Leelow
1/5
Sitting in fecal matter, isolation, lack of care
Sunny Vista’s rehab facility, located at 2445 E Cache La Poudre was an extremely poor experience for our family.
We found our mother in soiled undergarments several times. A private caregiver we hired indicated that when she arrived it appeared that she may have been sitting in her own feces for hours. Our mother is prone to UTI infections. Not ensuring a patient is kept in a sanitary condition can increase the likelihood of septic shock, e. coli bacteremia, and can cause ventricul tachycardia (a type of abnormal heart rhythm) and can result in death. To allow a resident with a history of UTI infections to be left in solid undergarments, exposing them to the above risks is unconscionable.
We would also find our mother in a wheelchair with the tires locked, in a corner pointed towards a table and corner of the room. She would be sleeping in her wheelchair and her chin would be touching her chest. We had to instruct Sunny Vista to move her to a bed when she is sleeping, hoping to prevent neck injuries.
There was another resident in her room screaming for 45 minutes for someone to help her, to bring her water. A nurse would then go in and yell at her for screaming for 45 minutes for help.
We hired private caregivers to be with my mother throughout the night after she had surgery related to a nasty, and unexplainable, fall she took at their sister facility, The Retreat at Sunny Vista. This resulted in their staff expecting our caregivers to provide services that were supposed to be provided by Sunny Vista. We would be asked when our “sitters” are coming in so that our private caregivers could then check her undergarments or get her into bed.
We were still paying for room, meals, and caregiver services for the room at their sister facility across the street even though my mother was no longer staying there. The rehab facility at Sunny Vista is covered by Medicare or Tricare for my mother to be in rehab. So essentially, they are billing my mom for caregiver, meals, and rooms for two different facilities, while we are bringing in private caregivers to ensure my mom had adequate care.
I had reached out to Steve Downs several times seeking a discount as they were receiving fees for my mom for two different facilities. He initially told me there was a form, but blew me off for a while. I was then informed that the regional director denied my request. I asked for a meeting with the regional director, but after that I was unable to reach Mr. Downs via phone and text, I had to go into the facility several times and ask if he was available.
He did eventually meet with me, but merely used stalling and deflection techniques to distract from my request for an adjustment to the bill. He indicated he would check into this, and check into that, but certainly indicating that no adjustment to the bill would be made regardless. It was very insulting to sit in his office while he played these games, not to mention the disrespect and loss of dignity for my mom while risking her health and wellness.
