Bonterra Transitional Care and Rehabilitation

It has taken me time to gather my thoughts about everything that happened while my mother was in this facility. I’m writing this as her adult son, in the hope that it helps other families make informed decisions. I won’t mention names, but I will speak honestly. I want to start by saying there are three women who I experienced—who are absolute angels. They truly care about the residents and take their work to heart. I’m grateful for them. My mother, who is in her 70s, was placed in this facility after being discharged from a local hospital. The communication was great during her time there. I received calls about any issues with her, no matter the time. My mom has always been someone who complains a lot and can be difficult. Because she has memory issues and has now been diagnosed with dementia, I often believed the nurses over her. But around two months in, things began to change. One day, I walked into her room and found the air conditioning on . It was winter, and freezing outside. The room was freezing, and she had no idea why. Then her shoes went missing—both pairs—right before a doctor’s appointment. Soon after, her clothes also disappeared. I bought her new items, took photos, and placed them in her closet. Within two weeks, they were gone, and she was wearing someone else’s clothes. Even a sweater I had given her went missing. I started realizing there was a trend. My wife and I began talking about all the little things that I had noticed, and mom had mentioned. Mom begged me repeatedly to take her out of the facility, but I thought she was just being difficult or confused. Over time, I realized she wasn’t wrong, I was. My sister & I visited one day and heard a man in the next room crying for help. No one came. I alerted the nurses’ station, and it still took about 20 minutes before he got help. It became clear that what my mom had been describing was neglect. During her stay, Mom was placed in a room with a younger woman in her 40s who had the mental capacity of a child. She had severe speech delays and would often screech. My mom told me this young woman had been hit by an older nurse on two occasions. I didn’t believe it—until Mom came home. When my mom was discharged in April 2025 and came to live with me, the trauma became obvious. She had nightmares her very first night at home, something I had never seen her experience in my entire life. She cried and moaned in her sleep for weeks. I had to sleep on the couch for nearly a month so I could help her when she woke up terrified. She even fell out of bed several times. After a week, I asked her to tell me what really happened while she was there. She said she was never hit, but her roommate was—and she feared she would be next. She couldn’t understand why she was placed in a room with someone so vulnerable. She even asked about how the young woman was doing. Knowing my mom’s background, and her difficulty showing emotion, this told me how deeply she was affected. Based on everything my mother experienced, and everything I witnessed, here is what families should know: 1. Neglect, abuse, and theft are real problems there. Personal items disappear, and residents may not get the care they need. 2. The front office is disconnected from what happens in the back. Management seems unaware of the day-to-day issues with staff. 3. There needs to be security and cameras. Residents deserve protection, and staff should be monitored. 4. Burnout among staff is real and affects the quality of care. I am now my mother’s full-time caregiver. It’s hard, and burnout is real, but she’s my mom. I know she is safer with me than she was in that facility. If you are considering placing your loved one in a nursing home, please think carefully. If possible, consider keeping them at home and building your own care team. It will challenge you, but it may spare your loved one from trauma they should never experience. I hope this review helps families and encourages the facility to make real changes. No one’s parent should have to go through what mine did.