Palm Garden of Sun City Center

I was in the Palm Garden of Sun City Center for three weeks. It was amazing, absolutely amazing. It looked like a place you would go for a vacation. There was recreation and two gyms. The staff was awesome. They catered to your diet; whatever you ordered, that's what you got. It's perfect. My insurance covered the twenty days, but I would go back if I had to.

The two stars are for the two decent people we met. My grandma was only there for 1 night and half a day and was forgotten about for all 3 meals. Attitude in regards to bedpans. Lady across the hall begging to be taken to the bathroom. They wet the corner of a towel with COLD water for her to wash her face, really couldn’t let it warm up for a sec. She didn’t have access to all her medications (most importantly they wouldn’t let her finish her ANTIBIOTICS) and had to fight to keep her bottle of hand sanitizer with her while she’s immunocompromised on chemotherapy. Not happy with the way they treat their patients.

This facility promotes itself as a "rehabilitation and health center" but never publicizes that it is operated as a nursing home, with controlled movements . Not managed care by any stretch of the imagination (never see a personal physician interacting with a " resident") Rehab???? Marginal at best . The PT staff is busy but a rehab program for rehab residents is really fragmented. The staff is good and helpful but hardly where one would find serious rehab efforts such as in sports medicine. Food is ok but often boring , bland and tasteless. Staff interaction with "residents" is usually friendly. They need ESOL classes however. "Nurses " range from LPNs and CNAs to a few seeking Masters degrees. Information and following up on requests is quite spotty. Net: I would not send any of my family there for rehabiltation services nor for health management. Being treated as a nursing home occupant with mental issues when not there as one is insulting. Too bad some really dedicated people have been co-opted by this attitude.

My father was here for several months due to a stroke. In the beginning it seemed okay, but as time passed I found myself thankful we had chosen this company. Not only were they good to Dad, but they would take the time to go over his medications and his therapy progress with us. Hopefully we would not need these services again, but I would not hesitate if we had to.

I spent 3 weeks here after my surgery and was pleasantly surprised. Everyone was so kind and my call light was always answered quickly. I had an issue with my room mate (she would not stop talking) so social services moved my room immediately with someone who was more compatible. The food was great and the dining room was beautiful! Therapy worked with me daily and I even attended a couple of activities.

I gave this Facility a 1 rating, but I would have rated it a -1 if that were an option. My mother was a recent patient admitted for rehab for a fractured pelvis. I had to hire a private CNA to be with her during her stay because the care was severely inadequate. I was there in the evenings and weekends and personally witnessed the lack of assistance when it was needed. She was put in adult diapers and not cleaned up appropriately at night . She now has sores requiring home care. She needed help from the bathroom to the bed and assistance was refused by 2 nurses. I was appalled. The Administration gave me a poor response! I am a health care provider as well as a nursing educator and I am totally appalled by the care in this facility.

My step-father stayed there to recooperate from a broken hip this year. He was promised a private room but we had to wait a week and keep after them to get it. His semi-private room was not kept up well at all and we also had to find someone to take care of it the way it should have been. His health, strength, and appetite declined quite visibly (he was FINE upon arrival other than needing rehab on hip) within one week.... We requested that he be seen by a doctor several times. We were finally given a day that the doctor would be there to see him but as the day went on, he did not come. I personally asked the nursing staff THREE times to call a doctor because something was wrong and the third time that I asked I was told "his vitals are good and he is not considered an emergency". My step-father died suddenly the next morning. I am only sorry that we didn't call a doctor rather than wait for them to. The doctor told me he was never asked to come. DO NOT TAKE YOUR LOVED ONES TO THIS FACILITY!. They take ZERO responsibility for any wrong doing. My step-dad may be alive today if he had gone somewhere else where they cared.

Palm Garden of Sun City Center was pretty good overall. It was kept really clean, but they were understaffed. A couple of times I visited my wife at breakfast time and I found her in her bed, soaked. They forgot about her. That’s why I brought her back home, because I didn’t want her in a place like that, but the food that they served was good.