Brookhaven Health Care Center

Carmella6879

My mother arrived at Brookhaven on a Friday between 12:00 and 1:00 p.m. She is 82 years old and had broken bones in both her feet and could not walk. She needed pain medication every four hours or she was in serious pain. There was no visitation because of Covid but she had her cell phone. I called her Saturday morning and she said she had been in pain all night. I called the nurse and was told that she was only given Tylenol because there was no one there after 10:00 p.m. who was qualified to get into the emergency kit to give her her pain medication. Several days later, on Tuesday morning, I called my mother a little after 8:00 a.m. and she said she had been in pain all night. Twice during the night, an employee brought her pills and told her they were Tylenol. She told them she would take them, but they wouldn't help. I called the nurse and the nurse said they had run out of her pain medication and they were going to call her Doctor to see if he could prescribe an alternative. I was very upset and asked if I could bring the bottle of hydrocodone they had given her at the emergency room several days before. I arrived at 9:10 and the nurse met me at the entryway and took it from me and said she would give my mother one right away. I asked to speak to the administrator and the social worker (both of whom I had called on my way there, but they had not returned my call). The director came out and I told him that two nights without her pain medication was enough and I wanted her moved. He told me they only had a three-day order for the Hydrocodone, but he accepted that it was their fault for not getting a new prescription. He then brought out the Social worker, so I could start the proceedings for getting her moved. I asked some questions about her medication, and they sent out a staff member (director of nursing, I believe) to answer my questions. This person had my mother's medication chart with her and looked it over. She told me that my mother's prescription for hydrocodone was open for as long as she needed it and it didn't sound right that the facility had run out of this medication. She said she was going back to check it out. Mind you, she did NOT say while looking at the chart that my mother HAD received her medication and there was some sort of mistake. A little while later, the director or nursing (I think), the director, and two other people came out. A new gentlemen handed me what was supposed to be my mother's medication chart and told me that there had been a misunderstanding and that my mother HAD received her hydrocodone. The chart showed that she had received it twice during the night. It is my opinion that they stood there and lied to me. I called my mother about 9:55 a.m. and she said they had given her the pill I brought about 9:15 and the pain was starting to get better. I would stay far away from this place.

pel

I understand the guidelines for visiting family in carecenter. I appreciate the aides and many of the nurses for caring for my loved one. I have expressed my gratitude many times. . I have tried to be patient and kind even when I knew I was being lied to by staff or put off knowing they were hoping I would go away. TODAY WAS DIFFERENT ! I left NW Arkansas after work and drove the 2 hours to Springfield for a window visit. I’ve been asked by the nurse , T who is almost always on duty to call first and to come at 3:00, which is impossible or to arrive after 5:00. Today I called at 4:30 told the staff I was on my way I would be there after 5:00 please let the nurse T know. I called again at 5:30 so they would know I had arrived , Nurse, T came to the window said she didn’t get the message, she was too busy, short staffed and couldn’t get my sister n law up. I said, “ that’s ok I know you are busy I’ll wait.” At 6:00 there was a shift change , I’m still, waiting, shift change nurse , N came out she was not happy, basically told me she could not accommodate me. I explained, I had called I had been there since 5:30, waiting. When she said she was short staffed , I told her that I had spoken to the Administrator two days before she had assured me they were not short handed. Nurse, N turns and walks back inside . Now it’s almost 7:00 I sent a text to the Assistant director of nursing , explained the above situation that I was, waiting. That’s when a lady come up to the centers door comes out and over to a window on the other side of the building, the second nurse, N brings her family to the window in a wheel chair. I thought, “ Good she’s going to bring my sister-in-law .” No. I’m home now it’s 9:00pm I again spoke to both nurses while they had the Director of Nursing on the phone. Needless to say I was very upset. When nurse N told me, My family was too much trouble too hard, she’s a two person transfer, to get up to come to the window. Nurse, T said the person who visited at the window could get up herself she walked to the window. Not true, I said N wheeled her to the window. I left without seeing my loved one, I believe my sister n law is being discriminated against because they consider her too disabled to take the 10 minutes to help her out of bed into her wheelchair.

Sherriebear

This is not a good facility. My brother went there with a wound vacuum. He was supposed to be walking with a walker daily. At Brookehaven they parked him in a wheel chair and let him do what he wanted. When it came to his PT, they didn’t have him walk. They only worked with his upper body and the leg without injuries. When the leg started oozing some type of discharge, and hurting more than usual, he was told that it was supposed to have discharge. They put him in bed and told him to stay there. He kept telling staff of abnormal pain, they wouldn’t mKe an appointment for him. By the time he went in for surgery the area was so bad he ended up with necrosis. The surgeon had to cut it all out leaving a new wound 4in long, 2in deep, & 2in wide. I refused to let him go back to Brookehaven. The bathrooms aren’t cleaned. The housekeeping/janitors go in there. But the stools are dirty and the floor is sticky. The staff here is hit and miss. The aides there continually tell patients and residents “I don’t know, I’m not a nurse” there is one transportation lady. She likes to be “the boss” she’s not good at returning calls and even tried to change my brothers appointment after it was just made, because it didn’t fit in the transportation lady’s schedule. I even continuously told her it was fine, we aren’t changing it, I will take him. She still argued saying that it was up to the physical therapy dept if I could. It was for an urgent surgery! I took my brother and the doctor helped us choose a better facility. Please think long and hard before taking your loved one to this facility. Thank you.

smileysu

My relative was at Brookhaven and the first evening of admission went terrible. The room wasnt anything like we were promised, the room was cold, the supper, after finally getting it, was terrible and so tough and unable to chew. The nurses were nice and did their best to accomodate and things were looking up until a busybody kid with social services came in asking about our concerns and making excuses for the problems and more or less blaming the nursing staff for everything. For social services, he seemed to stir more than help. The next day was better with the nursing staff providing excellent care. The Director over the nurses was very kind and was always available if we had any concerns or needs. She gave us her card and was truly available any time of day if we needed her. Therapy did a great job too. All in all, what started as a bad experience, turned into a very good experience, thanks to the caring and kindness of the nurses and their Director. It takes special people for that type work and Brookhaven's nursing dept has very special people!

SillyName

Food is always cold and delivered to the room sometimes up to 45 minutes late. Smoking area for residents is next to entrance/exit allowing 2nd hand smoke to fill corridor and resident rooms. Lack of fresh air due to unwritten(?) 'rule' that windows cannot be opened slightly (1/2 to 1 inch)during cool weather. Being forced to wear full ostomy bag for over 3 and 1/2 hours, due to request to empty being acknowledged but not acted on. There is much more, feel free to be a silent shopper and see for yourself. Improvements are badly needed!

denval1012

The staff and employees were caring and concerned. The facility was very clean and pleasant. My mother was there twice this year before we moved her to a assisted living facility. The only complaint I have is regarding the laundry. They picked up my mothers laundry the morning she left the facility in mid Dec and we have yet to see any of it. I have contacted the facility several times asking them to please find it with promises to look and nothing else. We are not talking about a couple of misplaced items. It was a weeks worth of clothing! It had new pajamas, underwear, jeans and slacks, shirts and socks as well at least one housecoat. The care was good but be sure the family does the laundry. If they do it you may wind up replacing a wardrobe.