In my opinion & experience, our family recently experienced a very upsetting and confusing…read moreadmissions process involving a Medicaid-pending married couple seeking placement together.
After touring the facility, being told both my parents would be accepted and together , which was most important to my family & expressed deeply to the administration. I was encouraged to initiate the transfer process for my mother who is in another facility , after obtaining OCCO/PAS approval, and transferring one spouse into the facility all was approved , we were later informed that the second spouse was being denied due to "acuity level" and "payor "status concerns. What made this especially difficult was the lack of any clear clinical explanation despite repeated questions, while nearly every conversation focused heavily on finances, Medicaid pending status, payees, and financial responsibility paperwork & give us until Monday after a stressful week to discuss like it didn't matter .
Families navigating long-term care are already overwhelmed emotionally, financially, and physically. Communication matters. Transparency matters. If there are concerns about Medicaid pending admissions, families deserve honest and direct communication before major decisions are made , especially when dealing with elderly married couples who may now face separation after relying on representations made during the admissions process.
I strongly encourage families to:
* read every admissions and financial form carefully,
* understand the difference between POA and personal financial responsibility,
* keep all communications documented
* and ask detailed questions before making transfer decisions
Be aware that federal law (42 CFR § 483.15) prohibits facilities from requiring a third-party guarantee of payment.
As for the food , my father hates it and says it's disgusting . He said he has lost a lot of weight , he says his stomach is shrinking & he is not liking , or eating the food , he is hungry all the time however he said he can't stomach to eat the food . . I have ordered outside food to the facility upon my Dads request. My dad is Jewish , he's not at all kosher , however he liked the Kosher meals on wheels at home .
Outside of PT and OT sessions, my father appears to spend nearly all day in his room/in bed with little to no meaningful activity or engagement , which to me is deeply concerning .
Communication and responsiveness to the facility have also been extremely frustrating during our experience.
This process has been heartbreaking and unnecessarily stressful for our family. Mother's Day weekend passed & my parents are now an hour from one another & separated due to what happened here . Disgraceful
Not to mention I feel the admissions department is useless & they do not respond with any concerns whatsoever!!
UPDATE JULY 9, 2026:
In my opinion : The negligence at this facility continues to worsen. The facility recently lost my father's custom dentures for two full days--a clear sign that staff is not performing the daily oral care required by the facility . Instead of taking responsibility, the administration actually tried to blame my 90 year old father with vascular dementia to try to avoid paying for them, claiming "he said he put them in his pocket." This facility loses personal property, refuses to take accountability, and tries to financially exploit vulnerable families to cover up their staff's failure who was & supposed to be cleaning the dentures daily at night & had no idea they were missing for two whole days . A formal complaint has been filed with the New Jersey Department of Health ++!!
Update - I feel the healthcare that my father is getting is unacceptable- it's now over a month that the facility lost my dads dentures - to top it off the owner's son is only interested in sending alleged bills to my home .He told me only families that have signed agreements that are Medicaid pending (my dad is pending ) not receive private pay bills , If I do receive 1 more I will post all of them . Advice - sign nothing !
