Masonic Homes Kentucky — Attraction in Louisville

At the Sam Swope Care Center, I knew we were in trouble the first night my aunt was there. After going over her health issues while she was in the emergency room at the hospital and being assured that they had the experience to care for my elderly aunt, we decided this was the perfect place for rehab from cracked ribs. The very first night, the nurse called me two hours later panicking. She was worried because my aunt was threatening to leave the facility. Now let me describe my aunt. She is ninety years old, she can't walk without a walker, she can't hear or see very well, and she was saying that she is going to call a cab and leave! I had to calm the nurse and explain that my aunt might say these things, but she was obviously unable to do any of it. She didn't even have a walker with her at that time. After convincing the nurse of of the realities of the situation, I told her to tell my aunt that I would be in the next day. When she called me back, the nurse said that when she went in to tell my aunt, but that my aunt had already calmed down and was fine. It went down hill from there. I would say the problem with nursing is a lack of skilled training and understaffed. Cleanliness is another issue. Also lack of communication. Someone from the office called me after a few weeks and said that my aunt would have to leave. They didn't give any particular reason when I asked. This call was on a Friday midday and I had to have her out on Monday ( New Years eve) When I asked for more time, I was told that "We are only required to give 48 notice! " The day we moved her out, the nursing staff was surprised and the floor director was too. No one felt the need to discuss this even with her! That is what I mean by lack of communication. I saw that several times, during the short time we were there. One more thing. I had two ladies from Granny Nannies continue to visit my aunt during the day and weekends of her stay. They both had similar complaints about lack of care and cleanliness and they didn't even know each other! I heard other stories after we left. So no, I could not recommend this...

The worse experience of my life. I have an iliostomy (new surgery). It requires wearing a pouch coming from the ostomy to discharge body waste. I require an item called a convex wafer. I brought several supply items with me from the hospital. They disappeared the first night and were “never” found. And I was not reimbursed for the loss. The staff refused to obtain the proper supplies for me causing my ostomy to leak more than 22 times while I was there I was left lying in my own waste for as long as an hour before anyone came to attend to me. I became seriously dehydrated. Call lights went unanswered for an hour or more. Staff said they were busy but at times they came in smelling of cigarettes and still had their outerwear on so it was pretty evident they had been on long smoke breaks. Night nurses wore their face masks below their noses with maybe one exception. At one point an aide came in and said she would change my ostomy wafer however she said she had never done it before. I refused to let her touch me and requested a nurse who eventually came and changed it . The food was inedible, with several items missing from every tray. At one point I received nothing except a glutinous mass of scrambled eggs - nothing else except this tennis ball size of eggs. The only people who were helpful and kind was the physical therapist and occupational therapist. As I said this was a horrific experience and I had to be readmitted to the hospital with serious dehydration, which led to renal failure, due to the ineptitude and carelessness of the staff at the Masonic Home. I had to ask for water when they should have been pushing water. Refusing to provide the proper ostomy supplies is an act of negligence. I could go on and on but to what end? There’s another whole story about sexual assault the first night I was there but I will leave that to the legal...

When we arrived for In-patient rehab noone came from the unit to greet us. So only because, I had stopped in a short tour did, I know where to go. We found the room and sat over 20 mins waiting for someone to come. I finally went searching for someone. Not a good first impression!

When you call for help the average was 30-45 mins.

On 2 occasions waited for an aid or nurse only for 1 to come in turn off Call light and leave without asking what was needed. My Dad needed changed. Other time aid came in and I ask her to change my father. She asked me to step out and I said he was fine with me being present. She told me she wasn't comfortable with it! I told her sorry.I wasn't moving because that threw a red flag up to me if you work in that field , you shouldn't be uncomfortable in that situation. So she didn't even really check my dad and said he wasn't wet. I knew he was due to his situation of having one bladder and going frequently. So as she after she left. I checked my dad and he was wet as I knew.. Fortunately, my dad room was right next to the nurse manager's office.So I took both these concerns to him. He did say he would address both the situations but didn't apologize.

I would not recommend this facility. It's esthetically beautiful and has gorgeous grounds.But I didn't think the care was adequate. And another issue is Weaver.There several days before he actually got a menu to pick what he wanted to eat. Much improvement in that area needed.

On a positive note Shannon was...