Life Care Center of New Market

My mom took physical and occupational therapy at Life Care Center of New Market. They were pretty accommodating. They fed her three meals a day. They got double occupancy and each room had its own bathroom and a separate shower room. They had a nice physical therapy room and stuff. Each wing of the facility had a cleaning lady that cleans the hallways and each room every day. Medicare paid for her stay the whole time except for one week when we kept her there an extra week. We paid out of pocket and it was very expensive, but I think we got our money's worth.

My dad is currently in the Life Care Center of New Market. It's been pretty good so far. We had one little bump in the road, but I think that was just mainly because of miscommunication. Other than that, it's been very good. Most of the staff have been very helpful and very friendly, and the room has been adequate. I had a meal there, and it was fine. When I walk past the dining area to get to his room, it looks clean and everything, but he eats in his room. They have like ice cream socials, bingo, movies, and crafts. The church comes in and has services for them there. The living atmosphere seems fine. It's very cozy, and he seems to be doing well there. He has adjusted well. He has only been there for a couple of weeks now. They seem to have a lot of activities for them.

Life Care Center of New Market is where my wife is now. It is very well-appointed on the outside -- shrubbery, plants, and things like that. On the inside, the place is exceptionally clean. They have a very nice entrance, and they have a receptionist that can answer your questions very well and can direct you to the right place. The administrative staff is outstanding. They seem to go out of their way to make sure that not only the resident is taken care of, but also the family. I have had no complaints whatsoever. My wife is a diabetic, and she gets a good diabetic meal while she is there. My wife -- being in the wing where physical therapy is a need for the residents -- needs help as far as her legs and her arms go, and they give her therapy for that to improve her ability to stand and her ability to walk. I am extremely happy with them. The staff is outstanding. The nurses -- if you want to discuss anything with them -- are more than happy to freely discuss. It is the same way with the staff and the CMAs that are there as well. If they cannot answer the question, they get someone who can, which I think is a good thing. I have heard no complaints from any resident about their administration. They are very friendly. It is almost like the administration is in the front office, but they are more in the back office seeing that the residents’ needs are being met.

The facility itself was okay. During the time my grandmother was a resident they were planning to do a renovation and expansion, so upgrades were planned to be made. But while she was there I'd describe the facilities as "just above adequate." The staff was friendly, although they seemed short staffed and often patients had to wait 10 minutes or more to be attended to by nursing or dining staff. The physical therapists were wonderful and very helpful. They were more than willing to discuss and share ideas with our family on how to help my grandmother - whether it was through an encouraging word or activities that made her more mobile. Most rooms were double occupancy, but many residents had rooms to themselves. It definitely wasn't overcrowded and residents and patients were given the privacy of a single room unless space was needed for an incoming patient. The food and dining services were normal - nothing exceptional, but nothing horrible either. My grandmother didn't eat much and they always were willing to give her the option of soup and a sandwich instead of the listed daily menu choices if that was her preference. They were more than accommodating. Perhaps the worst part about the nursing home was the aides that were charged with feeding residents who were either too weak or immobile to feed themselves. They were always in a hurry and seemed to have short fuses. After a few encounters with them, my mother and I took charge of feeding my grandmother as often as we could until she got her strength back up. Overall, Life Care is a decent facility. The renovations and expansions have been completed, and although I have not seen the end result, I'm sure it has made the facilities much more welcoming.