It was a mixed-bag experience. The facility is clean, the room was adequate but the furniture, especially the hospital bed, seemed fairly old and squeaked when in motion. The food was okay to indistinguishable. I enjoyed some of the meals, but some I didn't even touch; I asked for toast or crackers. I was only able to fill out a meal request card a couple of times in the ten days I was there. I asked for coffee with extra cream and sugar and half the time it came with no cream at all. All desserts,fruit, and jello came with a squeeze of unrecognizable white topping.
The physical and occupaional therapy staff was terrific. I was able to move a day or two after hip surgery and the OT folks had me putting on my own socks and dressing by myself quicker than I expected. Some of the nurses were terrific, kind and patient and others were rather abrupt and made me feel like I was putting them out. Likewise, the CNAs and attendants were, for the most part, friendly and kind but a few I would not like attending me again. I know it's a tough job and a thankless one often times, and they have to do things I would HATE to do. But people that are in the facility are recovering from issues that range from difficult to catastrophic. Pain and depression are common and have to be dealt with; I get it, they get cranky and uncooperative. But unlike the patients, these folks chose this situation, and they get paid, not nearly enough I'll bet, to do it. So bite the bullet and treat everyone with respect and sympathy. If you had a bad day, sorry, but don't take it out on the most vulnerable.
I have been taking a pill to help me relax and go to sleep for many years, and at one point they decided to take me off the medication without telling me. For the next few nights I got little to no sleep. The nurses would come in offer me opiod pain killers, which I did not want to take if I wasn't in that much pain, but they became the only way to get to sleep. When we discovered this, my son asked why and if they could put me back on my sleep medication. They said they had to clear it with the doctor or his assistant. Instead of another sleepless night, my son brought my meds from home which I used until they put me back on the pills.
My son came to see me a couple of times a day. He had several incidents that were unacceptable and unnecessary. One night he left after 7:00, when they lock the front door. He was unable to get out of the building until a staff member was leaving, maybe 5 minutes later. The next night he came after 7:00 and waited 10 minutes to get in as the door was again locked and no one answered the phone or bell to let him in. Two nights later, again after 7:00 - which is okay to visit, you just have to be buzzed in - no one answered the bell or the phone to let him in. Another family member came to see a patient and together they buzzed and called to no avail. Then a couple of EMTs came down with a gurney, they had recently brought in a new patient, and they couldn't get out of the facility. One of the EMTs finally wandered into the kitchen and found a staff member to let us in and the ambulance folks out . . . after fifteen minutes of waiting. They apologized at the 3rd floor nurses station, I guess that's where the phone rings to, and said they're understaffed and if they're at the opposite end of the floor or dealing with an emergency, you're out of luck if you're trying to get in or out. I know that CareOne is privately owned and therefore a for-profit enterprise. It is my sincere belief that these type of facilities cannot provide systematic, excellent care if they are always looking at their bottom line and trying to make money for someone on the health of the sick. read more
