First, there is a section to the right of the reviews that references Propublica and it says this facility has zero deficiencies. I went to that site and found 26 deficiencies as of today. You can find the page here:
http://projects.propublica.org/nursing-homes/homes/h-145868
The U.S. News report can be found here:
http://health.usnews.com/best-nursing-homes/area/il/avantara-long-grove-145868
It's possible they make a distinction between deficiencies and serious deficiencies, but everyone should do their due diligence before making a choice for themselves or a loved one.
I decided at the last minute to go to rehab for a week following total hip replacement and the facilities recommended by my doctor either weren't in my network or were full. So I picked this facility, based on the fact that it was one of the few in my network that was closer to my home.
Big mistake. I stayed from Saturday early evening until Tuesday early evening and would have left Saturday night if I could have contacted Blue Cross to make sure I wasn't doing anything that might lead to their rejecting a claim.
In response to a survey they gave me, I wrote that I was not told about guest services or dietary. My family was not provided a number to call to receive patient information 24/7. I was not told about resources and services provided by Avantara. I received my admission packet the day before I was leaving. I have not been given information on home health or adult day care services. I have not been told about support groups, financial assistance or respite services.
I got the second part of my welcome packet the afternoon I was leaving, a bag filled with toiletries and a fruit infusion water bottle. When I got home I found that those two items, along with some other things I had, were missing. I packed everything up in the morning and remember putting them on the cart. I went to rehab twice that day and hadn't noticed the items had been removed. I haven't contacted them about this, because quite honestly, I don't think they'd care.
My first few hours told me all I needed to know about this place. No water was provided for hours and not provided until I asked for it despite the fact that they knew I just had surgery and needed to remain hydrated. No chair was in the room and nobody offered to get one for my son despite their many trips in and out of the room to get information from me.
An hour after my son left I hit the call button because I needed to use the restroom. After waiting 30 minutes for someone to respond, I decided to get up and use my walker because I couldn't wait any longer. This tripped an alarm on the bed and that's when someone appeared.
We walked into the bathroom and not only was it NOT prepped with a toilet riser, which you need following total hip replacement, but there was no toilet paper on the dispenser. So I stood there for another 12 - 15 minutes waiting for them to get everything needed and I wondered if the bathroom had even been cleaned. A 42 - 45 minute wait to use the restroom following surgery is inexcusable.
The floor was dirty in my room. It was quite loud in that room, and they were trying to convince me to stay and offered to put me in a quieter room. The second room was quieter, and I appreciated that, but it was dirtier than the first room. There were fuzzballs and pieces of paper and things all over the floor. The tv remote was sticky, as though someone was eating jelly and channel surfing at the same time. And when the occupational therapist brought me to the *spa* to show me how to enter and exit the shower, the bathtub was dirty.
They brought me a bunch of bananas along with some other things for breakfast the next day, despite my record indicating I have an allergy to bananas.
They dispensed the wrong medication dosage at one point, which I caught by double checking everything.
i was told by my first nurse that it was up to me to ask for my medication at the time I was due to take it - that they weren't responsible for keeping track and just dispensing. Ever hear of that before? Me either.
The beds do not have the light functions enabled so you have to either get up from your bed to turn the lights on or off, or hit the call button for someone to turn them on and off for you. This is a waste of resources, since staff is running around turning lights on and off, when they could be answering calls to use the restroom in a more timely manner. I can think of no reason other than expense that these options were not enabled allowing patients to simply hit the button on the sideboard of the bed to control their own lighting. Even the staff didn't know why they weren't enabled.
I can't describe the food but nothing tasted normal. Or palatable.
The bright star was a nurse named Fred. Very attentive, double checks what he's doing, is great at his job and cares about patient care and comfort. HE should be running the place.
ATROCIOUS!! read more
