Elmwood Communities - Fremont, Ohio

Gail P.

I had my mother in this facility 1-1/2 years for dementia. The facility itself is beautiful and “the sell” is good. But I found the exterior and the “eye candy” isn’t representative of the experiences “inside”. I couldn’t get calls through or any type of timely response, if any, to left voicemails. Turnover and short staffing were ridiculous. It seemed very very few “knew” my mother. She was always in someone else’s clothes. She had nice clothes. I went for her transport to a doctor appointment and she looked like a bag lady in mismatched clothes, none of her own. I didn’t think that was providing her any type of dignity in the outside world. For one very important doctor appointment, the staff didn’t have her ready in time and she missed her transport, and her appointment.

She had a couple of bad falls. I know that happens. However, as soon as I got the call I went to her and she looked like she was in a bar fight with two black eyes and a terribly bruised face. I have pictures. My issue is they were “unwitnessed falls”, that happens too. But for her to be so bruised, no one knew the timeframe and how long did it take for all that bruising to occur before she was found.

I found it nearly impossible to communicate with her for nearly the past 10-11 months. Then her friend discovered she couldn’t hear. I was told by the staff here her dementia increased which diminished communication. For a skilled facility in that amount of time I would think someone would discover she couldn’t hear, so basically she was in solitary confinement for a long period unable to communicate. How very sad. With a dry erase board, now a hearing amplification device, I can now communicate with my mother. I cried over this. How sad for her was that.

On one fall she broke her wrist. After 8 weeks there the doctor informed me it had not yet even begun to heal and was further dislocated than at the time of the break. I moved her about 6 weeks ago. The doctor now said the break is healing well and hopefully in one week she no longer needs a cast/brace. I think this absolutely says volumes as to how she’s being cared for at a new facility.

Every time I visit the new facility, the staff just talks to me about her day, week, and it’s like family. The difference is 360. And somehow she’s always looking nice in her own clothing.

I feel a strong injustice was done to my mother here. One with little time with dementia where a lot of her remaining time was stifled. I would not recommend. I also put one star as there was no option for zero. I was impressed by the exterior and didn’t realize the extent of the poor interior. The change of facilities is amazing. I so wished I’d have realized this and moved her long ago.

Sarah D.

I gave this only one star because I have a very dear friend that has a loved one in this place. They don't take care of his mother oh, they don't make sure she takes her pills, and it's just not a safe place for older people with dementia! Please don't ever take your mother or father to this place unless you don't care about them at all. I get one star because I couldn't give it zero stars

Tawni S.

They should stick to assisted living and leave skilled nursing care to the pros. Limited food choices, frequent errors in tray preparation or just not what was ordered. Late and/or missing scheduled, prescribed, pain meds. Argumentative staff, poor attitude. Housekeeping was average at best. We moved the patient to another facility as soon as we could secure a bed, he was only there a week. New, modern facility that could do so much better by their patients.If you have someone who needs rehab to recover, send them elsewhere.

Wendy L.

My father was at Elmwood in the rehab wing after a second neck surgery in late December 2018. He also has Parkinson's and diabetes. He came from Flower's Hospital Rehab facility after 20 days of physical, occupational and speech therapy. He left Flower's making good progress but also had a sacral pressure wound, staged 2. Once at Elmwood, his progress stopped. My dad arrived at Elmwood just before Christmas. The intake evaluation was done and the pressure sore was noted. His pressure sore was left untreated for almost 2 weeks after arriving at Elmwood, and he was never turned during that time. Many staff members were using vacation time for the holiday and his care was very disorganized. The physical therapist seemed inexperienced and her knowledge was limited. Plus his "one hour" of physical and occupational therapy that was billed daily to medicare was many times about 30 minutes total and sometimes less. Around February his pressure sore was getting so bad the facility doctor, Dr. Wonderly and her NP Lisa Ebert finally sent him to Memorial to start having his now stage 4 pressure sore debrided. The staff (nurses, aids etc) did not understand the turning of a patient. He should never have been on his back only turned left and right but they would regularly turn him Left, Back, Right, repeat (when they would remember to turn him). He was also left in his wheelchair for hours at a time when it should have only been one hour after eating. My mother was there for several hours a day, everyday so she just started turning him herself and training staff member on how to turn him. When they finally complied with regular turning it was too late, on March 17, 2019 my father was having some health issues so Elmwood called the ambulance and sent him to Memorial hospital, they thought he was having a heart attack. He was then transported to Toledo ProMedica where he was diagnosed with Sepsis related to his sacral pressure sore. His pressure sore was not properly cared for at Elmwood. He spent 11 days at Promedica Toledo treating his Sepsis then was transferred to Regency Hospital to do 50 days on antibiotics for sepsis. While at Elmwood the facility doctor, Dr. Wonderly and her NP, Lisa Ebert were his doctors. They began prescribing my father antidepressants and other medications without checking with my father and mother about his medication history. (he had already tried some of the medications and they didn't work or they prescribed medications that have bad interactions with his Parkinson's meds and other current medications he was on) Lisa Ebert even came out and asked my father how long he expected to live and he said at least a few more years and she said I give you 6 months. That was very disturbing to us. Neither of them specialize in geriatric medicine or Parkinson's Disease and their 5 minute check ups were inadequate along with their communication skills. Some of the staff was warm, kind and good at their job and we are grateful for the kindness and care they gave my father. But when you hire very few aids and pay them very little, they don't stick around or they are just not good at their job. While Elmwood is aesthetically appealing and clean, there is just so much that was inadequate or below the level of care he should have received at Elmwood's Rehab center that I would need a few days to post all the information. *NOTE* We choose Elmwood for the fact that my grandmother had Alzheimer's/dementia years ago and we had her at this facility and the care was very good with her stay there. Elmwood seems to have a great Alzheimer's care center- this review was only on the Rehab center of Elmwood.

Jeffrey A.

M’y great aunt lives here and they take good care of her. Residents are kept up and moving with daily activities. The setting is nostalgic and formal.

Amanda P.

Family owned and operated company, the residents always come first! Quality of care is top priority, always!

Sheila H.

My grandmother loves it here. She is in the assisted living section and is very happy with her choice.

Becky G.

Great family owned business, patient care is a priority!