Etowah Landing

I am extremely disappointed with the level of care my mother-in-law received at this facility. She has been a resident here for the past 6/7 years, and it seems that each year the quality of care declines. I have repeatedly expressed my concerns to nurses and CNAs on multiple shifts, yet very little has changed. I have also requested to speak with the Director of Nursing (DON) and the Administrator and The only person who has returned my call has been the Administrator’s assistant, and unfortunately those conversations have not resulted in any meaningful improvements. Since my concerns continue to be ignored, I feel compelled to make them public. First, personal hygiene is a major issue. My mother-in-law’s hair is frequently unkempt and severely matted because it goes unbrushed for extended periods of time. Due to limited mobility in her arm and hand, she cannot properly care for her own hair, so this responsibility falls on the staff caring for her. Her glasses are almost never on her face, and when they are, they are often filthy. Staff should be ensuring that her glasses are clean and that she is reminded to wear them, especially considering her vision impairment. Another serious concern is the cleanliness of the facility. The hallway outside her room often smells strongly of urine, and the odor is even worse inside her room. Her room door is almost always kept closed, which makes it seem as though the smell is being contained rather than addressed. Every visit I have made over the last four years has involved the same overwhelming odor. The smell is so strong that it causes my eyes to water. When staff change her after an accident, they often have to change her gown and bedding because she is completely soaked. I have personally witnessed staff wiping urine from a wet mattress using a dry section of a dirty sheet and then throwing the sheet on the floor instead of properly cleaning and sanitizing the mattress. This may explain why the odor persists. Because my mother-in-law is visually impaired and has limited hand coordination, she frequently struggles to feed herself. Food often falls onto her clothing, chest, bedding, and hair. On numerous occasions, I have arrived in the afternoon and found food from breakfast still on her neck, under her fingernails, and scattered across her clothing and bed. This indicates that basic cleaning and personal care are not being provided throughout the day. The call button beside her bed has not worked for months. When she needs assistance, she has no choice but to yell for help. Unfortunately, her room door is usually closed. Her roommate has told me that when my mother-in-law calls out for assistance, staff will sometimes come to the room only to close the door so they do not have to hear her. If this is true, it is completely unacceptable. Communication with the facility is also extremely frustrating. When I call to speak with my mother-in-law, I am frequently placed on hold for long periods of time, sometimes 15 to 20 minutes, only to have the call disconnected. This has happened repeatedly. When someone finally answers, I am often met with a rude response and told that she is still in bed, even on days when she is supposed to be out of bed for showers and activities. My mother-in-law has also told me that when she is in the dining room or sitting near the nurses’ station in her wheelchair, she regularly asks to use the phone to call family members. According to her, she is consistently ignored or told she can call later. Then, when later comes, another excuse is given and she is never allowed to make the call. I have purchased a couple of cell phones for her over the years, but they have been accidentally washed with her bedding and are no longer usable. My family simply wants our loved one to be treated with dignity, respect, and basic compassion. The issues I have described are not isolated incidents. I sincerely hope management takes these concerns seriously and takes immediate action to improve the quality of care being provided.