Theresa Caples
Oct 2024
Brother, (at age 71) a Vietnam veteran accepted here two yrs ago. My sister and I knew his emotional state was declining during his stay. I pleaded, suggested, implored for his transfer to an assisted/ long term facility to meet his needs. A Residential home is for more independent adults for needs ‘care’ with meds, meals, housekeeping etc.. My brother was increasing in anxiety and depression with suicidal ideation. He was sent out to hospitals and returned for over a year. My sister and I pleaded and shared our concerns to Steve the manager who was sympathetic and in agreement but couldn’t help. He was always compassionate and one of the best staff. I would constantly be told though by Steve and owner Gregg, that our brother would be ‘ the same ’ and care wouldn’t” WOULDN’T be different if he went to a higher skilled type facility. Really? So here we are today with our brothers serious decline and behavior which became ‘aggressive’, suicidal, ‘too much to handle’ All painful to witness over the last year, both for us and our brother. He was never this way but now his charts have diagnoses that have him placed now in a substandard, mental health nursing home farther away from family. As I said, I was told by manager and owner all these past months that our brother didn’t need assisted living, but NOW after his decline which may have been hastened because proper care was ignored/dismissed .. his mental state deteriorated. Perhaps had he been transferred last year, he would not be suffering like he is today and not placed in such a place. He has a guardian who we contacted continuously. No help. Just evasive, let’s wait and see attitude. No social worker helped family at Harvester. No help with applying for Medicaid. No help which could’ve aided our brothers acceptance to a more suitable home last year before the now, behavioral health diagnosis. No nurse reached out. I used to call her, Kim and she’d share his weight loss, general vitals , and I voice my concerns to which she’d say she would send to brothers Dr. A total system breakdown. Sad for anyone especially a veteran. All of the above the most disheartening and careless. Secondary, my sister and I would change his bed linens after 2 weeks of seeing same soiled linens. No one stopped us going into linen closet. One ‘care’ tech woman sitting near on her phone, asked me as I was carrying sheets to laundry one day , and I asked if there was housekeeper, she said, “Why, is there a problem?’ I took photos each week. Once it was 3 weeks till I changed them. I was told perhaps they were removed cleaned and made. No. Same spoiled spots etc. We felt Michia was a great staff member and Steve Butler. Provided answers and genuinely seemed to understand and CARE. That’s what a CARE facility for a family member should do.
