The only reason I am giving one star is because a zero or negative rating is not an option…read more
My 94-year-old mother was admitted to Avamere Transitional Care of Puget Sound on a Saturday evening with casts on both arms extending from her fingers to above her elbows. Upon arrival, she was served a meal consisting of a hoagie roll with two very thin slices of turkey, a piece of Kraft cheese cut in half, cold fries, and fruit that was unrecognizable. This raised immediate concerns about basic care and nutrition.
The goal of short term rehabilitation is to help patients regain strength, improve their health, and return home to their normal activities. Unfortunately, our experience was the opposite. My mother became weaker with each passing day.
Given her condition, it should have been immediately clear that she required assistance with basic tasks. However, it took until the following day for staff to recognize that she was unable to feed herself.
When assistance was requested for toileting, a CNA stated in front of me that my mother could use her diaper and would be cleaned later. This appeared to be standard practice, as she was frequently left in bed until the afternoon and not regularly assisted to the restroom. As a result, her hygiene declined significantly. A physical therapist later expressed concern about her condition, noting that at 3:30 PM she was still in bed and had not been properly cared for.
Communication throughout her stay was extremely poor. There were constant staff changes, and no clear continuity of care. Nursing and physical therapy appeared to operate in separate systems with little coordination.
Despite multiple requests, we were never able to speak with a physician at any point during her stay. During this time, my mother developed pneumonia.
We have since moved her to another facility. Within the first 30 minutes of her arrival at Orchard Park, she received more care and attention than she did during the entire two weeks at Avamere.
I fear for patients who do not have an advocate, as they may be left with little to no care.
Overall, the level of care, communication, and coordination fell well below expectations.
