Bickford Senior Living

Needed a place in a hurry. They need more caretakers and activity

biggest complaint with food seemed to be any individual meal plans for different people with different medical needs. this was a year ago and hopefully they have had some changes in staff(administrative especially) and addressed the many issues that led me to give them the review I did.

I wanted to write a review so that other families can know what they are getting their family members into by placing them there. My father had multiple myeloma and had many hospital stays with pneumonia before becoming weaker and spending some time at Ignite. Because he was unable to continue doing physical therapy, we needed to find him a place for more care that would eventually turn into hospice care. In checking with Bickford, we were promised that they had all the care my dad would need up to and including hospice care. [name removed] and I believe the intake nurse came right away to assess my father and insured us that this would be a perfect place for him. It couldn’t have been further than the truth. We brought and bought everything he needed for his room. When it came the day to move him in, they still had all his things in a storage area and had my brother not given them a reminder, my dad would have been the room with nothing. After a couple days, transitions was called and put in place to help my dad get the medications that he needed . Unfortunately, the orders for care, medications times, and dosages got lost when getting into their scheduling. They could Not keep up with the sometimes daily changes in medication and how they were to be administered. After my dad could no longer swallow the crushed pills with applesauce, hospice ordered liquid medication for him. I happened to be there and noticed white bubbling pills on my dad lips and saw that the nurse had crushed up his pills in applesauce and just put it in his mouth!! I hate to think of what would have happened if I was not there. It was at that point that between my brother and I, we were the ones calling for his meds, making sure they were given correctly and trying to track down the ONE nurse on call for the entire facility. I eventually had to buy an air mattress and move in his room to make sure there was care for him 24 hours. Throughout this time, I made sure that [name removed] was made aware of all the mistakes, sharp and snotty remarks from some of the staff, and how they in no way have the ability or the staff to handle someone on hospice care. I found myself reaching out in tears in the middle of night to a hospice person to come help me because there was no one available to help my dad. [names removed]response was that because my dad’s medications and needs for care changed, their system could not or did not process the changes timely. When they would check the orders from hospice, they said they could see them in there but, we’re not processed into my dad’s chart. How is that helpful?! There were many times my dad never received his pills in time and sometimes they were hours late. I heard my dad yelling in pain with no meds to help him. I was sick to my stomach feeling so helpless. They are used to patients who are in long term care that don’t have these types of changes. Somehow, my dad developed COVID. In turn, his wife, my brother, and myself then caught it. I was the only one that was asymptomatic. The staff really was hesitant to come in. They suited up and gave medication but I bought an air mattress and moved in his room so he would have the 24 hour care he needed. Hospice tried to find someone to stay the nights but no one was available. I understandably was not allowed to leave his room. I noticed a change in my dad and asked the nurse when she came in if these changes were anything to worry about. She said his vitals were ok and it was normal. My brother was finally feeling better and was coming to relieve me for the afternoon and night. Unfortunately, my dad passed only hours after I had left. In retrospect, there were a handful of very caring and competent nurses and a few aides who were a blessing for my dad. Bickford has no place ever caring for patients on hospice. This is a facility for patients to be fed, watch TV play some games or do puzzles with minimal change to medications. I have felt so guilty and broken-hearted that I placed my dad in their care. Please encourage other families not choose this facility for any type of critical care.

My family member moved to a different facility after 2 weeks mainly due to mismanagement of medication. I do not recommend Bickford of Omaha Hickory and have reported them to the state Ombudsman

When he first moved there it was good but they made us have someone with him 24 hours. That means paying CNA's in addition to Bickford rent! Anyone who moves must be totally independent. They should not have accepted my brother in the first place.

I would not recommend Bickford to be a place you send families who are vulnerable.. they are like vultures and I had no idea what was going on....they ended up trying to charge us like [price removed] because I didn't "write them a letter letting them know that she obviously wasn't going to be moving in after we paid the holding fee that was only good for 30 days....they rented it out and are still trying to charge us [price removed] I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND SENDING VULNERABLE FAMILIES THERE EVER!!!

Sadly, the leadership is poor and therefore, the morale is low. That surfaces in short responses, lack of kindness, and the director ignoring repeated attempts to speak with her. I am afraid I have nothing positive to say about Bickford.

Have no experience with the rest as we were ghosted and never got to move her in despite paying for the first month... Administration is unresponsive. Emails have gone completely ignored. They were responsive up until they took my money, and then they went silent. To this day forms that should have been signed by them on [date removed] are still unsigned. I did my part and they....just didn't do theirs. Also they have [amount removed] of my money and we never got to move her in, and the director has ignored emails requesting it back. They actually had the nerve to try and bill me for another month when she never was admitted in the first place.

we did not have a good experience with Bickford. mom lasted only 8 days in December fell went to the hospital and ended up at [community removed]. Bickford was clearly not equipped to take care of Mom. they are still trying to bill her for january even after we were told in writing that she was paid in full. that don't have the staff to provide adequate care. they misspoke about the cost initially. there initial assessment for moms needs was incorrect. we called twice in early January to ask about the bill but no one ever called back. i can not recommend Bickford.

Bickford of Bexley staff is rude, no help when needed. 6 employees in the cafeteria being obnoxiously loud sitting down at a table, while the residence sat in TV room smashed together because it is a cookie cutter house. Her hair was always greasy even day after they said they bathed her. Half the staff barely speaks good English. They yell when you ask them to repeat themselves because you didn't understand them. I've never seen the residence anywhere or doing any activities besides roaming the halls and sitting in TV room.

My mother was there for 3 weeks, staff was not responsive to her needs, we found medications on the counters,tables and floor of her room, unsure what they were giving her and when , their was no personal care that she needed, the staff was unresponsive to her and family's request, would definitely not recommend

I was told my loved one would be in a room where she would be carefully watched. I observed that she was rarely checked on. She was rarely cleaned. While I was visiting, she had pushed the call button and no one had come to her room for hours. I had to find someone to help her and they still took an hour. I observed the nurses and staff speak to her rudely and ignore her requests. She was not taken to activities. I noticed she didn't eat and asked her why. She said her food was always cold. I do not recommend this facility.

The quality of care was the biggest negative. Even after at least 3 meetings with director and head nurse--still did not or would not deliver the level care we were paying for. It was over 2 weeks before our mom was evaluated by the physician assistant so there were NO directions for any needed medication changes. Even after the RN was allowed to arrange for much needed changes in medication, they never did get it from pharmacy before we took mom back home!!!! We hired outside care to be with mom from from 8:00 pm til 8:00 am because of concern about the extreme anxiety and agitation mom was experiencing at night, and because she hadn't been seen by the PA to get the medication that would have helped her. Our outside extra help are the ones who provided the care the regular staff were responsible for--getting ready for bed, brushing and flossing teeth, toileting, and calming her and reassuring her when she couldn't sleep. And in the morning, helping her dress and wheeling her down for breakfast. At our meetings the director and RN admitted they were understaffed (which was so obvious) and commented that this was an industry wide problem. They also said that they needed more training for staff. We bc decided we could give mom better care at home!!! Activities amounted to using the tv as a babysitter. Mom was often left in her very uncomfortable wheelchair even though we requested that she be transferred to a regular chair. Her physical therapist also recommended that she walk every day--only happened when family member helped her. Another issue was getting her meds regulated so she could get some relief from her anxiety and agitation. This was a total disaster!!!!!!! Once we got her back home--it took one day to get her meds straightened out and she changed into a different person.

We were thrilled when we found Bickford, which presented itself as a caring, family-like environment, for my sister-in-law when it became apparent she could no longer live alone. She had a history of falls and had developed early dementia. Unfortunately, our experience was very disappointing in the areas of patient care, cleanliness, and billing practices. The marketing person and others were very friendly, but did not follow through on promises made regarding room readiness and start of therapy. We used the medical provider at the facility, and our loved one was started on several medications without our knowledge or consent. Sadly, after seven weeks (mid-Aug) she suffered a bad fall with serious head injury, resulting in hospitalization at a trauma center. We were informed she needed to be discharged to a facility that could provide a higher level of care. Bickford’s director agreed but administration refused reimbursement for unused Sept. days. Overall, a bad experience.

Relative was in memory care. Staff turn over was way too much and many times I visited the staff were standing around and on their phones. Relative’s clothes came back from laundry and mostly not hers. Sizes would not fit and belonged to someone else. I would find deep scratches and bruises on arms and hands and no one answered how they were there. The woman who runs the place keeps a loud barking dog in her office! My advice to anyone looking there is to turn around and run!!!

I was warned to not take my father to Bickford but I ultimately made the decision to to go to Bickford. We were told about the great care he would receive, that they were able to handle his declining mobility, and the facility overall looks very inviting. This would be a decision that would end up being the worst 6 months for all of us. The call button wait times were 30 minutes or longer sometimes with my dad laying on the floor waiting for help to arrive. He had an untreated UTI, which I was told they were taking care of and they did not. He ended up in the hospital for over a week. When returning the did not give him medication for 7 days because there was a miscommunication. At They are understaffed and cannot handle bigger medical needs but the [name remove] will try to convince you they can. They cannot. This place would only be good for more independent people. We had to leave after 6 months in order to get the care we needed. There are some nice staff members but they are understaffed.

I found the staff to be indifferent for the most part. When moving my wife out, I found a set of her soiled sheets stuffed in the back of her closet. My wife was not physically capable of doing this. Once, I arrived when lunch was being served. My wife was confined to a wheelchair. Her breakfast was on the counter in her room without any silverware. She was unable to eat her breakfast and she was unable to get to the dining room alone, and they had forgotten to come for her. Had I not shown up who knows when she might have eaten? There was little in the way of activities. I contracted to pay <fee removed> a month. I kept my wife there for three months and paid in full. They continue to bill me for an additional [fee removed] without explanation.

The lack of communication from the onsite team and corporate office has been unlike anything I have experienced from another organization. Our onsite experience was short as the facility was used for a 30 day respite stay. Three of the four weeks of our loved one's stay, she did not receive the care we agreed upon and paid for. Since the time of her departure, we have spent 3 months trying to find a positive and reasonable solution for our experience with both the community and corporate office. Calls and emails have gone unanswered. Still trying to work thru this issue.

This is a continuation of my father in laws end of life care. In the evenings they only had nursing assistances and 2 med techs. The med tech was very nice, however she didn’t know the difference between mg vs ml!!! She didn’t understand pain management, urinary retention (from narcotic use.) She explained that the Nursing assistance really don’t do much and she helped me turn my dad in bed. Once my dad passed away we came the next day to pick up his belongings. [name removed] instructed one of the nurse assistance to keep an eye on 1 of the patients because she didn’t want him to wander out the door while we were moving our stuff out of the facility. Once [name removed] left, she walked the patient to his room and closed his door and told him, “Just stay in there!” And then closed the door! She then proceeded to sit down by the TV and play on her phone. Many of the nursing assistance just sat on their phones! Lastly, it took Bickford 16 weeks to issue our refund check! We had to ask for it many times.

Mom is no longer at Bickford. Moved to another facility. Not satisfied with memory care unit. Not meeting mom's needs.