My mom is dying from Glioblastoma brain cancer-doctors dont know when she will go, but she wanted…read moreto do radiation and chemo. With her decline in physical and mental capabilities and being on Medicare, we admitted her to The Pines in Placerville. Overall, our experience with them has no complaints. Initially, she wasn't very happy to be there because of the differences compared to her private room at the hospital. However, I cannot fault The Pines for that, especially with how the staff treated her and our family.
I have worked in a couple dozen nursing homes of various skill and funding levels; all over California and a few in Nevada. I knew what to expect from a place that we weren't paying thousands of dollars a month out of pocket for. I too, was nervous the first night she was transferred there. It can be loud; and there's alot of activity and my mom felt at times she wasn't receiving "service" as promptly as she would've liked. With that said, I very quickly began to know the staff personally and they were all friendly, professional and accommodating. It's very busy there-there is alot of residents and patients who were more worse off in ways than my mother and were far more demanding and not nice about it. The stress on the staff is alot. Yet, overall they handle it like pros.
My mother was there just under two weeks before she unfortunately had to go back to the hospital and will probably not leave it alive. While she cannot personally express her feelings about The Pines, I spent everyday there, many times for most of the day and at all different times so I can speak from first hand experience: I know the reviews from others and the reputation this place has. The Director, Colby, you can tell is working very hard to turn that reputation around. The staff works very hard and I pray for their continued strength and determination in what they are doing because it is not an easy job and at times-maybe many times-seems thankless and unrewarding. Just know that for this family, you took an already difficult and emotional period of our lives and were able to ease this portion and truly give help when it was desperately needed.
Special shout outs to Amy, Mikala, Colleen, Mai, Abraham, Maura, Michelle, Kelsey, Britni, Bill, Christina, Stephen, Samantha and so many more there that I can't remember your name or didn't catch it when we met: I truly thank you from the bottom of my heart for what you did for my mother. If she was capable of it, I know she would personally express how thankful and appreciative she was for your care, concern and dignity during this very difficult time of her life.