Lakeshore ranges from excellent to bad, depending on your loved one's concern(s). So, this is an…read moreoverall rating.
One reviewer described safety with the check-in desk, the bird aviary, the washing machines, and the food being great. This is accurate, but I also experienced this as a facade. It's true, the first floor is modern, and by appearances, it really is impressive and rehabilitating. The rehab equipment is great too.
I would also like to add that they have many resident activities: From nail painting to crafts, musicians, BBQs at the park, and many other social events. I've even seen therapy dogs and they actually once had Hawaiian Luau dancers!
The excellent part of this review, however, is mainly only if your loved one is temporarily here, receiving brief rehab services, and, on the first floor.
Not all that glitters is gold. The other floors are not so modern, impressive, clean or pretty. And they often smell of feces!
As with many nursing homes, there is theft. Personal items go missing, belongings get lost or damaged, in part due to constant room/roommate changes, people with dementia wandering around, confused, as well as honest mistakes when moving things to new places, but there are also dishonest staff and dishonest residents, alike.
Additionally, most rooms have at least two beds, but in may cases there are three or even four beds to one room. So, privacy on the upper floors is terrible.
Staff longevity is poor; turnover is high!
This includes management, upper staff, and directors of nursing (DON). Lower level turnover is much worse! Among RNs, Social Workers, CNAs, and many others, it is ridiculous. Turnover is stressful on residents, because they each have particular needs, and once you find someone you really like and get to know them, well, then they quit.
What does this say about the facility?
In fact, the only staff that seems long-term is house-keeping, many of whom have been there for decades. Minus a few other wonderful members, most of Lakeshore's care-workers don't stick around for long.
Another reviewer also wrote about a resident's death by being burned alive--God Bless...
Unfortunately, this is true, but it did cause staff changes.
I believe it was a freak accident. Apparently, the resident died of smoke inhalation when his cigarette lighter exploded. He was allegedly in his wheelchair, and his clothes caught on fire. He was apparently on the north deck. It was a traumatic event---for his family, staff, friends, and residents alike. It radically changed the facility's smoking policy. A shock for all...very sad indeed.
That said, I've also witnessed things such as a resident begging for help to use the washroom, because he couldn't walk, only to get yelled at by a CNA who told him to wait. He then peed his pants in his wheelchair. He looked humiliated.
I also heard of another resident who needed his colostomy bag changed in the middle of the night. He called and buzzed for help, but apparently the staff person in charge of this duty fell asleep in front of the TV. The resident's bag burst, and he had to lay in his own...well, you get the picture...
Many of the staff care deeply and they have huge, great big hearts! They have even reached into their own wallets for basic things and small comforts. Too many others, however, seem to have grown callous and/or quickly burn out. In other words, they just don't seem to give a damn.
Sadly, this is probably one of the better nursing homes in Rogers Park. That said, even still, I would never send my loved one here, save for maybe a guaranteed stint in short-term rehab (e.g., one or two months), because it's not a happy place for long-term care or end of life issues--in my humble opinion.
Yes, they have baked chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans with canned peaches, or ham and salad with decaf coffee. What if though, the same thing is offered to you nearly every week? If you have the same menu as a long-term resident (for literally years), well, guess what, this gets boring real quick. Everyday seems the same, day after day, month after month, year after year, leaving for a monotonous, mundane, upsetting existence. It can become very lonely, very fast.
So, my advice, before sending your loved one here is to: Do your homework. Ask hard questions. Ask how long staff has been here and about turnover. Ask for a comprehensive tour of the whole building, not just of the first floor with the pretty bird cage. Don't be afraid to offend! If they do become offended, then maybe this is a red-flag. Verify for yourself, will your loved one be comfortable here?
In the end, trust your head, your heart, and your gut.
...peace.
