can go watch the video, she then walked off & was talking as she went & said you're just after that .... money. *This is a PARTIAL list of the things Ms. Stacey did & said while I was visiting. The next day, (I was visiting daily) I was going to file a formal complaint against her and I hadn't been there 15 minits & the Administrator over the facility & another female employee came to the room entrance & requested to speak with me a few minutes. Ms. Stacey had written up a complaint on me & in it she said I had been "shuffling" around IN her cart. *(Note her change of story) It's the law to keep medicine & their cabinets LOCKED at ALL times. If this was true she FAILED to SECURE it & was DERELICT in her duties & I Have to ask was Ms. Stacey reprimanded for this? Also Was she trying to use me as a cover for missing medicines or lost paperwork? I told them go watch the video you will see that I had NOT been looking at her cart nor had I been in it. The administrator said that wasn't very professional of her. I told them I give respect & expect it in return & I'm glad they came 1) because it saved me the trouble of finding them 2) accusations of someone getting into the nurses cart (which stays in the hall) SHOULD be checked into. MOST of the employees ARE Friendly & kind towards the residents & the rehabilitation staff are good, friendly & patient. The food is GOOD! They have multiple things residents can do so they're not confined to a room & television which is AWESOME! Administrator was friendly & kind towards me.
Lindsey Prebble
May 2024
Terrible place for your family if they need care. My mother was there for rehab in December-January. Staffs answer when she needed them was "I'll be right back" and she wouldn't see them again for hours. The on-site laundry lost, accidently threw away according to staff, 3 new pair of pajamas costing about $200. I presented the Willows with a receipt for the pajamas in February but have not heard from them about the pajamas although they did send another bill in May 2024 wanting more money after we had already paid the original bill. It is only about MAKING money with this place while avoiding responsibility.
Victoria Martin
Sep 2023
If you are looking for a place for your loved one this place is not it! My mom went to The Willows for rehab after a stay at the hospital. Her health has gone downhill since she has been there. She can not walk or do general daily hygiene care without help. My mom has not been eating well during her stay nor have they addressed the issue with proper nutrition for her. They just say “ yeah she eats like a bird” and nothing no consultation with trying to improve this. She is so week now due to this she can not walk on her own. And mind you she was able to stand and walk before entering the facility. I received a call on August 1, 2023 at 1:35 pm that therapy was going to release her now mind you it is Labor Day weekend. They said that they would send referrals out to all the nursing homes for a long-term bed. And on September 5, 2023 if she was not on private pay, that she would have to find another facility. So think about that for a moment, I had no time to plan on trying to find my mother another facility. Just in my opinion, it would appear that they are not concerned with caring for the elderly. It’s all about the money and not about trying to help families secure a more permanent location for their loved ones. And to top it off giving my family one business day to do this is appalling to me. Shame on you Willows
3 inspection visits in the last three years, 9 citations on file. Inspections are conducted by state agencies on behalf of the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Jul 17, 2025
Provide the required documentation or notification related to the resident's needs, appeal rights, or bed-hold policies.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Jul 17, 2025
Ensure drugs and biologicals used in the facility are labeled in accordance with currently accepted professional principles; and all drugs and biologicals must be stored in locked compartments, separately locked, compartments for controlled drugs.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Dec 15, 2021
Procure food from sources approved or considered satisfactory and store, prepare, distribute and serve food in accordance with professional standards.
Severity E of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, patternCorrected Dec 15, 2021
Develop and implement a complete care plan that meets all the resident's needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Dec 15, 2021
Provide activities to meet all resident's needs.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Dec 15, 2021
Provide appropriate treatment and care according to orders, resident’s preferences and goals.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Dec 15, 2021
Ensure that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Dec 15, 2021
Provide safe and appropriate respiratory care for a resident when needed.
Severity D of L: no actual harm, potential for more than minimal harm, isolatedCorrected Dec 15, 2021
Source: CMS Care Compare, public federal data covering certified nursing facilities, refreshed monthly. Citations range from A (least serious) to L (most serious) on the federal scope and severity scale. Most citations are corrected quickly; review the details and ask the community about anything that concerns you.
The Willows At Citation offers Skilled Nursing / Long Term Care.
The Willows At Citation is located at 1376 Silver Springs Drive in Lexington, Kentucky.
Reviews of The Willows At Citation are mixed: some families praise a clean, welcoming facility with attentive staff and good food, while others describe serious concerns about rehab care, nutrition monitoring, billing, and one staff member's conduct. The community holds a 4.3 average from 35 Google reviews, but several detailed complaints point to inconsistent care quality.
The Willows At Citation had 3 government inspection visits in the last three years, with 9 citations on file according to CMS Care Compare data. The full history, including what each citation was for and whether it was corrected, is in the inspection section on this page.
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