Crestview Specialty Care

ck123

Poor care. Understaffed. Physical therapy is next to nonexistent. Unbelievable wait time for any assistance.

ZHMD

After a heart attack in March 2021, I needed nursing home care and went to Crestview for rehab. I had been walking with a walker and in independent living. I have a lot of arthritis in my back, hips, knees. Physical therapy began in a week or so and I tried unsuccessfully to get out of my chair. Finally I was able to get up with help and on my feet and then began taking a few steps. I was in the hall walking bent over and the Director of Nursing said I could not walk like that ---- it's an accident waiting to happen so I was put in wheelchair, no longer in skilled care, Medicare no longer paying and I began paying my own expenses. This was within three weeks. For many other reasons I chose to leave Crestview after 15 months. The Administrator retired and the whole management staff left within a short period of time. The Director of Nursing took another job, second who was her assistant left and not sure what happened to her. Third was then promoted and she got fired. We were on fourth DON and in my opinion she had no management skills or people skills. I moved there in the middle of March and by Nov. CNAs began leaving and they were replaced by Agency (temps) and by the time I left I only knew about half dozen CNAs who were FT time. The care with temps deteriorated. Long waits when you put on call light. I had noro virus during the month of April. Others had it for a few days but I had diarrhea for 16 or 17 days. I did not see a doctor. No one was in charge. The CNAs were really good to help me but they weren't in a place to make any decisions about my care. The food is bad. Almost no fresh fruits or veggies. I had a friend bring me fresh fruit and my relatives would also bring fruit. I was told by the dietitian if I wanted to have fresh fruit I was welcome to buy it myself. Dessert is canned pears, peaches, fruit cocktail, pineapple, mandarin oranges most of the time and sometimes pudding or a cookie, pie on Sunday. The entrees are not good, all carbs. I used to ask for a salad and for them that is lettuce out of a bag with dressing. Memorial Day weekend was entirely staffed with temps. I waited 65 minutes for someone to answer call light in the p.m. and kept checking hallway to see if anyone was around and finally asked the nurse to find help. The two ladies who came --- first day for one and third day for the other. When I needed bathroom at 9:15 p.m. same thing and waited over an hour and had wet the bed. When the CNA came in she was alone, didn't know where her partner was, went to look and came back and said she thought she "went to the store" and she would help me if I trusted her. I need two people to help me so I did not trust her. I waited until next shift at 11 and got my Melatonin and CNA disappeared and when I got her back she said she was alone and couldn't use EZ stand alone but she would roll me. She had done that before and with arthritis in my back it is painful and I chose to stay on top of the bed in street clothes with a blanket, 12 hours in a wet bed. The next morning CNA was surprised to see me in same clothes he had put me in the previous morning. That CNA has subsequently been fired also. During all this time the Administrator never seems to get involved He just thought it was the way it was because hard to get good help in the health care field. I don't think they make any effort to keep the good CNAs they had They put in extra hours and worked with inefficient temps and carried the load and left --- no incentive to stay. I called my brother and told him to begin looking and I have been at Briarwood in Iowa City for four weeks. On the second day here I was in PT with exercises. The physical therapist rigged a walker with risers and troughs for my forearms and I was able to stand, with two people helping. After a few days of standing I could take a few steps, with help. Then he ordered a high rise walker for me where I can stand and rest on my forearms and beginning to take steps. It is unknown what the prognosis is but I wasted 15 months of my life at Crestview in a wheelchair because no one knew how or what to do, Calling Crestview a "rehab" facility is a joke. They have almost no equipment. I could not use the New Step bike there because I could not stand and get in it. Here the seat can be turned around so that I can get into the chair and be turned around to ride the bike. I know of about ten people who left Crestview but when I left they were still getting new residents. Either people don't check the reviews and believe the good rating they used to have or other nursing homes are full. Beware-----look around and choose carefully.

KZM

If you love your family member you will not put them in this facility. Other than a few overworked competent CNAs there is not much else that is positive. Horrible food, short-staffed so wait times for help up to an hour, PT inconsistent, medical care not good. Management not interested in fixing problems.

LillianF

We moved our elderly parent there in at the height of the pandemic, fall 2020, and ocouldn't have asked for better care than what he initially got. But, in summer 2021, the director, who had been working there for 30 years, left, and within 6 months, all the longterm managing staff (social worker, activities director, nursing director, charge nurses, even the business office manager) had *all left*, and many longterm nurses and CNAs had also left. The quality of care deteriorated rapidly. Previously we'd received excellent communications, but this also stopped. During our daily visits, we noticed several residents who had previously been reasonably happy were increasingly agitated, and the environment was chaotic and anxious. Our parent's mood also declined and he alluded to staff being short with him, which had never happened before. It was no longer a happy place. Previously, the facility was well-staffed, but by March 2022, the facility was badly understaffed and morale seemed low; they were relying on agency (temp) staffing. Ultimately, we lost trust in Crestview, and moved our parent out. Some of his belongings had disappeared, and we found my friend's mom's pants in his drawer. (Her name was on them, so we gave them back.) The new director never asked why we were leaving, and didn't seem to care. The staff did not speak well of him--another problem. This used to be an award-winning place, but I would not recommended to anyone, friend or enemy. If you have family there, please visit frequently at different times of the day/evening, and get to know other families so you know what is going on there.

IA82

Both of my parents received outstanding care at Crestview Specialty Care! The team of caregivers gave compassionate, individualized care to both of them on separate occasions more than 5 years apart. The food was nutritious, the facility was very clean, the activities were thought provoking and most importantly, the people were kind and helpful. Any questions we had were answered quickly and competently. We would highly recommend this care center.

v236

My family member was a resident at Crestview on two separate occasions for rehabilitation. If the quality of the food is important to you then be warned. My family member is diabetic and avoids pasta, potatoes, and bread. There were many many servings of those items every day. We requested salads and would get one or two and that would be it. From the first time of our experience to several years later nothing had changed on the food front. All the same staff were involved and there was absolutely no improvement. When unfortunately another accident happened we went somewhere else where salads and switching out for healthier choices was possible. Crestview has this golden reputation in the area as the best place for our seniors. And if you don't mind your loved one having to be on more insulin because they prefer feeding them all the food that increases their need for it then this is the place to be. The staff is friendly and as helpful as possible. The facility when not in quarantine is fine with a lot of semi-private rooms. The food is extremely important to our loved one and thankfully we now know there are other places more accommodating.