Highland Rehabilitation & Nursing Center — Local services in City of Middletown

Highland is extremely unprofessional, starting from the top. The administrator consistently talks down to staff and enforces arbitrary rules, for example, prohibiting employees from wearing masks and sending them home if they do, claiming it’s a “loss of dignity” for the facility. There is blatant favoritism and conflicts of interest. The Director of Social Work received a raise only after threatening to leave — and it’s known the administrator has a personal relationship with where they have went out on private dates. The Director of Nursing and the HR Director are sisters, and multiple relatives of management hold positions in the building. A unit nurse position, which is supposed to require an RN, is held by an LPN simply because she’s the Director of Nursing’s daughter. The HR Director has her significant other working in the kitchen and her nephew in maintenance. Resident safety is also a concern. There have been instances where residents fell, but staff couldn’t document when or why it happened because no one was monitoring them. When state inspectors arrived, the facility scrambled in panic rather than maintaining consistent standards of care. In one case, a staff member was caught stealing money from residents. The administrator has also made inappropriate comments about residents. He was openly upset when one resident discharged to an assisted living facility, not because of their wellbeing, but because they “brought in a lot of money” and were a “good resident” financially for the nursing home. I personally experienced the administrator forgetting about a resident’s court date, then forcing both me and the resident into his car, driving us to the wrong courthouse, and leaving us there to walk 15 minutes to the correct location. The entire workplace lacks professionalism, organization, and ethical standards. I would not recommend working here or placing a loved one...

I don’t usually leave reviews but in this case I feel compelled to. I was hesitant and had reservations having my mom go here for rehabilitation. The admissions director was aware I had concerns. The reviews both online and personal from people I know were not the greatest. I can say that the nursing staff and PT’s were great. However, that’s about it. When I was doing a training there, I was contacted by the financial department stating that my mom owes $4700 and they would need it in the next 2 days before she goes home. They needed at least $1500.00 before she left. I asked about a settlement, as was discussed with the financing manager weeks before when I talked to him about something else. The woman acted like it wasn’t an option until she went and asked. She came back and said they can settle the bill for $2700.00 but it would need to be paid in full. The next day, I paid the $2700.00. She said she would email me the receipt when my mom was to leave the following day and my mom would have a copy. When I saw the copy a few days after my mom was discharged , the original amount stated on the form that was given was $3400.00, not $4,700.00. Feeling as though that was a little shady and we were taken advantage of, I called and left a message asking for a call back. I wanted to know why I was lied to and told that my moms bill was $4700.00! This was on September 23rd.... not a peep from them.... until my mom gets a call today from them stating that they need her to take care of her debt. She explained that her daughter paid it in full and they said they would mark it down!!! Why is it not marked down already?! I sent another email saying I want another call. I would advise people to really make yourself aware when it comes to finances in this place. Your loved one could be taken advantage of. I’m giving the stars for the nursing staff because...

I don’t no where to begin about my experiences at Highland House. I was just discharged from there this morning after spending less than 2 wks there for IV therapy due to a serious medical condition. The aesthetics were fairly pleasant many renovations done due to extra funding during COVID. Some of the professional staff were excellent at their jobs, retired nurses that came back part time to work. And other seasoned nurses that were kind, friendly, efficient and compassionate. As for the aides, a scant few were also very caring and understanding and knowledgeable really there to help and made a difference but most were punishing and non caring I have never seen so much cruelty in patients suffering from withdrawal, anxiety unfamiliar with their surroundings and genuinely scared. No compassion and this is from nursing staff! Upper nursing staff too. Promises made to patients and not kept laughing and making derogatory comments about patients myself included right outside my door to give me a boost of confidence. I felt cut off from people, help prisoner was confined to a bed for over a week end til I had a second PT assessment to use a walker! Something I had been using for months. Therefore I was trapped in bed became extremely constipated with a colostomy of all things and quite miserable I ended up in so much distress I went to Garnet ER. The food there was primarily starch very hard for me to digest but that’s a personal thing I realize. The quality of the food was beyond sub par. The absolute worst! While I was there the dept of health did an inspection wow I would love to see that report! And as a former mental hygiene therapy Aide of 33 yrs at the former Middletown Psychiatric Center I would b stunned to see this nursing home pass...