Hospice By the Sea (Boca Care Center)

DOA

I was a caretaker for my mother for almost three years, seven hours a day, seven days a week IN REGENTS PARK NURSING HOME in Boca. For years, as most devoted caregivers do, I literally gave up my personal life and did everything I could for my mother, and don't regret one day of it. In fact, when she died, I received calls from many people who had seen me caring for my mom, telling me what a great daughter I was. When she became a nursing home resident at Regent's Park my mother had suffered a massive stroke and was on a feeding tube. At one point the PA assigned to my mother brought in a female doctor, Caraballo, from Trustbridge to assess my mother. The doctor took took her on as a patient on a Thursday (dead on Monday) and told me my mother could go either way. Although I made it very clear when I met the Trustbridge doctor that I was all alone, even with two shifts of nurses by her side, no one from Trustbridge, no pallative nurse or anyone, called to offer any support services and inform me of the gravity of the situation so I could make arrangements to have my mother moved to their facility where she would have died with some dignity in a peaceful environment instead of in a nursing home bed, then wrapped up with white tape and wheeled out on a guerny in plain sight. The Trustbridge doctor who I met on a Thursday NEGLECTED TO TELL ME SHE WAS GOING ON VACATION THE FOLLOWING DAY. She offered no backup anything -- what I should do if I needed anything, what they could offer. The nurse thought it was a good idea to turn the feeding tube off, but I didn't understand why. I thought she needed nourishment and was going to pull through. Instead, she choked on the fluids as she passed away. Despite a Trustbridge nurse being by my mother's side, and my being beside myself the Trustbridge nurse apologized to me that I had to see her go like that. But yet at no time did shecall the facility to help me out to understand what was going on and get someone to help me. The nursing home PA and the doctor were off the case. And the staff in the nursing home did nothing and offered nothing because to them she was no longer their problem because she was on hospice. Up to a few days before that, at 83 years of age, if she arm wrestled me, I had no chance of winning. She put up a very good fight for over three years, but this time she lost. I called and spoke with a Trustbridge supervisor a few months later after she passed and was very upset. I inquired speaking to a supervisor about how they handled the care of my mother and was told me they do not monitor or call family members of patients who are dying. More than once I called and left a message asking to speak with the doctor who had gone on vacation. No one ever called from Trustbridge. THEY ADDRESSED NONE OF MY CONCERNS. They told me to move on. That was it. "No, we'll look into it and get back to you," even though I requested that they please call me back. The person I spoke with said he would speak with the physician. I never heard a word. No empathy. Female doctor didn't care. Stayed away. It's been two years and I am still haunted by memories of those four days as she deteriorated and lost her life. All my mother could say after she experienced her massive stroke was "I want to go home." She said it 50 times a day for three years. A person lives a life of dignity and has loving family members, but when they get sick and have to rely on the good graces of others, in this case Trustbridge, they are shockingly treated like they never had ANY DIGNITY and are reduced to a worthless human. Thank you, Dr. Caraballo for your kind attention to this matter, which your supervisor told me he would bring to your attention. I will remember you always.

Nadine

I visited a friend two years ago at Hospice by the Sea. The community was good, the staff was attentive, and the rooms were clean. Everybody was pleasant. I had a good visit.

clownscu

My Mom was in Hospice By The Sea in 2011 and they treated her with respect. I was there most of the time but never worried when I left. It is a beautiful peaceful place I thank them very much.

CustomerBeware

The staff at this hospice made this difficult time much worse for my family. They were openly hostile and tried to kick my father out in retribution because we dared to question their treatment. Their lack of respect and professionalism towards my family was inexcusable. My father suffered from dementia which sometimes caused him to choke on his food which would get caught in his lungs. His doctors said he did not have much time left and recommended hospice. My father was not in pain. He was alert and could talk and joke with us. His long term memory was good but he could not remember what he did 5 minutes ago. My father sometimes wakes up confused in the middle of the night and needs a little reassurance to get back to sleep. When we brought him the first night we thought we could relax, knowing he was taken care of. However, the next morning we found my Dad was unresponsive and could not be awakened. We checked with the hospice doctor, who found that a nurse had given my Dad 2 doses of Morphine in the middle of the night without the doctor’s orders. My Dad was not in pain and had never needed Morphine. The doctor could not give us a good reason why my father was drugged. My father did not regain consciousness for a day and a half. After we complained to the doctor about the Morphine, the administrative staff became defensive and hostile towards our family. The next day, while my Dad was still unconscious, we were told by the staff that my Dad no longer qualified for their hospice (even though he did qualify) and that we would have to find another hospice facility immediately. It was a holiday weekend and we could not find another facility. I asked the hospice doctor to speak with my Dad’s regular doctor, but he refused. He arrogantly stated, “I am the expert on end of life care, not your Dad’s doctor.” He said that my Dad needed longer term care and did not qualify for this facility. My Dad passed away a few days later. The week we spent at the hospice took a terrible toll on my family. We had to argue with the doctor and the administrative staff daily to keep them from pushing my Dad out of the facility. My brother and I took turns staying 24 hours with my Dad to make sure he received proper care because we no longer trusted their care. We lost a precious day and half of time with my Dad because they overdosed him with Morphine. Because we questioned the care they were providing they tried bully and intimidate us so that we would leave. They should be ashamed of the pain and anguish they inflicted on our family during my Dad’s last days.

Justbeachy

My mother was transported to Hospice By the Sea a week before she passed away. I cannot express what unbelievable care she received and how every effort was made to keep her comfortable. My brother and I were comforted by the time spent with the Hospice Doctors and nurses. They explained the process, kept us updated. A treasure of a resource for Palm Beach County.

hertzro

Consider this organization as a business and do not expect much more. They will tell you that they will provide palliative care, but you have to beg them for it. What they will do is pressure and coerce the patient and the family to do things their way which mostly means that they will do as little as possible, and if you dare to require the services that they promise, they will try to intimidate you. Your loved one will be treated with no respect. Their nursing staff are rude if not crude. Very bad deal.