1 month ago we moved my husband’s 94 year old grandma into memory care, it was a rough transition but she is finally comfortable, however the facility has switched a management company and is now short staffed and when they switched they held an informational meeting informed us that we would need to redo all of our paperwork because the wording would be different, they stated that they would also be sending out an email to everyone (all families) with updates and changes that have occurred and will be occurring with staff and other things they feel we should know about. This meeting was held 2 weeks ago, we had not seen an email I reached because my husbands aunt the other POA went to see her and the monthly statement was sitting on her counter, luckily she didn’t see it because she would have been in panic not knowing what to do with it. When I sent an email with this concern along with a few other things and asking when we would be getting a follow up email from the meeting that was held. I did not get a response to my question an email was then sent out from the meeting with a few updates that they were still looking for staff to fill positions and the ratio right now was 1:7. My husband and I went to see her today and she was doing ok, she was very warm her apartment was disgusting, they are supposed to clean it weekly, there were 5 empty soda cans in her sink, her shower was filthy, I asked if she had showered she said yesterday. Looking in her closet a bunch of her clothes were on the floor. She had a laundry basket full of clothes, I asked if they had done her laundry this week and she said she didn’t think so. We spent a good 45 minutes cleaning, don’t take this the wrong way I have no problem cleaning but as most of you know first off it is not always easy putting a loved one into assisted living/memory care but sometimes it is for the best, second when doing this you make sure you pick the best (or what you think or thought was the best choice) and lastly for what it costs to have someone there you would think that they would make sure that things are being completed as they should be and to the best especially with the ones who can’t necessarily speak for themselves. So sorry for my long vent but after this issue with the communication and then walking into what we did today I need some advise on do I chance it and wait it out to hope it gets resolved and better or do I risk the chance and start looking and try to transition her again. Thank you all in advance for lending your ears and providing guidance it is greatly appreciated!
I think that I would sit tight just a little bit as a change in management may often mean a bit of chaos
BUT...............................and this is a big BUT..........................
I would begin looking.
I doubt you will be alone in this.
If you find an opportune time to speak with other families do kind of gently and nicely feel out what they are thinking, seeing feeling.
Good luck and I hope that you will keep us updated.
Case in point, facility had a change of administration, still have several openings for positions from cook to nurses.
They would have a running, in a way comical system. They would have orientation for new hires, offer donuts and coffee. The new hires would stay for a short time, then leave and the facility would repeat the process. One of the best uses of this, was the hiring of 2 nurses who are sisters. They stayed for a short while, but when openings were available at the Cleveland Clinic for both, they got the heck out of the facility (the one sister was really nice).
One of the funniest stories, was the aide that went on break at 8, and didn't come back. Lol
Best of luck to you.
Also see if you can get the past ratings of the facility and it will give you a history. I agree you should look around at other places while giving the currect facility a chance to get their act together. But pop in at different times on different days. See if the staff look stressed.
Talk to the new administration about their focus for residents' care. If this a memory care unit in a Skilled Nursing Facility, find out if they are planning to continue memory care there. My MIL was in a facility that had an Alzheimers Unit (what they called in in the 90s) in their skilled nursing facility. It didn't make as much money as skilled nursing beds, so they phased it out. Good luck.