Wellington Place of Colonial Heights

I am a friend or relative of a resident

Let's start with the parking lot, then go indoors. There was very little parking available at any given time, staff took up most of the parking lot and visitors had to do the best they could at parking on a slopped area. I never once, in 4 years parked in an area where my car didn't face either up or down hill. The staff that I met were all friendly, I have no real complaints about them. The facility itself was fair. The foyer didn't wreak of urine or body odor, but as soon as you entered the main floor the odor was pungent and overwhelming. It's difficult to keep a facility like this odor free, but the air quality was very poor. My grandmother shared a room with two ladies, one passed away and a new one came. My grandmothers bed was near the window, but the other two ladies had no natural light source period unless my grandmother pulled her curtain back herself, which was very hard for her to do being in her 90's and immobile. The room was small, with one sink for both patients. They allowed them to personalize their space, but it was difficult given that two large hospital beds took up most of the room with a little path to walk between the end of the beds and the wall. I spoke to a dietitcian about my grandmothers diet, they were giving her only pureed food, when she could eat hamburgers and chicken. For years until I stepped in strongly they fed her mashed potatoes and tomato soup for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!!!! This is very unacceptable and why no one listened to me and tried to give her regular food up until the final year she was there is beyond me. I don't recall my grandmother ever being in a soiled bed or her room being dirty, so this is a plus. When she passed away no one was notified that she was terribly ill for weeks, up until the last week. I'm not certain why when I called they said "she's just the same." Instead of saying "she hasn't eaten in two weeks." I live in Alabama and the drive is almost 10 hours and I had no one else to visit her or tell me how she was in person, so staff being clear and honest with me would have helped me get to her in her last days instead of her passing and me not being there. This is the biggest sting to me to date and I wish things had been different. Overall, for the extended period of time she was there I wouldn't highly recommend this place to anyone, but I would tell them if they considered it to be certain of all the rules and get to know at least 3 of the staff on a very personal basis.