Pacifica Senior Living

I have been involved in many decisions for skilled care facilities for loved ones. I have worked in many care facilities as well as served on my local Ombudsman committee to investigate senior facilities. Going into this facility, we thought it was the best decision for my mother as a decision was made quickly upon her release from skilled care rehabilitation for a surgically repaired broken femur. This is the case for most families when loved ones cannot return home after a traumatic health event. The room was spacious and the staff was warm and welcoming during the initial tour. Upon moving in, everything changed. Less than adequate staff/patient ratio with only 4 medical staff/1000+ beds. Even though her apartment was right next to the nurses station, she was left unattended for hours on end. We paid additional money to have her checked every 2 hours. The facility was aware she was a fall risk as she was still recuperating from her surgery. After 4 falls, the last one left her with a fractured vertebrae in her back. In extreme pain and now confined to a wheelchair, my mother is a mere shadow of what she was upon admission in just 2 short months. When her demeanor changed drastically, we suspected a UTI. It took them 2 weeks to get a urinalysis to confirm our suspicions. Even at that point, my sister had to step in to help them collect the specimen because they were unable to. Her dementia has advanced more quickly due to the pain and infection she suffered [removed]. Their lack of concern and care is unfathomable for an assisted living facility. I know Brookdale is a huge conglomerate but they need to pay more attention to the patients instead of their stock price because all lives matter. What looks good from the outside and upon initial tour of the facility is a deception. Do not consider this facility if you care about your loved one.

Management and sales department are lacking with no leadership and no creative ways of making this a home and not an institution. I need a place that cares about my parents and not about how quickly they can fill the facility.

My first hand experience is that the new administrator does not follow the rules.

The worst place you can send a loved one....they lie about every thing. Do not have enough help, or help is lacking all kinds of training. The top people have left and the place is dirty and stinky. Ir T is a discrase of how the place is run!!

This place is no short of a cheap motel. They charge way to much for the that hole in the wall. Went for a tour and the whole time we could hear residents complaining about something or another. Dirty rugs, smells of urine and the sales people were lacking on information. If you have an aide for your parent, they are not allowed in dining area, no one is allowed on cell phone during meals and many other restrictions making it more like a jail than a home to put your mom or dad. Worse place ever!!!!!!

This has been the most difficult time in our mother's life. The facility is beautiful. And they have many activities scheduled. Every area that they stated they would assist our mother they failed. Our family was greatly disappointed. We are currently looking for other options. And could not recommend this facility. The lack of accountability in providing services stated is beyond comprehension. Their staff I must say Was pleasant and appeared to want to assist but I do believe that they are short staffed. And in adequately trained. Our seniors are a treasure in each of our families and communities. Sadly this occurs more often at their expense.

This facility is disgusting. They have cockroaches in the kitchen, the whole place is dirty. If you love your parents please avoid this facility.

We placed mother/mother-in-law there. It has just been over a month, and we know we have made a huge mistake. When I asked to see how the life alert beeper she wears works,.... surprise!!!! It didn't. Then it was like, "well, you must have left with her, and it kicked her necklace offline." So maybe tell people that... And until I threatened to call the licensing board, we could not get heat in her room (when it was in the low 40's). The blinds still have not been repaired and it took us two weeks to get the TV working. We choose this place over the others bc of the sewing room, and the fact, they made dolls and sent them to children in need. The sewing room is now a closet, and the person in charge of the dolls is gone. We are now looking to make a change.

If you care at all for the person you are thinking of placing into a full care facility, DO NOT LET THEM STAY ONE DAY AT COURTSIDE COTTAGES. The executive director, [removed] only cares about the bottom line and not the patients or the staff. If you visit Courtside, pay attention to two things; notice that not one patient is wearing glasses or hearing aids (both of which are important stimulus for dementia patients); also, notice that not one patient is involved in any kind of activities (walking, arts and crafts, etc.). All Courtside wants to do is medicate the patients so heavily, they do not have to take care of them and their is no quality of life. [removed], the LVN, was over medicating my father until my mother and I caught the error. We have removed my father and if your loved one is staying at Courtside, I highly recommend you do the same. I feel very sorry for the people who are staying there now.

My overall rating is because of "bait and switch" . We were told how much it would be and that the rates had recently gone up and they didn't expect another for a long time and if so it would only be 3 1/2%. 4 months after moving in and after making some friends and is comfortable, we get a letter informing us that her rent, starting in January, is going up 20%!! YES 20%!! unbelievable. We placed her there because she could afford it for a couple of years. Now with the rent increase it sharply decreases that amount of time. In the letter they said the reason was affordable care act, food increases, insurance, etc. When we spoke to the executive director we were told the reason was so that they could bring all the residents up to the same rate. That is very telling. My Mom is happy there, the employees are nice to her, the food is good, but she doesn't know what tricks they play.

They are under staffed a majority of the time. The staff that does stay are over worked. If they can't treat their employees right how do you think they will treat your family!? We had to move mom out. The food was undesirable.

I agree with the other reviews. Employee's gossip and tell stories to get other's in trouble. Some employee's can not speak clear English, which is a safety hazard. Refrigerators are dirty and the employee's put their personal items in them, which is a health hazard. My friend lives there are cries all the time because she is so unhappy. Management promised her the world but once she moved in they could care less about her. Employee's are so under paid which causes this problem...."you get what you pay for". This place has lost it's rating do to lack of care. Don't go there; it's not worth making them rich only to have a loved one suffer.

I will recount my own experience with my mother and father at this facility over the past six years. Based on my own observations, I would advise anyone currently considering this facility to RUN, not walk away at the earliest opportunity. What was once a compassionate, welcoming facility run by the non-profit Elder Care Alliance has been completely transformed by its new megacorporate behmoth owners. The former Salem Lutheran Home (SLH), now Pacifica Oakland Heights (POH), is no place for some in need of assisted living or skilled nursing, at least if you care about how your loved will be treated. SLH is an old facility. Outbuildings that are used to provide lodging for guests visiting residents have basic problems with functioning plumbing and electricity. Maintenance staff is wholly inadequate for the crumbling infrastructure. For example, a double automatic door leading to the Skilled Nursing Unit has had only one half working for the past 3 years. I know this because I go through it every time I visit my family. With the new ownership, POH has seen wholesale staffing changes at all levels. Nearly all patient care staff are having hours drastically cut (I suspect because the new facility owners do not wish to pay them benefits) and the remaining workers are being run into the ground. It is not uncommon for a patient in the Skilled Nursing Facility to wait 20 to 30 minutes for mobility assistance for activities such as using the toilet. Back in the day, SLH had a reputation for a good kitchen that fed residents pretty decent food. With the advent of POH, the ENTIRE kitchen staff was let go. Yesterday's lunch consisted of a scoop of instant mashed potatoes, a pile of unseasoned ground beef and frozen vegetables. One of the few pleasures our elders have in their most advanced years is eating a decent meal. If this is a priority for you and your elderly loved one(s), then you should take this into account when looking at this facility. I would also like to point out that there is a serious problem with the patient population in the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF). Demented patients who clearly belong in memory care are housed in the SNF and the remaining residents have no privacy, due to understaffing and lack of supervision. Private rooms are entered by confused residents and there is no ability to correct the problem, per senior management. Of course, if you don't like the fact that nothing can be done about confused residents wandering the halls and going into your loved one's room and walking off with personal items, you're more than welcome to find a new facility, even if your family member is days away from dying. It is my opinion that the operating philosophy and priorities of the new owners can best be summed up in a memo which was circulated to the residents on August 5th (and I quote): "Effective September 1, 2014, Pacifica will no longer be able to routinely provide residents with personal items, such as toilet tissue, bath soap and shampoo/conditioner. You may also notice a reduction in the individually wrapped food items that we stock on the salad bar. Although supplying personal items has been a practice of ECA Salem Lutheran Home, Pacifica isn't capable of this responsibility and can't continue to do so beyond August 30." Given the high costs associated with caring for our parents and grandparents in the setting of nursing homes and Extended Care Facilities, the prudent consumer should look on entering into a residency contract with an entity such as Pacifica as a major investment requiring substantial due diligence. Part of that due diligence should be an assessment of the priorities and operating philosophy of the parent organization. In this regard, I believe the above memo speaks more strongly to these points than any additional words I could write. In closing, I would say that the final due diligence should be an evaluation of the company or organization which runs the facility you are considering. The new owners website can be found at pacificacompanies dot com. Your own opinions and priorities may vary, but I personally have deep reservations about the true commitment of a vertically integrated real estate investment company to taking care of my loved ones. Especially when they have to pay for their own toilet paper.

Be very careful when choosing for your loved one. Once in facility they are usually afraid to move and make change. We went to facility every day, we installed cameras, we wrote letters, we meet with staff and management and to no avail. The staff was not trained properly. The staff was cruel at times, the staff made fun of the elderly and the management was not interested in making things better. They were afraid of the staff. I keep records for over two years and the facility just got worst. There was staff that saw what was happening and tried to make changes however they were dismissed. I really can't write about all our problems and concerns from clean room to food service. I get sick when I go back over my records and see whatmy mother-in law and dater-in law went through and feel that I should have had more backbone to do something. They were afraid if we complained they would be treated worst.

The facility was acceptable for respite care for my mother unfortunately they did not provide the care they contracted with me.

This facility completely hid many of their faults when we visited. Their concept is fantastic. However, they r not completely honest nor do they disclose everything. They do not let you tour all of the cottages. They will evaluate your loved one at their worst and put them with inappropriate peers. If your loves one improves, as mine did, they do not work to move them into a higher cottage- as this "is a process". My mother, when improved, spoke of being stripped down and not allowed to dress herself. I pulled my mother out as soon as I could. Also, if you are looking for a private pay facility- do NOT go here- it is definitely primarily government assisted. There are so many nicer places!!

My mom has only been there a few months but so far so good. Chesapeake Place is able to order your families meds if you choose to go that route. It will cost a little more because if the way it is packaged. Or they will call you so you can get the meds to them. Convenient. They also take care of laundry. Mom/dad put laundry outside door and it is washed/dried and returned to your room. Wonderful!

I wouldn't put my dog there. The whole thing needs to be cleaned and freshened up. I am trying to separate the style of it, it is vry elderly looking and very dated. The wallpaper is peeling off, the carpet is worn. It needs to be cleaned. I was just very disappointed and sad to think that existed.

They had an experienced and professional director that was keeping everything running smoothly, however, ever since she left things have fallen apart. My loved one had some untreated lesions, things were being stolen, and the staff were not doing that well, and they were cleaning house firing everyone. They were too expensive and had a high level of employee turnover. Residents were leaving left and right. My loved one was sick because of their actions. He was paying for them to give him a bath - but how can you give someone a bath and not notice a lesion on them? We got out of there and we're glad we did.

The whole experience was very aggrivating. The treatment was zero and the worst thing was that her engagement ring disappeared and everybody is pleading the fifth. Nobody returns a phone call. There is no activity, no socializing. They just sit on a couch and sleep and drool. If you are not advocating, nothing gets done. It was a nightmare.