Melvalyn Quinones
It has taken me some time to write this review, but I feel it is important for people to know what happened, especially because we trust nursing homes with the lives of our loved ones. Last year, my mother was admitted to this facility for rehabilitation after suffering several strokes that left her unable to walk or speak. What she experienced there was neglectful, disrespectful, and ultimately contributed to her death less than 30 days after being discharged. Despite knowing she had a bedsore, staff only changed her diaper twice a day. She was given something to drink only when medications were passed out, leaving her dehydrated for long periods of time. She couldn’t speak to ask for water, and every time I visited, she cried from thirst and from not being cared for properly. Her bedsore became severely infected, and she passed away shortly after leaving this facility. The staffing level was clearly inadequate for the number of patients they accepted. Many staff members did not speak Spanish, yet they accepted Spanish-speaking patients and even told them to “speak English.” I personally witnessed nurses being rude to patients—making comments like “you want to die?” when someone didn’t want to take a medication, or complaining that they “don’t get paid enough” to do their jobs. If someone dislikes their job that much, they should not be working with vulnerable people. One staff member in particular, Daisy (if that is her name), was consistently unkind and unprofessional. She would even tell Spanish-speaking patients not to speak Spanish. My mother, who could no longer speak, was completely defenseless in this environment. I visited every day and personally washed and changed her because staff wouldn’t do it when I wasn’t there. Her roommate told me that my mother cried all night and that the nurse would simply close the door instead of helping her. My mother was only 65—a retired special education teacher—deserving of dignity and proper care. Instead, she was treated with neglect and disrespect. This place repeatedly said they had “too many patients” to focus on one person. That alone speaks volumes. Please do your research before placing your loved one here, especially if they are Hispanic or have limited ability to communicate. Many of the workers clearly do not want to be there, and they are not shy about saying so. This facility failed my mother, and it is heartbreaking to know how differently things could have been if she had received basic, compassionate care.