I am writing to share my experience with Avantara Chicago Ridge, where my mother recently stayed for skilled nursing and rehabilitation following a hospital stay. While there were some positives, the overall experience was disappointing and deeply concerning.
Positives
* The facility was clean and had a pleasant atmosphere.
* Many staff members, including Roy, Artis, Kayla, Yasmin, Toni, Courtney, and Latoya, showed kindness and attentiveness in their care despite being very busy.
* My mother made progress with physical and occupational therapy.
Negatives
1. Overnight Care Issues: The overnight care was insufficient. My mother, who has Parkinson's disease and dementia, was left unattended for hours on multiple occasions. I arrived one morning to find her soaking wet and hanging off the bed. On another night, no one checked on her from 10:30 PM until I rang the call bell at 4:00 AM.
2. Policy Inconsistencies: Despite being told that overnight stays were not allowed, I was informed by staff that other families had stayed overnight either on in room sofa or by using an air mattresses. After purchasing a mattress and staying with my mother for seven consecutive nights, I was told this was against guidelines. This explanation felt inconsistent, as I had been doing so for seven days, in addition to other rooms having sofas in the same area where I placed my mattress (contradicting the reason that where the air mattress was placed was against guidelines).
3. Communication Failures:
* A sign I created to help staff understand my mother's condition was removed, with staff claiming it was a HIPAA violation. However, I could not find this restriction in any patient rights documentation or the HIPAA guidelines. (they can't share the info but we can share the info)
* The frequent turnover of agency staff meant that new caregivers were often unfamiliar with my mother's condition, causing frustration for both her and our family.
4. Incident Transparency: My mother experienced two falls during her stay. Despite me being on-site for both incidents (not in room with her), I was never shown or asked to review the incident reports. When I requested them, I was told fall information could not be shared, and I needed to resubmit my request (to receive the basic record information) with specific verbiage that wasn't initially communicated to me.
5. Unsafe Practices: In one fall incident, my mother was left unattended (Parkinson's and Demetia) in the bathroom without gripping socks or shoes, leading to a fall. She was found on the floor after knocking on the door.
6. Lack of Response to Feedback: After discharging my mother early due to these ongoing issues, I sent detailed written feedback to the facility's leadership, including specific information requests. I received one acknowledgment from someone outside the scope of responsibility, who stated that the email would be escalated to the appropriate person. However, I have not received any direct response or resolution from the facility's director (who was included on the initial email) or leadership. This lack of accountability further underscores my concerns about the quality of care and management at this facility.
While some staff members showed genuine care and kindness, the lack of consistent care, transparency, and communication overshadowed the positives. I ultimately decided to discharge my mother early due to these ongoing issues.
I cannot recommend Avantara Chicago Ridge based on our experience. Families seeking care for their loved ones deserve better. read more
