The Carlotta

Deb M.

Extremely disappointing experience — I would not recommend this facility for skilled nursing. I had to place my 94-year-old mother in this skilled nursing facility for what was supposed to be a six-day stay to receive IV antibiotics twice a day. After just 24 hours, I was so concerned about her experience and the quality of care that I moved her to another facility. Her room was extremely dreary and outdated, with beige walls that had chipped or missing paint, visible patches that had never been repainted, an old dresser that looked like it was from the 1960s, an old bedspread/blanket, and an outdated television that barely worked. The room felt particularly depressing. But the quality of care was the much bigger concern. During just the 24 hours my mother was there, three different shift nurses gave her conflicting information about her medications and medication timing. Rather than reassuring her, the conflicting answers left her confused and worried that the staff didn’t know what they were doing. There was also a particularly concerning incident involving her blood pressure. One nurse took a reading from my mother’s finger and told her the numbers were 107 and on a subsequent reading, 100, insisting that this was an accurate blood pressure reading. My mother questioned the readings because she understood those numbers to be unusually low. The nurse argued with her saying the finger device was “high tech” rather than simply rechecking the blood pressure properly. When it was subsequently taken on her arm, the reading was 179 — and the nurse said that was because of how agitated my mother had become. The initial reading appeared to have been a pulse/oxygen-type measurement rather than a proper blood pressure reading. My mother was becoming more and more anxious because they told her they would not be receiving her 2 blood pressure meds from their pharmacy and administering until the next morning. The response time when my mother used the call button was another major problem. It routinely took 15–30 minutes for someone to respond. Because she was receiving IV antibiotics and needed assistance getting to the bathroom more frequently, timely help was especially important. At approximately 5:00 a.m., my mother waited more than 30 minutes after pressing the call button and no one came. She ultimately had to completely wet herself and the bed. What was especially troubling was that a nurse acknowledged that the facility was understaffed in the early morning, despite saying that this was also one of the busiest times because so many patients need assistance. My mother deserved to feel safe, cared for, listened to, and treated with dignity. Instead, within 24 hours she was confused by contradictory information, frustrated by the lack of timely assistance, and so unhappy she said I had to get her out of there. “They are going to kill me” if I stay here any longer.” I understand that skilled nursing facilities are busy and that staffing can be challenging. But basic communication, accurate vital-sign measurement, timely response to call buttons, and assistance with essential bathroom needs should not be considered optional. Based on our experience, I would not recommend this facility to anyone, particularly an elderly patient who needs reliable assistance and attentive care.

Sandra

I visited The Carlotta. We looked at all of it. We liked it, and we stayed and had lunch. The people who are there already seemed to be very content and happy. So, the overall feel was positive. The staff was patient and answered questions. The dining area was pleasant and not too big. Everybody seemed to know each other, and a few people came over and said hello to us. The rooms were average, like all of them, nothing special.

Provider Response

Victoria

I visited The Carlotta. I toured the main building with the apartments and then found out they had cottages. I looked at them, and there were several under renovation. Kathy was the gal I spoke with, and she called to see if I wanted to see the other cottages. They were under renovation, but she had permission to take me over, and we could see them, so I went ahead. They invited me to their gathering, a luncheon-type thing, and it was wonderful. The food and service were outstanding. Everybody was nice. So, I have nothing but good things to say about them. I am just not ready right now. Everything was clean, and it smelled nice. They have a library and a swimming pool. They have a cafe, which is open throughout the day for breakfast, snacks, or lunch. And you can get tickets to go there instead of money, pay with tickets. They have a gym, and somebody who comes in once or twice a week. They have classes. They have an auditorium, so I guess some speakers come in, a game room, and a nice outside living area, too. They have a little central park within, maybe a square of homes or apartments to sit out. They're also affiliated with a medical group. There's some way that if it comes to a time that you need memory care, it's a very easy transition. It's still on the property, and there's space there. Or at the beginning of any illness or anything, they will service you in your home or apartment as long as that's not long-term. They can come and take care of you or have surgery that'll heal. You don't have to move or anything. They will be there to help bring you food and whatever you need. Their staff is more than helpful. They're just wonderful. We walked in and didn't know where to go, and we were escorted and chatted all the way. Everything is under control there, and immaculately clean. The food was outstanding. It was mostly all appetizers, but they were wonderful, and the desserts were great. They were all baked by their own staff, and a cook. So, it was really yummy, and served very nicely.

Provider Response

William

The Carlotta was very clean and very spacious. The staff was very, very courteous. I didn't interact with them much, but they seemed to be very efficient. The facility was excellent. I felt that it would be a good environment. Expensive, but good. The layout of the room was quite adequate for our needs.

Provider Response

Gary9

Our second choice would have been The Carlotta. It's a very big facility. It's very luxurious. If you want, you can live in a townhome, or you can live in a facility building. And they also have a skilled nursing facility there attached to them. The staff was lovely and gave us a tour. They answered all our questions. They looked at our insurance and they guided us. It's a beautiful facility.

Provider Response

Janice

I didn't care for The Carlotta at all. I felt that it was somewhat run down and needed a lot of updating. They said they're going to update it. But at this point, the ceilings were low and it made me feel claustrophobic. I didn't like the food plan where you had to pay so much for a certain food plan and you could change it, but it was not good. The person that showed me around was OK, but I didn't think he was exceptional.