Sunny Hill Management Co. Inc.

I totally concur with the concerns expressed by the complaints submitted by the person in August 2014. My mother ended up in Elmcroft due to a fall and broken hip and inability to be independent in her home anymore. She uses a wheelchair or walker but thinks she can walk unassisted. Elmcroft was supposed to be using alarm on her chair so they would know when she tries to get up. The last 3 times I’ve visited they have not had the alarm attached. I’m sure she will continue to try to get up and walk and this is a disaster just waiting to happen. She has sustained wounds on both lower arms---left side scraped skin off from elbow to wrist when she got combative with caregivers and fell. The right arm was severely bruised another time---from elbow to wrist. Her lower legs often have deep bruising on them. I received no information regarding these injuries. When I have brought my concerns up to staff they have said they are glad to see her walking---yes if she’s using the supports needed---but apparently this is not a priority with them—As they do not use the alarm regularly. Several times when I’ve visited there have been no staff in sight. One time, when no staff were in sight, a resident fell and another tried to help her up---staff showed up just in the nick of time. From what I see the ratio of staff to residents is 1:10 or maye 1:8. With residents who have mobility and falling issues this is not appropriate. I cannot believe Elmcroft would continue to serve these residents knowing the hazards and potential for liability issues. To all others rating facilities on this website---be aware you should be filing complaints with Community Care Licensing. You can find their information on the Internet.

My mother was at Elmcroft for a brief period of time. From mid May to June 17 where she passed. She broke her right hip late January 2014 and had extensive surgery and a subsequent 90 days of rehab at another facility. Elmcroft is represented as a memory/dementia care locked facility. Mom had moderate dementia and when she arrived at Elmcroft she required a significant level of care which included a two person assist for transfers and assistance bathing, dressing etc. She used her wheel chair daily. We specifically notified Elmcroft that Mom was a fall risk. My greatest concern at Elmcroft of La Mesa is patients do not have a way to reach staff assistance when they are either alone in their bedroom and/or bathroom. There are no pull cords, alarms, bracelets/necklaces for the patients. My mother was often napping in her room alone. I would be present with her for one to two hours at a time and no one came in to check on her safety or whereabouts. If she had fallen and cried out for help this would have fallen on deaf ears because there is absolutely no way for anyone to hear her cries through the hall (fire) door. With the hall door closed it would be impossible for staff to hear her cries or worst case scenario she would fall and be unconscious and no one would find her for in excess of 2 hours. I would hate to think of her hurt and not receiving the care she would need. After the fact, (after Mom moved in) we were notified by Elmcroft staff that the door that led from the hall way to the two sets of bedrooms would have to remain closed because of fire regulations.They indicated to me that the staff would check on the residents in their rooms every two hours. This was not so as I personally witnessed two hour time frames of visits and no one would come to check on my mother. I personally bought a bed alarm and a wheelchair alarm to assist in her care. I also asked the director if we could use a baby monitor in Mom’s room and the receiver at the nurse station. He did not appear to be keen on that idea and said there isn’t always someone in the nurses office to respond. I brought the idea of some kind of call buttons to the director indicating it would serve to make the residents safer. He did not appear very interested. He was temporarily assigned there from Grossmont Gardens, their sister facility. Matter of fact he even had the nerve to suggest that maybe Elmcroft was not a suitable place for my mother. Although, his Staff (RN) made an in depth evaluation stating she was in fact suitable for their facility. I feel Elmcroft was not a safe place for my Mom. And every family should feel that their loved one has a safe environment to live in. Incidentally, Elmcroft had an outbreak of scabies and all residents had to be treated several days after Mom moved in. I personally was unaware of this prior to her move in. I may have had second thoughts if presented with these facts. In addition, while Mom was at Elmcroft she developed two bedsores from the staff failing to change her position every two hours. She also developed pneumonia. I personally observed staff coming to work sick. These elderly patients are very frail and their immune systems are compromised. It was the visiting doctor/nurse from Guardian Angels Healthcare that would examine Mom and find out about her fever, pneumonia, bed sores, bruises etc. Elmcroft either failed to notify us of medical problems or delayed notification. Elmcroft appears to be very understaffed. There is a lead who is a LVN and several med techs and all the others staff are designated as caregivers. I think the ratio of caregivers to patient is 1 to 8 or more patients. This is unrealistic. Additionally I feel the caregivers are not adequately trained for dementia care or senior care. I could tell you so many incidents that even happened in my presence so only God knows what happened when we were not present. I personally feel the minimum training should be a State of CA CNA license to care for the residents. Of course, the majority of the staff at the facility is comprised of the lower paid and non skilled caregivers. I feel their training falls short of the care that they are responsible to give the residents. I must add the caregivers are spread very thin and it is impossible for them to give adequate care. The director never extended his condolences to me in the loss of my mother. What kind of professionalism is this? I tell you to think twice before you place your loved one at Elmcroft of La Mesa.

My wife was there for respite care and I was not happy with them at all. I was going to France for 3 weeks and put her there for respite. I got as far as Atlanta, about to board the plane for France, and got a phone call that my wife has fallen and is the emergency room. I had to cancel my trip. I don't think they gave her very good supervision. She just walked out on to a patio by herself and no body saw her fall or anything. She just wandered back inside with a cut on her forehead so I wasn't very pleased with that. They didn't really watch very well and ruined a whole trip to France.

This community seemed dark and dreary when we visited. They did seem to try and keep it clean. The food was not good. There was food spilt on the salad bar and and no one cleaned it off when we were there. They have smaller kitchen areas in the apartments. This does have individual apartments where the front door opens up to the outside. This community was a higher cost than other communities in the area.

There are many deficiencies.

I called to check on my Mother and I was given a general answer of, "She is adjusting well and talking with others." After talking to the nurse at the same facility I found out that she has been in her room with a medical problem the entire time she was there. She may not even be aware that this is her new home. I feel like I cannot trust what is said on the phone. They say what they think you want to hear not the truth. I am going to have to go over once a week, at different times, to check on my Mother. I am very upset about this.

I am happy with the people that work with mom in the memory care unit. They are very helpful and friendly. They provide the loving environment that mom requires. That said, there are definitely a few areas where they need to improve. They have had a lot of changes and have not been entirely consistent. Mom has Alzheimers disease and need her medication on a regular basis. She sometimes refuses to take it, and the staff does not seem to always understand that doctors orders are more important than moms decision to take or not take her medication. My daughter lives close and Emeritus calls on her a lot to help out (with picking up meds and other things) when I feel this puts my daughter at an inconvenience and they should be taking care of these things on their own. There have also been issues with billing and seem a bit incompetent in their bookkeeping.

If zero stars was an option, that's what I would give this facility. I was evaluating this facility for my mother. I love my mother very much, but simply can't continue providing her with the level of support she needs while also raising my little girl. I'm trying to find a place where my mom can be really happy and active and we can visit her often. The tour was scheduled through A Place for Mom. The facility calls saying they need to reschedule. During the call they were quite rude and speaking badly about A Place for Mom, who had been amazing at providing me with all the information I needed to figure out the best solution for my mother. When I receive another message about the tour I call back to confirm if my original time was actually available and they tell me to come in. When I arrive there was no parking available. When I finally find a place to park and get inside, I was immediately concerned by how dim and shabby the facility appeared. It felt more like a place to stick some

A sinking ship. Removed my Mom after 2 months. Many hidden charges and un trained staff. New faces every week.

I had a tour of this community for my grandmother and was not very impressed at all. Everything looked like an old broke down apartment building that had been abandon. All of the studios where so tiny and also had many cracks inside and out of the apartment floor. It would not be safe for anyone who was hard at walking or needed further assistance to get around. I also did not care for how separated everything was . You had to go outside into a different building just to get the dinning room as well as other areas. I would just never want her living in a place like this.

Employees are not helpful at all. You cannot get any help from anyone.

Not long after I placed my husband I noticed that his diaper was not being changed as needed. On one occasion his diaper was so full it fell off and was under his pants above his knee. A huge concern is the lack of hydration. Three cups of flavored water a day is not enough. Once my husband had a UTI and twice he passed out and was taken to the hospital where doctors believed he was dehydrated. I had to be at Elmcroft on hot days because my husband would go outside in the sun and staff did not regularly monitor residents in the patios. His mattress had to be replaced as staff "washed" it. Staff had planned to have my husband sleep on a cold soaking wet mattress. Thank God I visited him that day as he is not able to communicate his needs. All of the above care and safety issues were communicated to the Executive Directors at the time. There is a large turnover of staff at Elmcroft including 4 Executive Directors in less than 2 years. I suggest you contact the Dept. of Social Services State Licensing and review the complaints and disciplinary actions taken against Elmcroft.

[removed] Activities are pathetic with some that are not age=-appropriate---Easter Egg hunt!!!! Really???? Staffing supervision is spotty at best. I've been there when no staff have been in the community room (which has sometimes close to 50 residents).

Just spoke to the person in charge of admissions and oh boy was she rude. She cut me off while I was speaking and basically told me "good luck my friend" finding care. If you call be prepared to encounter [removed], not a good experience! Would NEVER bring my dad there if this is how they treat the families.

I totally concur with the concerns expressed by the complaints submitted by the person in August 2014. My mother ended up in Elmcroft due to a fall and broken hip and inability to be independent in her home anymore. She uses a wheelchair or walker but thinks she can walk unassisted. Elmcroft was supposed to be using alarm on her chair so they would know when she tries to get up. The last 3 times I’ve visited they have not had the alarm attached. I’m sure she will continue to try to get up and walk and this is a disaster just waiting to happen. She has sustained wounds on both lower arms---left side scraped skin off from elbow to wrist when she got combative with caregivers and fell. The right arm was severely bruised another time---from elbow to wrist. Her lower legs often have deep bruising on them. I received no information regarding these injuries. When I have brought my concerns up to staff they have said they are glad to see her walking---yes if she’s using the supports needed---but apparently this is not a priority with them—As they do not use the alarm regularly. To all others rating facilities on this website---be aware you should be filing complaints with Community Care Licensing. You can find their information on the Internet.

We placed my aunt in the Vintage Club at Grossmont Gardens but it was very quickly recommended that she be placed in the Health Center which is more expensive even though she now shares a room with two other women and a bathroom with five other women. The staff is not friendly regardless of the level of care. I will be moving my aunt as soon as possible which is another transition that she should not have to endure! I suggest you keep looking until you find a place that actually cares about your loved one. I wouldn't want any other family to go through what we are experiencing.

They would just put my mother in a room and leave her there. It was a big disappointment to me. It started off great and went downhill from there. The nursing staff were incompetent and non-caring. The caregivers on the weekends were non-existent. It came to be a question of whether she wwas getting her meds. They were doing a remodel and as soon as that started it just fell apart. It's a beautiful place but the treatment and the care was terrible. I tried to talk to the administration and just got the run around.

The administration is a problem. They missed several appointments I had with them; billing is an issue; and when there was an emergency, the wrong contact person was called. So far, I'm not very happy.