Downtown Brooklyn Nursing and Rehabilitation

Diana

My dad is in Downtown Brooklyn Nursing and Rehabilitation. I think we really don't like it. I don't know if we just don't like it because he's in a nursing home, but it's a very big facility, and it feels like everyone's just coming and going. We've wanted to establish more relationships with the people who are on staff there, but the staff turns over so quickly, so it just feels so impersonal in a very personal situation. I just don't know if maybe we're just having a problem because we are experiencing him being in a nursing home. He's alive and he's clean, but they definitely aren't going above and beyond, or close to good. I'm sure they're doing their jobs, and I think it's just the way it's set up. I also don't know if all nursing homes are like that, but it's just so transient, and people are just coming and going. I feel like he's kind of lost in the mix there, and that we have to make so much noise to get things done. They keep it clean, but it's an older facility. It needs some upkeep on certain things they have. It's funny because they have flat-screen TVs that are in the rooms, but then the bathrooms leave a lot to be desired. There are no clear schedules of when the patients are given baths and showers and things like that, so you kind of have to really follow up and ask, because you're not able to see when that's happening. Their dining rooms could just use some sprucing up or organization. It's OK and everyone there is OK. They've taken care of the patients, but the facility leaves a lot to be desired. My dad doesn't like their food. The food always looks clean, but you can tell they don't get a lot of fresh vegetables and stuff. If he gets fish or something, it's not fresh fish. They also don't get a lot of fruit. Maybe they do bananas, but my dad can't eat bananas. The menu needs a little help. My dad's always complaining that the rice is so hard. He's like, "Why is it so hard when they know a lot of us don't have teeth?" I am not in love with the service there. They always say that they have activities and they have a list of what activities are supposed to happen. Something I'm actually kind of concerned about though, which is making me want to really pull him out of there and just get an apartment to try to keep him, is because every time we go there, it could be the afternoon, but he'll be sleeping. We're like, "Why is he sleeping?" and they're like, "Oh, he was up late" or he was this or that. I've gone there three times now, and each time I've gone there he's sleeping and I can't wake him up. It's 2:00 or 4:00 in the afternoon and I never see him do activities when I'm there. I'm like, "Why is he sleeping? Are you guys giving him something or is there a new medication?" They're just not very open, I always have to dig for when there's something wrong. I have to talk to ten people to figure it out. He doesn't sleep in the afternoon like that, ever, but now it's a thing. For the past two weeks, he's been sleeping in the afternoon, and they're fine with it. Of course, he's going to be up at night if you're letting him sleep during the day like that, you wouldn't even do that to a baby. I've wanted to go there and see him doing stuff. They have a list of things that they say happens, but then I also never really see any of the patients doing these things ever. They're always in their rooms or walking around the hallways. His insurance is taking care of it so we haven't got to pay anything. That's also where I find it hard to complain when we're not paying for it. They need to put money into how the staff operates. Maybe some morale training for the staff because I think also, with the staff being so transient, you can tell it's not really a team and it's just people coming there and doing their jobs. It's not a very friendly place. Not that I need you to say hello all the time, but be more interested, because you're taking care of people. There's some need there for operations and staff morale. I don't know if it's raises or what, but there needs to be some more training there.

L.J.

My uncle is at Downtown Brooklyn Nursing and Rehabilitation. It's clean, and the staff is friendly and cooperative. My grandmother was there also, so it's nice. I didn't have any complaints. He didn't complain about the food, so it was OK. They were great and very, very helpful.