ESSEX CENTER FOR REHABILITATION AND HEALTHCARE

81 PARK STREET, ELIZABETHTOWN, NY 12932

The facility is located in an area that appears to have limited local nursing home options, contributing to placement challenges for families seeking care closer to home.

Paul Richards, RN, MSHIReviewed by Paul Richards, RN, MSHI|Data updated April 2026

Essex Center is a nursing home facility facing significant operational challenges, as evidenced by mixed family feedback ranging from heartfelt praise to serious concerns. While specific CMS ratings are not available, the facility appears to struggle with fundamental care delivery issues including staffing shortages and communication problems. Despite these systemic challenges, individual staff members like social worker Jesse have earned recognition for exceptional personal care and advocacy.

ESSEX CENTER FOR REHABILITATION AND HEALTHCARE is a skilled nursing facility located at 81 PARK STREET, ELIZABETHTOWN, NY 12932. The facility accepts both Medicare and Medicaid and holds a below-average CMS rating of 2 stars overall, with a 3-star health inspection rating, 1-star staffing rating, and 2-star quality measures rating. Ratings are sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and updated monthly.

Overall

2

Health

3

Staffing

1

Quality

2

Without available CMS rating data, this facility's performance relative to county averages cannot be determined, highlighting the importance of requesting current inspection and rating information directly.

Source: CMS.gov — Updated April 2026

AI Insights

Sentiment: 35/100

Families love

+Exceptional social worker advocacy and family support
+Individual staff members go above and beyond
+Strong emotional connections with residents and families

Worth knowing

-Severely understaffed facility
-Poor food quality and meal services
-Unresponsive phone system and communication issues

Based on 80 public reviews — AI-generated by CareNav

What Families Should Know

Without available CMS ratings, families should be particularly cautious about Essex Center's operational capacity. The reviews reveal a facility struggling with basic service delivery - severe understaffing issues that affect responsiveness, substandard food service (including inadequate holiday meals), and communication breakdowns that leave families waiting 15-30 minutes on hold. While individual staff members like social worker Jesse provide exceptional care and advocacy, these appear to be bright spots in an otherwise challenged system. Families should thoroughly investigate current staffing levels, meal quality, and communication protocols before making placement decisions, as the operational issues described could significantly impact resident care quality.

Family Reviews

3.3

80 reviews on Google

Tami Allen
5 months ago

Hello I would like to start out with thanking Jesse the social worker for everything she did for our family . She truly cared not only about David’s needs but our family needs as well. She took the ti...

Kathleen Sherman
4 months ago

This is my second time submitting a review. This place needs some major work in all regards. Staffing, supplies, rehab and food wise. Today is Thanksgiving and our meal consisted of a processed chicke...

jrj1701
4 months ago

Essex center is horrible. It is seriously under staffed. They very seldom answer their phone and when they do you can expect to be on hold for at least fifteen to thirty minutes. The staff seems apath...

Keith
3 months ago

This place is terrible. I was left in my own filth. I made a bow movement and they left me in it for over 30 minutes They tell you, the food is great, but the food is disgusting. I would avoid this pl...

Kelis Brown
7 months ago

THIS IS A REPOST. ORIGINAL WAS DELETED "The staff here is GREAT if you are the correct skin color. There are friends of mine whom work here (and are hard workers) that report targeted disciplinary ac...

Reviews from Google — Updated April 2026

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Care types

Skilled Nursing

Accepts

Medicare
Medicaid