Belleair Health Care Center

My mother has moved into long-term care at Belleair Health Care Center. My sister and I have both been struggling with communication. We're not getting our calls returned, and we're getting different information depending on who we're speaking with. I understand they're short staffed, but it just seems we've had to go through an awful lot changing with her from Medicare to Medicaid, and we've been misinformed on several occasions. We finally got it straightened out. I'm up here in Biloxi, Mississippi, so I have to rely on talking to somebody on the phone, and when I call to talk to the case manager, one of the physical therapists or even a nurse, I almost never get a call back. I have to continue calling them until I can reach someone. My sister and I are not permitted to see the rooms. We're only allowed to visit with my mother outside on the patio. We're only permitted to visit for 30 minutes, three times a week, which is not good for my mother. It's not good for her mental health. She really doesn't have a lot of physical activity or people to talk to. So right now, because of COVID, they have it limited to three days a week for 30 minutes at a time, and only outside. We have to maintain six feet distance. Of course, when I drive nine and a half hours down there to see her, I don't care, I'm hugging my mother. They won't let us touch her, hug her, or anything. I'm fully vaccinated, we're wearing a mask, and we're outside. When my mother was in another facility right after she left the hospital, we were still permitted to go back into her room, and I shared meals with my mom there. I just think that their lockdown is a little too tight right now. They have been flexible when I travel into town to visit my mom, they do give me some extra time with her, and they do give me extra days. I asked my mom about the food, because usually I'm able to reach her around breakfast and dinner time when we talk on the phone, and she says most of the time it's pretty good. Sometimes it's not really hot, but she hasn't really complained about it.

My sister was transported to Bellaire straight from the hospital, for rehab after a quadruple bypass. She was there for 5 days. Her first night, she rang the bell because she had soiled herself, they left her that way for over 2 HOURS, worst part was that they refused to give her, her pain medication (something about being seen by a Dr the following day) She never saw a Dr her entire stay. She was ignored her entire stay. Was never given her pain medication on time, she would call us crying that she was in so much pain & we would have to call the facility. From the outside this place looks really pretty & maybe that's how they got 5 stars, but for the most part they do not take care of you properly. So if you want pretty scenery this is the place for you! If you or your loved one want to be taken CARE of. Then l would suggest you stay far away from this place.

If I were choosing a facility today I would want to know that this facility is not right for your loved one. My mom was placed here out of the hospital for short term rehab to strengthen her legs. We were there during the pandemic so there were no activities for the patients. The facility is nice looking. The care however is not good. I would be interested to know if the doctor ever actually sees the patients. The night staff is terrible. My mother and her roommate would often be left laying in urine waiting for an aide to help them to the bathroom. They were not supposed to get out of bed but would ring the call bell over and over to be ignored until the aides got around to it. At one point the nurse (aide) took the call bell away from my mom so she could not use it. They moved her to another wing and it seemed to get a little better. At least she had a call bell there. At 4:30 am I got a call from my mom. Gasping and frightened she told me that she could not breathe and needed help. She had been ringing her call bell and no one would come. I kept her on my home phone and used my cell phone to call the desk. After three tries someone answered and told me she would check. I waited until I was sure she was in the room. Later that morning my mom was moved to the hospital, went into intensive care and died 6 days later. She had developed "light pneumonia" based on an x ray done at Belleair and read by their doctor. Despite years of asthma, they shoved her on an antibiotic and cough meds and didn't think a hospital trip was necessary. The issue with the night staff was inexcusable. They are paid to care for the patients.. When a call bell goes off shouldn't they be required to check on their fragile patients? Hindsight is 20/20 and I wish that I had chosen a different facility or moved my mom when we realized that she was being ignored. She and I both thought that it was a short stay and she would be out in a week of so. If I did it again, I would bring her home and have rehab done there or chosen another place. I honestly believe she would still be here with me if I had.

My Father was there during the Covid pandemic so we were not allowed to visit. This made phone contacts all the more important. I asked for the doctor to call me multiple times about my father's status. He never (!) returned my calls. Not once in ten days was a call returned. The rehab worker was kind enough to call when my father went into cardiac arrest. My father passed away two days later in a hospital. Sadly I feel the Bellaire Health Care Center let my family down.

I do not recommend this facility to anyone with an elderly loved one who requires around the clock medical attention that can cause complications. This rehab would be more suited for someone recovering from hip or knee surgery. My Grandmother went into this rehab towards the end of April/beginning of May this year. She was at this Rehab two years ago and had nothing but nice things to say about the facility - her and my Grandfather both. That was not the case this time. I went with my Husband and his parents to visit her and she was disoriented and becoming overwhelmed. I went to her nurse and I informed her of how she was acting. She didn’t give much thought to my concerns and said she would check her blood sugar/vitals and go from there. My Grandfather and Husband helped wheel her in from the family area outside while she was taking her time and conversing with the other nurses. After finally coming to my Grandmother’s room - she asks my Husband if he is from India (He is Indian) and tells him “I gotta tell you - your country isn’t exactly clean and the people aren’t the nicest”. Are you kidding me? Who says that? My Grandmother even said something to her and told her not to speak to her guests that way. She left the room and while she was gone, my Grandmother continued to be disoriented and scared and she became physical with my Grandfather. I went to get her and asked her if she could be given something to calm down and very rudely I was told “No! I don’t sedate my patients! That requires a doctors order. Maybe you all just need to leave and she will calm down.” Bedside manner? That woman has none! Later that week as my Grandfather was visiting my Grandmother (he visited her every day and stayed with her until it was dark outside - he helped her around more than the nurses did) he could see she was not feeling well and was very weak. He takes her to the bathroom and her stool was black with BLOOD. How did my Grandfather realize that but none of the nurses did? He had to go out to the nurses station and DEMAND they get a doctors order for her blood to be checked. The doctor informed them that she had to be transported via ambulance back to the hospital because her hemoglobin was very low. She was bleeding internally via ulcers. She died on May 19th. Following her death, I called the rehab to let them know of her passing and that my Grandfather asked that her items be donated to whoever needs them. Tonight (June 11th) - My Grandfather gets a call from a woman asking him to take a SURVEY about his wife’s stay. These people don’t even care about the patients - former or present - to notate that they are deceased. My Grandfather became extremely upset and hung up. Edit 6/17/2019: After over a week of phone tag, I received two phone calls today. The first one was from HR saying hello and asking if I was certified - they thought I was interviewing for a CNA job. Finally I got a call from Nick? (Something along those lies) I don't know his role but it should be open and filled by someone more competent. Basically with HR (I could hear them in the background) breathing down his neck - he informed me that they are working on getting this review taken down and that they fully defended the nurse in her poor comments towards my Husband's Indian heritage. They then went on to claim that my Grandmother had psychosis when she arrived at their rehab. Not true. The only day she was not herself was Mother's Day and the day after. When she was rushed to the hospital after my Grandfather found she was bleeding, the DOCTOR at the hospital said that those episodes were caused by lack of oxygen to the brain due to her bleeding ulcers. They also said the nurse kicked us out - she did not. My Husband, his parents, and I left before my Grandfather did and my Grandfather left shortly after us. Their own speech therapist told my Grandfather while my Grandmother was there that he needed to stay on top of the nurses or else nothing would get done for my Grandmother. What does that tell you?