St. Mark Village — Local services in Palm Harbor

We were so excited for mom to move into St Mark Village (SMV), however, about 6 months later we found out it wasn't all we'd hoped for...bottom line, If you don't have a good ADVOCATE, DON'T MOVE IN HERE!

Independent Living:

Within the first 2 months of living here mom had to buy a dehumidifier. Her clothes and linens were constantly moist feeling. All residents constantly run dehumidifiers to maintain livable conditions.

Also, the staff put an emphasis on having our mom sign a DNR stating the staff were inexperienced in performing CPR and could cause harm to a resident were they to need it.

High buy-in and renovations cost never reimbursed even though mom was only there 11 months.

Additionally, the social atmosphere had become unwelcoming with residents forming cliques and being unkind to some residents, which detracted from the sense of community.

Memory Care: The facility frequently smelled of feces and urine from residents who needed toileting care from staff and it wasn't being handled.

There was a major pipe leak from the 2nd floor that caved in the doorway of my mom's neighbors room, however our mom's room also had damage from this leak that went undetected because it went behind her shower. Mom complained about health issues but it was ignored for 2 months. It wasn't until we smelled the stench, saw water coming up from her floor, water behind the paint in her bathroom, rusty doorframes and moldy baseboards that we made complaints and demanded for mold remediation to be done. Her items, once moved were moldy and her mattress and reclining chair was thrown out (which they didn't reimburse her for even after complaining). They said everything could just be cleaned with a 50/50 bleach wash.

Items went missing, including $1,600 that was never recovered. Residents could not secure their rooms so anyone could walk in/out of anybodys room. When we asked to see the video footage of the hallway when her $1,600 went missing we were told there is no video monitoring.

There were signs of a "sick building," with visible black mold in the ac units, stained ceiling tiles and moldy baseboards especially under the window ac units.

There was also a troubling emphasis on trying to place our mom in a wheelchair, seemingly to align with the majority of their residents. This environment hastened our mom's mental decline.

We are grateful to have found a great place for mom where she is now thriving. All the complaints we have from this environment at SMV have disappeared at her new facility. She is happy, smiling and finally has a place that she says "feels like home".

We would not recommend SMV based on our experience.

We highly recommend going to "A place for Mom" to find better accommodations and for the same or a lower price that what you'll pay at SMV. Thank you for taking the time to read this review. Look around. I'm sure you'll find a place that fits the bill. You don't need to settle and not everyone requires the HIGH BUY-IN that SMV does. We found that out too...

For someone with Alzheimer's, rehab can be a frustrating place. For their family, it can be terrifying. But, I can tell you that my dad's stay (almost a month and a half), was nothing but amazing! Anyone that is looking for a rehab facility to place your loved one that suffers from Alzheimer's, or any other dementia, this is the place! Below are a few points that highlight the wonderful work St. Mark Village Rehab does:

Initial Tour: Lisa is such a great resource. She answered all of our questions and made us feel very comfortable during the tour. I was able to chat with the Director of Nursing, and she was very open and inviting. They both continued to check on my dad during his stay.

Caregivers on the Floor: It's hard for me to believe that we could find a more caring and competent staff. The staff listened when I shared what my dad likes, how to approach him, and what he can do. My dad is no longer able to communicate these things, so it's so important for them to embrace this information. And they did spectacularly. They were willing to work as a team to get my dad healed and back to his Memory Care facility. I could tell they love what they do and truly care about the people they rehabilitate day in, day out.

Nurses: From day one, they worked so hard to keep my dad safe and on the road to recovery. He couldn't have asked for better medical care. They were very communicative and upfront. I appreciated the open lines of communication.

Physical and Occupational Therapy: These guys and gals were the true MVPs! My dad's strength didn't just come back to baseline, it blew past it. My dad's disease has progressed to the point that it is taking his physical abilities now. So, when they got him to consistently walk further than he has in the last year, it gave me an enormous sense of joy. He is thriving at his Memory Care facility because he is now able to walk to activities again. They even took the time to get to know him and understood how to connect with him. I couldn't be more grateful.

Housekeeping: My dad's room was always so clean. The housekeeping staff took great pride in their work, and that showed.

Social Worker: Jeff walked me through everything I needed to know about the transition to rehab and back to my dad’s facility. He was very prompt with his responses to my emails and questions. His help was very much appreciated :)

I hope this helps anyone looking for a rehab facility for their loved one that suffers from...

My Mom, Dee G, moved into St. Mark's 2017. We both liked the fact that it is a 'Continuing Care Community' which means Mom has a home no matter what her level of care is or what her money situation is as time progresses! A year prior, when Mom was living alone in a villa, she went to one of St. Mark's luncheons, spoke with their residents, toured the facility and the rooms. She then had a plan for her future. A year later, she said she was 'ready to move' and it was a huge relief for me. Even our doctor would like her Mom to move into St. Mark's and you can't get a better referral than that! Shortly after Mom moved in, she had surgery and radiation for breast cancer. St Mark's took Mom for her daily radiation treatments for 6 wks. I couldn't since I worked. She could get her dinner brought up too. It took a huge amount of stress off my shoulders! Her one bedroom unit is very nice. The food in the dining room is very good. In fact, I ate with her on Sundays. The staff is very, very nice and always willing to do what they can to help the residents. They have many activities, programs, day trips, events & exercise classes. There is no doubt, that down the road I too, when the time comes, will move into a 'Continuing Care Community!' It's the smart thing to do! P.S. My mom just passed away. I want to thank the staff at St. Mark's, everyone, for taking great care of my mom and you have been so gracious to me! I will miss all of you, the staff, the residents...!...