Northdale Rehabilitation Center

I’m a 64 year old female. I had a lobectomy due to cancer. I had many complications so I was in the hospital for close to 5 weeks. My sister visited Northdale and it appeared clean and nicely run. Based on insurance there are not a lot of choices. I was sent there for physical therapy and respiratory therapy. When I arrived a nice lady unpacked my stuff, they hooked my oxygen up, they couldn’t give me meds cause they had to order them. That was my extent of welcome to the facility. I thought that someone from the management team to come in the next day and explain how things are run and what to expect. That didn’t happen until I complained the first time that no one brought me breakfast and I had to complain to get lunch. It was cold chicken nuggets and fries. Then a lady came in, I believe she was a social worker and handed me a blue packet. General information contained in the blue book. The next evening I went to get into bed and the side of my be, night stand and tray table had ants all over it. Palmetto bugs in the bathroom. I let them know and my nurse was trying to kill them with Kleenex. I slept on the far right side of the bed. They did offer to bring me to a shared room but I didn’t have the energy to do so. They told me housekeeping would take care of in the morning. Housekeeping came and did a deep clean with bleach and advised me the exterminator would be here on Friday. That took place. Still a few ants but nothing like before. The food is absolutely disgusting. Everything comes to you cold and when asked why I was told because the elderly population can’t eat hot food. I have had some medical problems that I brought up several times. My issues went on deaf ears. Even a physician said she would put some medication in my chart for my stomach and that never happened. Trudy a nurse came to see me and she was a great listener and addressed most of my issues. She showed compassion and concern and it was not fake. She will always be very special to me. She came to see how I was doing even though I was not her patient. You need to clone her. Anytime I brought up an issue to them and tell them the doctor said they were going to do A. They would argue with me that it was not in the chart. Most times they would come back with some lame excuse. But all of a sudden they found the order. The lab was supposed to come last night to take a urine sample as I have a UTI. They never showed. Again I asked what was going on an was told no order in the chart. Then she came back and said oh I found it in the chart. Gave her a pee sample but who knows when someone will come to get it. I had not had a shower in over a week. Could be longer loosing all track of time I told Jo-Beth that I had an appointment with my lung surgeon and that he wanted me to have it done at an advent facility so he would have access to the films NOT the report. She assured me that would not be a problem. Well I was supposed to have the x-ray on Wednesday but that didn’t happen. I was in physical therapy when the driver arrived and as I was coming back they said the driver was ready. I said I need the films or they need to be sent to my doctor. Someone was supposed to send the films to the doctor but that never happened. My doctor was not happy as the report stated I should get a CT Scan but without the films to compare to prior films he couldn’t make that decision. So the visit was a waste of time. The best experience I have had here is with the physical therapy department and occupational therapy department. Those folks know their stuff. They have concern and compassion for the patients and do a great job motivating folks who prefer not to cooperate. Hats off to those folks they are true professionals. Several of the CNA’S were awesome and they work hard. My night nurse Tyler was excellent. I have yet to receive any updates on how I’m progressing and when I will be discharged. Another example of how communication is lacking in this facility. I wish I had better things to say about this facility but I truly felt alone. Paula JMoore