Maggie L.
Google
My mother was one of the first residents to move into this facility over two years ago and lives in the memory care unit. The caregivers on the floor work extremely hard and show genuine care for the residents.
That said, there have been serious failures in communication that led to neglect. In one instance, my mother fell and I was not notified. There was no nurse on staff, and she was not seen by a medical professional for four days. By the time she was finally assessed, she had a severe shoulder bruise, and the nurse asked why I had not taken her to the doctor sooner. I explained that I had not been informed of the fall. Because of her dementia, my mother was unable to advocate for herself or describe her pain. Her doctor later described this as a neglect case. At the time, I did not have the capacity to pursue further action while navigating grief and caregiving.
There has also been significant turnover among caregivers, which has affected continuity of care. At times, staffing levels have appeared very low for the number of residents in the memory care unit. In meetings with administration, I was told that staffing levels are appropriate and that these challenges are inherent to memory care. However, emails I have sent asking for clarification or raising concerns about how low staffing affects resident safety have often gone unanswered.
I want to be clear that many of the caregivers are doing the best they can under difficult conditions. More recently, the nurse and floor manager have made improvements in communication and organization, which I appreciate. At the same time, I was recently informed that caregiving staff hours were reduced from 40 to 32 hours per week, which raises concerns about sustainability and burnout.
Memory care is extraordinarily difficult for families, residents, and staff alike. I am sharing this experience so other families understand both the dedication of the frontline caregivers and the very real systemic challenges that can affect care.
